Expansion Draft Advice?

BringBackTheSonics · 10-24-2018, 02:14 AM

Apologies if a thread on this already exists - tried searching but didn't find anything.

Embarking on my first Expansion Team experience and seeking advice on putting a new organization together.

All advice welcome but specifically wondering:

Expansion Draft: Focus on pitching or hitting in early rounds?
Experience: Veterans or prospects?
Free Agents vs Exp Draft: Is either better for key players or filling in remaining gaps?
Minor leagues: Do I just fill with fictional players or sign FAs to minor league contracts?

Also, is there a way to start an expansion league that starts sooner? The League started a few days before Opening Day. And the Expansion Draft is the day before opening day. So no time to get FAs signed for Opening Day.

THANKS!

wwines · 10-24-2018, 07:47 AM

If I recall this is how I have done it in the past. Start one season before you want your team to begin play. Sim the season and then expand the first day if the off season, January 1st, I think.This will allow you to sign free agents and build your team staff.

As far as the expansion draft, I think it all comes down to personal preference. I am a believer in young pitching so I tend to lean that way in the draft.

Hope this helps.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

Klew1986 · 10-24-2018, 07:52 AM

When I do expansion drafts/teams, I usually keep my team payroll pretty low. As your owner will likely keep your budget pretty small for a few years. So no point in signing highly paid players if you aren't going to be contending for a few years.

Once some players catch fire on your team, I tend to trade them for prospects and build for the future.

ThePretender · 10-24-2018, 08:15 AM

You shouldn't focus on pitching or hitting. Anybody who tells you to go for pitching, or go for hitting, is telling you to ignore half the draft pool. That's not smart. What you should focus on is getting the best talent. You can then use the talent you have to trade for better pieces than you could have otherwise acquired in the expansion draft. Always BPA.

Get the highest ceiling young MLB ready talent available. Then aim for the highest ceiling prospects you can.

Free agency is for filling in the gaps, the expansion draft is where you're trying to get the highest ceiling talent you can get.

I'm not saying try to lose in your first few years, but there's no point in getting older/expensive players who won't be productive in a few years.

If you're playing in an online league the strategy changes a bit. Then you can make deals with other GMs to take on salary and get significantly more in return than you would via the draft. Think like the Vegas Golden Knights did in hockey.

Always aim for upside in the expansion draft.

NotMuchTime · 10-24-2018, 01:24 PM

Don't draft veterans. One thing to play close attention to is 'option years'. That's not to say you shouldn't draft anyone that is out of/low on option years, but I'd keep it to a minimum.

While it's not difficult to draft a team that can be competitive in a short period of time, your minor league teams are going to be severely lacking in the short term.

I made the playoffs in my second year, but my minor league teams are horrible. I haven't started the third season yet. I doubt I'll be able to keep the whole team intact after this next season, so if things don't go well, I'll be making trades for minor league prospects. .

I only drafted players I wanted on the 40 man roster. That doesn't mean it's the best way to do it.

BringBackTheSonics · 10-25-2018, 03:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wwines

If I recall this is how I have done it in the past. Start one season before you want your team to begin play. Sim the season and then expand the first day if the off season, January 1st, I think.This will allow you to sign free agents and build your team staff.

As far as the expansion draft, I think it all comes down to personal preference. I am a believer in young pitching so I tend to lean that way in the draft.

Hope this helps.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

Thanks, this is exactly the kind of advice I was looking for. I tried it the default way and didn't have time to get new staff or FAs in place in time for opening day.

Looking forward to trying it with your approach.

Disappointing that OOTP doesn't provide an option to expand in 2018 that would leave enough time to sign FA, hire staff, populate minor leagues, etc.

BringBackTheSonics · 10-25-2018, 03:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NotMuchTime

Don't draft veterans. One thing to play close attention to is 'option years'. That's not to say you shouldn't draft anyone that is out of/low on option years, but I'd keep it to a minimum.

