Completely demoralised

Rondell Tate · 08-06-2009, 01:11 AM

I swear there's a separate difficulty level that switches on in the World Series, to make it harder to beat the game and make the AI seem more challenging.
I just lost a series where the other team rated OK defensively (mostly 9-to 11); mine about 17/20 on average. Guess who had more errors? Guess which team never let a single grounder up the middle into the outfield in seven games (when Pete Rose is consistently making playing behind the bag from 2B, there's something screwy going on). Guess whose catcher (1/20 speed) and right fielder (3/20 speed) hit infield singles in consecutive AB in consecutive games? And whose OK right fielder made an unbelievable two-out catch in the top of the ninth, only to have my ace reliever lose on: hit batsmen, two-hopper apparently right through my 19/20 first baseman, three-run HR, Series over ...
I'm tired of having ace starters with 17/20 control or better walk the leadoff hitter inning after inning in the World Series. I mean, Bob Gibson has a WS ERA in the high single digits after four seasons in one sim I abandonded for just this reason.
I decided to try again and spent three months playing out every game of a season, and now I just feel cheated. This happens almost every time I play solo ... I win the regular season going away, then the other team plays out of its mind in the Series and I lose probably 90 percent of them. Where's the fun in playing a rigged game?

Left-handed Badger · 08-06-2009, 03:06 AM

Well, Bill Buckner was a pretty good defensive 1B back in the day.

But, anyhow over 7 games that many great plays does seem a little wierd.

I did find a rather strange way to get good starting pitching in the playoffs in one version. I put a MR in for 1-2 innings. Then I put in the scheduled starter who generally pitches pretty good. Dont know why it worked. Maybe I confused the heck out of the AI.

jmknpk2 · 08-06-2009, 03:10 AM

Don't give up hope. I've had stretches where it seemed impossible to win the world series, losing playoff after playoff. But then I've also had times when it seems like we just waltzed in there and took it all. The game is not rigged, just the breaks. Anything can happen in a seven game series.

tajoumaru · 08-06-2009, 04:00 AM

One problem I've had in the playoffs is my really good pitchers, starters and relievers alike, getting shelled. Of course "anything" can happen in a short series, but still...it happens way too often. I'm talking about dominating pitchers with ratings in the 70s (on the 20-80 scale) getting creamed for like 8 runs in two innings, that kind of thing.

Not sure why this happens, but I do agree that it feels like some switch gets turned on during the playoffs/world series.

bababui · 08-06-2009, 04:13 AM

Oddly, Ive been in 3 post seasons and won them all..for the first time in 7 iterations of this game. It all comes down to luck and pitching.

old timer · 08-06-2009, 04:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rondell Tate

Where's the fun in playing a rigged game?

This topic has come up numerous times in the past, with several people saying it must be rigged and others saying it's not. I personally don't see any evidence of it being rigged and I've played in many post-seasons with various teams of varying quality since OOTP v4.

For example, in my current universe, I'm managing a fictional Milwaukee Brewers with both real and fictional players mixed in. When I first started with this team, they were the worst in baseball and in my 4th season I finally went to the World Series (no playoffs at that time). Right before the series, I had several key injuries which decimated my already weak offense and I found myself using a couple of OF subs that could hardly hit at all (.230 and .176 averages during regular season).

To make a long story short, the two subs were the top hitters and a mediocre starting pitcher won 2 of the 4 games and we won 4 games to 2. I thought there was no way we could beat the other team which was far better even before all the injuries to my players. It was also the most exciting WS that one of my teams had played in since I started playing OOTP.

The next 2 seasons I made it to the playoffs (just added them) and lost both times after leading Pittsburgh 3 games to 1. It was heartbreaking and at times it felt like the AI was getting too lucky. I momentarily had feelings like you mentioned and had to remind myself of past experiences with prior versions that went differently.

