Minor League Falling Apart

[Bucksterdude]

I have drafted really highly touted players and spent a ton of money on bonuses, hired the best rated staffs for the teams and spent double the minimum on development but in the 2 years I have run my Washington team the minor leagues have fallen apart. I trimmed off the bad players and put AI and my Assistant GM in control of demotions but it still fails. What am I doing wrong and what are the best practices? Thanks for the help.

[ra7c7er]

What exactly are you having issues with? are your teams just all doing bad or are your players not developing?

Personally I could care less how my minor league teams do so long as they are developing players.

[SirMichaelJordan]

2 year is hardly enough time to see if you are developing players. Are you expecting all stars? What is your minor league ranked?

High budget, and best scout adds bonus in development but those aren't the secret to getting all good players.

[Bucksterdude]

I am not expecting all start just teams that do not rank last in all minor leagues. I mean they really stink. I appreciate the help, I just did not know if letting the Assistant GM handle the demotions/promotions and me handling the draft picks and FA signings could be hampering the development of the players. The minor league rating has dropped from 3 to 30 in the 2+ years. Thanks again for the wisdom.

[redsox19934]

I had this same problem too. Could one suggestion be improving your scouting budget that goes to amateur players? What are your coach ratings? Do your coaches favor prospects and work better with young players?

[redsox19934]

Originally Posted by ra7c7er

What exactly are you having issues with? are your teams just all doing bad or are your players not developing?

Personally I could care less how my minor league teams do so long as they are developing players.

I've always wondered, do team records and mood ratings help development though? If a AAA team is going 40-80, and all the players are angry, will that stall development?

[smiller]

For years my minor league teams ranked among the worst, yet still produced players that I have brought onto my major league roster (this is a fictional league). Other players have been good enough to make a part of a trade. So basically how the teams finish no longer bothers me as long as the players keep developing to major league status.

['94 EXPOS]

I agree. The record of the minor league teams has little effect on development. I do try to make my AAA and AA teams competitive but that is the result of obtaining as much quality depth for the big league team.

I suppose players who have a high desire for winning could be effected but I have not noticed. Your better prospects will rise above the noise from playing on a clunker.

My rookie team and Short A teams are loaded with very young players and generally take a whooping every year and my organization still produces lots of big league talent.

Anyway I am now rambling on......

[ra7c7er]

Originally Posted by redsox19934

I've always wondered, do team records and mood ratings help development though? If a AAA team is going 40-80, and all the players are angry, will that stall development?

Team record can affect a players mood and mood will affect performance but I don't think mood really affects development very much. It's hard to keep your minors with good chemistry structure.

That being said. If you are having trouble with your teams chemistry perhaps you should take that into consideration more when drafting. It sounds to me like you've been drafting a ton of high greed, low work ethic, low leadership, low etc players and it might be hurting you a little bit. I personally try to stay away from high greed, low loyalty low work, ethic guys. But you have to have a few. Just keep you're team balanced and you'll be fine.

[NoOne]

if not directly, then at least as a derivative from slightly increased probability of performance.

i use overall / potential to some extent, but i filter/focus on specific ratings or combinations of what i believe is a good player. for simplicity i'll just say potential. aim small miss small - target specific types of players.

for the most part take the best player available, especially pitchers. you can easily trade them later, especially pitchers. know when to focus on certain positions so that you have a 2-3 year window of draft options.

when drafting, pay attention to the personalities of the draftees. in my opinion, work ethic and intelligence have a drastic affect on development compared to other factors involved. i'll still take that all-star/hof type malcontent if they have fallen in the draft and they have become a value pick. if they are greedy they have to be really good players, because, i know that i have to replace them once they are a FA or maybe a year or two into FA.

i have no problem taking a player of specific traits and lower potential and still feel like i am taking the best player available.

a highly touted high schooler has a tougher development path than a college player. it's not rare for that slightly lower rated college draftee to end up with a higher overall than the slightly higher rated high schooler once they reach the MLB. the difference in potential i'm willing to ignore gets larger as lesser talent is compared.


anyway, 2 bad years isn't unheard of. if this had happened enough years into your sim, it might only be a very minor blip on the screen.

[Curve Ball Dave]

Before the game allowed us to place age limits on players at the various levels teams throughout the minors, usually but not always, below the AA level would often post records that the make the '62 Mets look good. This was the result of young inexperienced players competing against much older players that the AI placed on those teams.

Since I've implemented age limits the competition has evened out and I don't see the hopelessly uncompetitive teams of kids getting pounded each day by teams with older players. While someone has to finish last, last place teams don't have the sub .300 winning percentages anymore.