Help - Just Took Over Worst Team in Fictional League - Now What?!?!

BKL · 03-17-2016, 09:15 PM

I will be transferring my 7-year fictional league to OOTP17 this week.

I just won the World Series with my New York Empire, a team which I managed for 7 season and had the best record over those 7 seasons. The Hawaii Suns, the worst team in the past 7 years, never making the playoffs, and having the lowest budget in the league offered me a new challenge.

Their roster is terrible. The team has a budget of $98 million, worst in the league. This compares to a league average budget of $160 million and the team with the highest budget is $200 million. All Star pitchers go for $20 - $38 million.

Help! What should I focus on to get this team moving forward - defense, speed, youth?? Any advice appreciated.

Thanks!

vegaspomeranians · 03-17-2016, 09:28 PM

Tank

DD Martin · 03-17-2016, 09:36 PM

I would trade any older players getting the best young talent you can and do deals to shed salary as much you can. Some of this will be determined by the owner so hopefully it isn't George Argyros (circa 1980's Mariners) who had a lousy payroll, lousy teams and hired and fired cheap managers every year or so. If you have time build through the draft in a small market, invest in scouting and development

Hammercraft · 03-17-2016, 09:45 PM

This is kind of my favorite thing to do at the moment. My strategy is usually:

1. Trade everyone for prospects.

Like vega said ^ tank without shame. You want the top pick, and you want to sign him, no matter what. You want to dump everyone who isn't cheap or in early arbitration, and you want to demand prospects in return. If you have to take on some one-year crap contracts to get those prospects, do it. You're not going to win for two years, so don't hold on to anyone in their prime or you won't be able to afford.

And you want to finish deep dead bottom last. If there's another team out there who sucks, out-tank them. Use terrible relievers as starting pitchers if you need to (has the added benefit of not injuring your starters as often). Play guys out of position so they rack up errors, and they might get some secondary position points.

2. Watch your owners' goals

"Two out of three" is usually good. You should be able to meet any attendance goals just by dropping the ticket price. Your young guys are going to be cheap, so you can cut tickets in half and still balance the books. Sometimes you can't upgrade a position right away. Don't try, focus on the other things. This is going to be somewhat important since you're going to lose a ton of games and get a really low score that first year.

3. Invest in coaches. Find them, recruit them. Focus on pitching first, and try to match your young starters' tendencies with coaching strengths that will support them.

4. Keep your eye out for cheap additions - sort that free agent list early and see if you can find guys under age 25 with 2-star or better potential you can sign on a minor league contract. Also, the Rule 5 draft is a way to add a couple of gems you can be patient with, so clear a couple roster spots going in.

5. Good defense is usually more available than power hitting, and both can be valuable. When you're ready to turn it around, fill in your defense through free agency, and it doesn't hurt to pick up some depth. Even if your guys are fragile, if they fall out of the lineup it won't matter because all your guys are the same - great glove slap-hitters.

That's my two cents

bigsmooth · 03-18-2016, 08:04 AM

Trade your aging veterans - and bring in young prospects, with some value at a cost effective method.

Build your minor league system thru the draft, and develop them. Ensure you have you a good scout. Build a good pitching staff, and I know that will be a challenge with your budget. But you can build an effective staff thru trades, free agency, and the draft.

It will not be easy, I know I just took an expansion team in Major League Baseball after the 2016 season, we are not very good, but we will be

texasmame · 03-18-2016, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BKL

I will be transferring my 7-year fictional league to OOTP17 this week.

I just won the World Series with my New York Empire, a team which I managed for 7 season and had the best record over those 7 seasons. The Hawaii Suns, the worst team in the past 7 years, never making the playoffs, and having the lowest budget in the league offered me a new challenge.

Their roster is terrible. The team has a budget of $98 million, worst in the league. This compares to a league average budget of $160 million and the team with the highest budget is $200 million. All Star pitchers go for $20 - $38 million.

Help! What should I focus on to get this team moving forward - defense, speed, youth?? Any advice appreciated.

Thanks!

I'm doing something similar in my ongoing fictional league (with real players).

After leading the Curlville Pubies to a Threepeat, I decided it was time to move on to a new challenge.

Typically, I would create expansion teams and helm one of those, as Curlville was, but this time, I opted to take over the Hoboken Haymakers - owners of 54-108 record last year - worst in the league.