The next two WS my team played in, my team was about the equal of the other team and we won 1 series and lost the other. In my most recent WS, my team was far superior to anyone (.747 WPct, 16 game winning streak followed by 1 loss, then 15 game winning streak - best team I ever seen or had in my years with OOTP) and I remember feeling a sense of doom before the start of the series. We won the first game then lost two straight games that we should have won and I felt again like the AI was cheating (I should have known better). It had two of the most amazing comebacks I had ever seen - no lead was safe and my pitching staff which was the best in baseball, totally forgot how to pitch. It didn't matter who I put out there, they got clobbered and even though we kept scoring too, they always countered and ended up taking a 2-1 series lead.

To make yet another long story short, we started playing like we did all season and fairly easily won the last 3 games to win the WS. So overall now, my team is 3-1 in the 4 WS I've played in. In the playoffs, I have 4 wins and 4 losses.

In an OOTP 5/6 league, I had similar experiences where my teams sometimes performed as expected and sometimes they overachieved/underachieved. When the underachieving happens several times in a row, it can feel like some cheating is going on, but I really doubt it since it's gone the other way for me (and others) so many times as well.

Left-handed Badger · 08-06-2009, 05:05 AM

I will say I have never won a Game 7 in OOTP (LCS or WS) Closest I came was against Boston (I was Seattle) in the ALCS. I am down 4-1, an manage to score 2 runs in 8th, 1 in the 9th. Then in the bottom of the 11th, Boston has men 1st and 3rd, with 2 out. Damn weak grounder just out of my 2B's reach.

To quote Burgess Meredith's bookworm character in that Twilight Zone episode (when he broke his glasses) "that's not fair, that's not fair at all"

bababui · 08-06-2009, 05:59 AM

I have won game 7's with this iteration. And it cant be attributed to manager smarts.

damientheomen3 · 08-06-2009, 08:47 AM

in my main GMing solo league, my team just won 118 games, with 3 20 game winner pitchers, and got swept in the conference series against an 86 win team that I saw we pulverized in the regular season. But it's not the first time it's happened; in my 5 years running this team, we've gotten into the playoffs 4 times, 3 times with the best record in the league, and the most win's we've ever gotten in an LCS is 2, and that's even if we get there (been swept by a team with less wins than us in the LDS twice). But hey, I figure that this is what real GMs have to go through, so I don't let it get me down.

MiddiePlayer · 08-06-2009, 08:48 AM

I just took over a bad team (about 60 wins 4 seasons in a row before I took over) and won the WS in my second year. I also achieved the ultimate goal of OOTP... the perfect 100 season score. I still dont understand how that is calculated but I appreciate it none the less.

But I have won and lost playoffs and WS in the past with other versions. Seems to me that I can always figure out why and it usually has to do with pitching. Just like in MLB a team can win a series with pitching alone if they just have 2 good starters and a good closer. It has worked for me and against me a few times.

jasonn29tn14 · 08-06-2009, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rondell Tate

I swear there's a separate difficulty level that switches on in the World Series, to make it harder to beat the game and make the AI seem more challenging.
I just lost a series where the other team rated OK defensively (mostly 9-to 11); mine about 17/20 on average. Guess who had more errors? Guess which team never let a single grounder up the middle into the outfield in seven games (when Pete Rose is consistently making playing behind the bag from 2B, there's something screwy going on). Guess whose catcher (1/20 speed) and right fielder (3/20 speed) hit infield singles in consecutive AB in consecutive games? And whose OK right fielder made an unbelievable two-out catch in the top of the ninth, only to have my ace reliever lose on: hit batsmen, two-hopper apparently right through my 19/20 first baseman, three-run HR, Series over ...
I'm tired of having ace starters with 17/20 control or better walk the leadoff hitter inning after inning in the World Series. I mean, Bob Gibson has a WS ERA in the high single digits after four seasons in one sim I abandonded for just this reason.
I decided to try again and spent three months playing out every game of a season, and now I just feel cheated. This happens almost every time I play solo ... I win the regular season going away, then the other team plays out of its mind in the Series and I lose probably 90 percent of them. Where's the fun in playing a rigged game?