While it's not difficult to draft a team that can be competitive in a short period of time, your minor league teams are going to be severely lacking in the short term.

I made the playoffs in my second year, but my minor league teams are horrible. I haven't started the third season yet. I doubt I'll be able to keep the whole team intact after this next season, so if things don't go well, I'll be making trades for minor league prospects. .

I only drafted players I wanted on the 40 man roster. That doesn't mean it's the best way to do it.

Did you populate your minor leagues using the "Fill with Fictional Players" function?

I tried that in Commissioner Mode to see what the talent distribution would look like. For all the players I checked (using "Editor") their potential ratings = current ratings. Does that mean these fictional players have no developmental upside?

I'm considering the following changes to the expansion draft so I can draft some minor league players to scatter across my farm system (so it's not all terrible, fictional players)
1) Turn off the min yrs experience to be in the draft
2) Increase the number of rounds in the draft

Thoughts on whether or not that would help?

NotMuchTime · 10-25-2018, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BringBackTheSonics

Did you populate your minor leagues using the "Fill with Fictional Players" function?

I tried that in Commissioner Mode to see what the talent distribution would look like. For all the players I checked (using "Editor&quot

their potential ratings = current ratings. Does that mean these fictional players have no developmental upside?

I'm considering the following changes to the expansion draft so I can draft some minor league players to scatter across my farm system (so it's not all terrible, fictional players)
1) Turn off the min yrs experience to be in the draft
2) Increase the number of rounds in the draft

Thoughts on whether or not that would help?

I did not populate the minors. I signed from available free agents and independent leagues.

Expanding the number of rounds is what I would do if you want to get a jump start on your minor league teams. You can also set a maximum number of players anyone team can lose in the expansion draft. Lots of options and lots of outcomes.

BringBackTheSonics · 10-25-2018, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NotMuchTime

I did not populate the minors. I signed from available free agents and independent leagues.

Expanding the number of rounds is what I would do if you want to get a jump start on your minor league teams. You can also set a maximum number of players anyone team can lose in the expansion draft. Lots of options and lots of outcomes.

So in order to have enough "game time" for all those minor league players to agree to your FA offers and sign, did you have to use the approach WWines described to start the Expansion process earlier in the calendar year?

The default Expansion mode keeps dropping me into the league a couple of days before Opening Day.

Thanks for mentioning Independent Leagues. That's a new concept for me so I'll be looking them up in the User Guide and forums.

NotMuchTime · 10-26-2018, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BringBackTheSonics

So in order to have enough "game time" for all those minor league players to agree to your FA offers and sign, did you have to use the approach WWines described to start the Expansion process earlier in the calendar year?

The default Expansion mode keeps dropping me into the league a couple of days before Opening Day.

Thanks for mentioning Independent Leagues. That's a new concept for me so I'll be looking them up in the User Guide and forums.

I don't remember the exact date, but I did it as soon as the off season started. It was definitely no later than January 1st. I think it was late November or early December.

cmaug · 10-26-2018, 12:22 PM

I usually expand on the first day of the off-season.

Make sure to generate a new schedule!

Cod · 10-28-2018, 06:09 PM

I focus on some specific ratings for specific positions. For example, when looking at pitchers, I typically look for a guy with above average control and movement and is a ground ball pitcher. For my position players, I look for guys with good eye potential and defensive potential. These guides aren't set in stone, but I use them to gauge the pool each round.

zdubbya13 · 10-28-2018, 08:25 PM

I tend to focus on drafting the players with the highest ceilings - I don't focus on pitchers or batters; I draft according to the strengths of the pool of players.

As for filling the minor leagues, as someone else here said I spend a lot of time signing minor league free agents to fill out my farm system. Once or twice I've actually found a few diamonds in the rough that way.