First thing I did was put all the deadwood on waivers. Then, unloaded some overpriced vets to teams that had the cash. I had to sacrifice some draft picks and prospects with them but it was worth it.

With the freed up cash, I got one verified "Ace" in free agency, then lots of "Moneyball" types to round out the rotation. Also sprung for an elite closer and setup guy.

Rounding out the offense will be trickier but I believe in pitching first and foremost.

I'd start there with your team - pitching, pitching, pitching.

progen · 03-18-2016, 09:12 AM

Do what the Phillies do and tank. And then lie to your fans about it till you're blue in the face.

03-17-2016, 09:15 PM	#1
BKL All Star Reserve Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 935	Help - Just Took Over Worst Team in Fictional League - Now What?!?! I will be transferring my 7-year fictional league to OOTP17 this week. I just won the World Series with my New York Empire, a team which I managed for 7 season and had the best record over those 7 seasons. The Hawaii Suns, the worst team in the past 7 years, never making the playoffs, and having the lowest budget in the league offered me a new challenge. Their roster is terrible. The team has a budget of $98 million, worst in the league. This compares to a league average budget of $160 million and the team with the highest budget is $200 million. All Star pitchers go for $20 - $38 million. Help! What should I focus on to get this team moving forward - defense, speed, youth?? Any advice appreciated. Thanks!

03-17-2016, 09:28 PM	#2
vegaspomeranians Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 109	Tank

03-17-2016, 09:36 PM	#3
DD Martin All Star Starter Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Seattle area Posts: 1,026	I would trade any older players getting the best young talent you can and do deals to shed salary as much you can. Some of this will be determined by the owner so hopefully it isn't George Argyros (circa 1980's Mariners) who had a lousy payroll, lousy teams and hired and fired cheap managers every year or so. If you have time build through the draft in a small market, invest in scouting and development

03-17-2016, 09:45 PM	#4
Hammercraft All Star Reserve Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 728	This is kind of my favorite thing to do at the moment. My strategy is usually: 1. Trade everyone for prospects. Like vega said ^ tank without shame. You want the top pick, and you want to sign him, no matter what. You want to dump everyone who isn't cheap or in early arbitration, and you want to demand prospects in return. If you have to take on some one-year crap contracts to get those prospects, do it. You're not going to win for two years, so don't hold on to anyone in their prime or you won't be able to afford. And you want to finish deep dead bottom last. If there's another team out there who sucks, out-tank them. Use terrible relievers as starting pitchers if you need to (has the added benefit of not injuring your starters as often). Play guys out of position so they rack up errors, and they might get some secondary position points. 2. Watch your owners' goals "Two out of three" is usually good. You should be able to meet any attendance goals just by dropping the ticket price. Your young guys are going to be cheap, so you can cut tickets in half and still balance the books. Sometimes you can't upgrade a position right away. Don't try, focus on the other things. This is going to be somewhat important since you're going to lose a ton of games and get a really low score that first year. 3. Invest in coaches. Find them, recruit them. Focus on pitching first, and try to match your young starters' tendencies with coaching strengths that will support them. 4. Keep your eye out for cheap additions - sort that free agent list early and see if you can find guys under age 25 with 2-star or better potential you can sign on a minor league contract. Also, the Rule 5 draft is a way to add a couple of gems you can be patient with, so clear a couple roster spots going in. 5. Good defense is usually more available than power hitting, and both can be valuable. When you're ready to turn it around, fill in your defense through free agency, and it doesn't hurt to pick up some depth. Even if your guys are fragile, if they fall out of the lineup it won't matter because all your guys are the same - great glove slap-hitters. That's my two cents

03-18-2016, 08:04 AM	#5
bigsmooth Major Leagues Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 437	Trade your aging veterans - and bring in young prospects, with some value at a cost effective method. Build your minor league system thru the draft, and develop them. Ensure you have you a good scout. Build a good pitching staff, and I know that will be a challenge with your budget. But you can build an effective staff thru trades, free agency, and the draft. It will not be easy, I know I just took an expansion team in Major League Baseball after the 2016 season, we are not very good, but we will be

03-18-2016, 09:12 AM	#7
progen All Star Starter Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 1,535 Infractions: 0/1 (1)	Do what the Phillies do and tank. And then lie to your fans about it till you're blue in the face.