Tony LaRussa must have felt the same way in October 1988.

Raidergoo · 08-06-2009, 12:23 PM

In solo play, I regularly win 100-110 games and then take 2/3rds of the World Series. It just gets too easy due to handling contracts properly and roster management.

Afino · 08-06-2009, 05:29 PM

Sample size!

But yeah, I have to "hold back" just so I don't win every year. In 5 years of my current dynasty, I have three first-place finishes and two world titles.

esovia23 · 08-07-2009, 01:40 AM

The odds are you wont win a title no matter how dominant your team is. Anything can happen in a 7 game series. Baseball isnt like football or basektball. It is hard for any one team to dominate.

esovia23 · 08-07-2009, 01:43 AM

I had a dynasty in 6.5 in which I made the playoffs 14 straight seasons. I won 4 championships. It is hard to win the playoffs. 4/14 is 28%. Thats probably about the best you can do in baseball.

perez24 · 08-07-2009, 05:42 AM

Though I am a great fan of conspiracy theories which impact all aspects of my life, I always wonder why would a game be set to "rig itself" so that the human can't win the WS or playoffs or whatever? I mean, what does the game "care?"

Look at how long teams have either not gone to the WS or won it IRL?

I'm sure I will have a different view when I ACTUALLY MAKE IT TO THE PLAYOFFS!!!!

norva13x · 08-07-2009, 05:15 PM

3 words:

2001 Seattle Mariners.

tajoumaru · 08-07-2009, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by norva13x

3 words:

2001 Seattle Mariners.

Don't remind me.

RchW · 08-07-2009, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raidergoo

In solo play, I regularly win 100-110 games and then take 2/3rds of the World Series. It just gets too easy due to handling contracts properly and roster management.

I'm not that good. In my v9 solo league; 59 seasons, 54 in the playoffs 21 WS won. I wanted to win 6 in a row and never made it. I won 6 of 7 and 7 of 9 in one streak but never came close to 5 in a row again.

Afino · 08-08-2009, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RchW

I'm not that good. In my v9 solo league; 59 seasons, 54 in the playoffs 21 WS won. I wanted to win 6 in a row and never made it. I won 6 of 7 and 7 of 9 in one streak but never came close to 5 in a row again.

Even in my best OOTP9 league I only won 5 out of 6 during one stretch.

08-06-2009, 01:11 AM	#1
Rondell Tate Minors (Double A) Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 169	Completely demoralised I swear there's a separate difficulty level that switches on in the World Series, to make it harder to beat the game and make the AI seem more challenging. I just lost a series where the other team rated OK defensively (mostly 9-to 11); mine about 17/20 on average. Guess who had more errors? Guess which team never let a single grounder up the middle into the outfield in seven games (when Pete Rose is consistently making playing behind the bag from 2B, there's something screwy going on). Guess whose catcher (1/20 speed) and right fielder (3/20 speed) hit infield singles in consecutive AB in consecutive games? And whose OK right fielder made an unbelievable two-out catch in the top of the ninth, only to have my ace reliever lose on: hit batsmen, two-hopper apparently right through my 19/20 first baseman, three-run HR, Series over ... I'm tired of having ace starters with 17/20 control or better walk the leadoff hitter inning after inning in the World Series. I mean, Bob Gibson has a WS ERA in the high single digits after four seasons in one sim I abandonded for just this reason. I decided to try again and spent three months playing out every game of a season, and now I just feel cheated. This happens almost every time I play solo ... I win the regular season going away, then the other team plays out of its mind in the Series and I lose probably 90 percent of them. Where's the fun in playing a rigged game? __________________

08-06-2009, 03:06 AM	#2
Left-handed Badger Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: at the altar of the baseball god praying for middle infield that can catch the ball Posts: 2,036	Well, Bill Buckner was a pretty good defensive 1B back in the day. But, anyhow over 7 games that many great plays does seem a little wierd. I did find a rather strange way to get good starting pitching in the playoffs in one version. I put a MR in for 1-2 innings. Then I put in the scheduled starter who generally pitches pretty good. Dont know why it worked. Maybe I confused the heck out of the AI. __________________ -Left-handed groundball specialist -Strikeouts are for wimps