10-24-2018, 02:14 AM	#1
BringBackTheSonics Bat Boy Join Date: Oct 2018 Posts: 5	Expansion Draft Advice? Apologies if a thread on this already exists - tried searching but didn't find anything. Embarking on my first Expansion Team experience and seeking advice on putting a new organization together. All advice welcome but specifically wondering: Expansion Draft: Focus on pitching or hitting in early rounds? Experience: Veterans or prospects? Free Agents vs Exp Draft: Is either better for key players or filling in remaining gaps? Minor leagues: Do I just fill with fictional players or sign FAs to minor league contracts? Also, is there a way to start an expansion league that starts sooner? The League started a few days before Opening Day. And the Expansion Draft is the day before opening day. So no time to get FAs signed for Opening Day. THANKS!

10-24-2018, 07:47 AM	#2
wwines Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Aug 2014 Posts: 238	If I recall this is how I have done it in the past. Start one season before you want your team to begin play. Sim the season and then expand the first day if the off season, January 1st, I think.This will allow you to sign free agents and build your team staff. As far as the expansion draft, I think it all comes down to personal preference. I am a believer in young pitching so I tend to lean that way in the draft. Hope this helps. Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk __________________ Dugout Wizards - Blue Jays AHBL - Red Sox - 1966 AL Champions

10-28-2018, 08:25 PM	#13
zdubbya13 Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: America's Dairyland Posts: 203	I tend to focus on drafting the players with the highest ceilings - I don't focus on pitchers or batters; I draft according to the strengths of the pool of players. As for filling the minor leagues, as someone else here said I spend a lot of time signing minor league free agents to fill out my farm system. Once or twice I've actually found a few diamonds in the rough that way. __________________ “I had a great shoe contract and glove contract with a company who paid me a lot of money never to be seen using their stuff.” -- Bob Uecker

10-24-2018, 07:52 AM	#3
Klew1986 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,727	When I do expansion drafts/teams, I usually keep my team payroll pretty low. As your owner will likely keep your budget pretty small for a few years. So no point in signing highly paid players if you aren't going to be contending for a few years. Once some players catch fire on your team, I tend to trade them for prospects and build for the future.

10-24-2018, 08:15 AM	#4
ThePretender All Star Starter Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 1,322	You shouldn't focus on pitching or hitting. Anybody who tells you to go for pitching, or go for hitting, is telling you to ignore half the draft pool. That's not smart. What you should focus on is getting the best talent. You can then use the talent you have to trade for better pieces than you could have otherwise acquired in the expansion draft. Always BPA. Get the highest ceiling young MLB ready talent available. Then aim for the highest ceiling prospects you can. Free agency is for filling in the gaps, the expansion draft is where you're trying to get the highest ceiling talent you can get. I'm not saying try to lose in your first few years, but there's no point in getting older/expensive players who won't be productive in a few years. If you're playing in an online league the strategy changes a bit. Then you can make deals with other GMs to take on salary and get significantly more in return than you would via the draft. Think like the Vegas Golden Knights did in hockey. Always aim for upside in the expansion draft.

10-24-2018, 01:24 PM	#5
NotMuchTime Minors (Double A) Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 150	Don't draft veterans. One thing to play close attention to is 'option years'. That's not to say you shouldn't draft anyone that is out of/low on option years, but I'd keep it to a minimum. While it's not difficult to draft a team that can be competitive in a short period of time, your minor league teams are going to be severely lacking in the short term. I made the playoffs in my second year, but my minor league teams are horrible. I haven't started the third season yet. I doubt I'll be able to keep the whole team intact after this next season, so if things don't go well, I'll be making trades for minor league prospects. . I only drafted players I wanted on the 40 man roster. That doesn't mean it's the best way to do it.

10-26-2018, 12:22 PM	#11
cmaug Major Leagues Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 344	I usually expand on the first day of the off-season. Make sure to generate a new schedule!

10-28-2018, 06:09 PM	#12
Cod All Star Starter Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 1,102	I focus on some specific ratings for specific positions. For example, when looking at pitchers, I typically look for a guy with above average control and movement and is a ground ball pitcher. For my position players, I look for guys with good eye potential and defensive potential. These guides aren't set in stone, but I use them to gauge the pool each round.