Why Do My Minor League Affiliates Always Suck?

[ChiefWahoo]

My franchise has been relatively successful--4 World Series titles in 30 years. My farm system ranks seventh out of thirty teams. Yet consistently, my minor league teams miss the playoffs by enormous amounts. They basically always have horrific losing records. I do not directly manage my minor leagues--I let the AI set promotions, demotions, lineups, and manage the minor league games. Does any one have any suggestions so I can avoid seasons like the one below again? It's just embarrassing.

[eriqjaffe]

It could be that your farm system is just too top-heavy. A few great prospects surrounded by a bunch of scrubs, and the top talent just isn't enough to carry the teams.

But really, as long as your system is producing players that contribute at the big-league level, I wouldn't worry at all about the records of your farm teams.

[jpeters1734]

because the AI doesn't promote guys as they should sometimes. They will leave older, developed players in the low levels and they'll destroy your young undeveloped prospects

[Déjà Bru]

Another thing I think is at play here - it's just a theory - is that if you play with ghost players enabled, it's a handicap. I noticed that even though I play with incomplete rosters - letting the game simulate ghost players to fill them out for me - the AI stocks up on "actual" minor leaguers, up to roster limits.

What I think happens is, the game awards more victories to AI minor league teams because it has more to work with to find their players hits, homers, shutouts, whatever. My teams depend on bland, nebulous "average player" simulations of results for their ghost players and suffer in the win column accordingly.

Strange theory, but I keep thinking about it and wondering if it could be true.

[ra24mpa]

Originally Posted by jpeters1734

because the AI doesn't promote guys as they should sometimes. They will leave older, developed players in the low levels and they'll destroy your young undeveloped prospects

Exactly. As far as I can tell, the only ways around this are to set age limits for the MiLB leagues or to do the promoting/releasing work for CPU teams yourself. The latter can be a time-consuming nuisance, especially when the CPU demotes the players a day or two later.

[jpeters1734]

Originally Posted by ra24mpa

Exactly. As far as I can tell, the only ways around this are to set age limits for the MiLB leagues or to do the promoting/releasing work for CPU teams yourself. The latter can be a time-consuming nuisance, especially when the CPU demotes the players a day or two later.

I have found that using the pro service limits help also

[ChiefWahoo]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Another thing I think is at play here - it's just a theory - is that if you play with ghost players enabled, it's a handicap. I noticed that even though I play with incomplete rosters - letting the game simulate ghost players to fill them out for me - the AI stocks up on "actual" minor leaguers, up to roster limits.

What I think happens is, the game awards more victories to AI minor league teams because it has more to work with to find their players hits, homers, shutouts, whatever. My teams depend on bland, nebulous "average player" simulations of results for their ghost players and suffer in the win column accordingly.

Strange theory, but I keep thinking about it and wondering if it could be true.

It is an interesting theory Bru. I don't use ghost players in my game, but I'd imagine that that is an option that could impact minor league records or performance.