08-06-2009, 05:05 AM	#7
Left-handed Badger Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: at the altar of the baseball god praying for middle infield that can catch the ball Posts: 2,036	I will say I have never won a Game 7 in OOTP (LCS or WS) Closest I came was against Boston (I was Seattle) in the ALCS. I am down 4-1, an manage to score 2 runs in 8th, 1 in the 9th. Then in the bottom of the 11th, Boston has men 1st and 3rd, with 2 out. Damn weak grounder just out of my 2B's reach. To quote Burgess Meredith's bookworm character in that Twilight Zone episode (when he broke his glasses) "that's not fair, that's not fair at all" __________________ -Left-handed groundball specialist -Strikeouts are for wimps

08-06-2009, 05:29 PM	#13
Afino Hall Of Famer Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 3,828	Sample size! But yeah, I have to "hold back" just so I don't win every year. In 5 years of my current dynasty, I have three first-place finishes and two world titles. __________________ GUBA: Moscow Enforcers

08-06-2009, 03:10 AM	#3
jmknpk2 All Star Reserve Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 982	Don't give up hope. I've had stretches where it seemed impossible to win the world series, losing playoff after playoff. But then I've also had times when it seems like we just waltzed in there and took it all. The game is not rigged, just the breaks. Anything can happen in a seven game series.

08-06-2009, 04:00 AM	#4
tajoumaru Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Seattle Posts: 115	One problem I've had in the playoffs is my really good pitchers, starters and relievers alike, getting shelled. Of course "anything" can happen in a short series, but still...it happens way too often. I'm talking about dominating pitchers with ratings in the 70s (on the 20-80 scale) getting creamed for like 8 runs in two innings, that kind of thing. Not sure why this happens, but I do agree that it feels like some switch gets turned on during the playoffs/world series.

08-06-2009, 08:48 AM	#10
MiddiePlayer Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 47	I just took over a bad team (about 60 wins 4 seasons in a row before I took over) and won the WS in my second year. I also achieved the ultimate goal of OOTP... the perfect 100 season score. I still dont understand how that is calculated but I appreciate it none the less. But I have won and lost playoffs and WS in the past with other versions. Seems to me that I can always figure out why and it usually has to do with pitching. Just like in MLB a team can win a series with pitching alone if they just have 2 good starters and a good closer. It has worked for me and against me a few times.

08-06-2009, 12:23 PM	#12
Raidergoo Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 9,005	In solo play, I regularly win 100-110 games and then take 2/3rds of the World Series. It just gets too easy due to handling contracts properly and roster management.

08-07-2009, 01:40 AM	#14
esovia23 Banned Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 154 Infractions: 0/1 (4)	The odds are you wont win a title no matter how dominant your team is. Anything can happen in a 7 game series. Baseball isnt like football or basektball. It is hard for any one team to dominate.

08-07-2009, 01:43 AM	#15
esovia23 Banned Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 154 Infractions: 0/1 (4)	I had a dynasty in 6.5 in which I made the playoffs 14 straight seasons. I won 4 championships. It is hard to win the playoffs. 4/14 is 28%. Thats probably about the best you can do in baseball.

08-07-2009, 05:42 AM	#16
perez24 Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: various Posts: 203	Though I am a great fan of conspiracy theories which impact all aspects of my life, I always wonder why would a game be set to "rig itself" so that the human can't win the WS or playoffs or whatever? I mean, what does the game "care?" Look at how long teams have either not gone to the WS or won it IRL? I'm sure I will have a different view when I ACTUALLY MAKE IT TO THE PLAYOFFS!!!!

08-07-2009, 05:15 PM	#17
norva13x Major Leagues Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 476	3 words: 2001 Seattle Mariners.