Advice on players can’t learn new positions?

[KendoMN]

Hi all.

I have a guy who just turned 25YO. He’s a LHB 1B with tremendous HR power and is a pretty decent fielder at 1st. My “problem” is that I have a superstar LHB 1B already entrenched there. Both are left handed throwers so they can’t play SS/3B.

When I go to the editor to experiment and max out their experience at LF or RF (besides 1B, these should be the easiest to learn) BOTH are rated at only 1. Looks like their OF range, error, and arm ratings are kind of low.

So.... am I just stuck?

1) guessing that if I play either of these guys in LF/RF even for a long time that they’ll never develop there?

2) just how bad would it be to start someone in LF/RF who is a 1 fielder and (likely) no chance of improving?

Thanks!!!

[SirMichaelJordan]

Yup he would need to have some sort of skill to Field those positions.

It look like they are stuck playing 1B.

But if you must start both of them, LF is the safest position to play either of them at despite the low rating. That position will cost you less wins than say CF.

1B and LF are the least important defensive positions.

[ALB123]

Originally Posted by SirMichaelJordan

Yup he would need to have some sort of skill to Field those positions.

It look like they are stuck playing 1B.

But if you must start both of them, LF is the safest position to play either of them at despite the low rating. That position will cost you less wins than say CF.

1B and LF are the least important defensive positions.

Really? LF instead of RF? I always thought RF is ranked below LF because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball and therefore, a significant amount of more baseball's hit toward LF and not RF. The one example when I would say the RF is more difficult than LF is on throws to 3rd Base.

I might be incorrect with what I'm about to say...I swear, I read something like this on Reddit, but I might be misremembering. Supposedly, if you make certain adjustments on a player's skills, you need to have request a new Scouting Report on that player in order to "see" his new skills. I don't think it would hurt anything if you want to give it a try. I have zero confidence in myself, so I refuse to play around with a player's skills. I can just imagine ruining my very fun Saved Game or something.

[CBeisbol]

Check the link in my signature to studies

Argonaut did a study about the importance of defense. It might be of interest to you

[KendoMN]

I think I’ve seen those studies. I remember that LF and (surprisingly) 3B were least important.

However, how bad would playing a 1 in LF be? Common sense seems to indicate it would be a disaster.

[Miamikb2001]

position rating is less important then whats their range,errors,arm.I wouldn't put anyone out there with less then a 30 range and that still pretty low.Side note the best time to develop guys at new positions is spring training.Just my two cents

[CBeisbol]

Originally Posted by KendoMN

However, how bad would playing a 1 in LF be? Common sense seems to indicate it would be a disaster.

I don't know
Try it and see. Then report back

I'd tell you to take MiamiKB's advice and try it in spring training. But, the developers chose not to have any defensive statistics kept for spring training.

[Bobbyraz49]

New to this game compared to the veterans here, but can you have that 1B play LF/RF in the minors?
Just an idea.

[Syd Thrift]

In real life Major League Baseball if you have a guy with a noodle arm in right, people will run on him for ages. Right field to third is a hard throw to make but you have to make it often enough to keep people honest and there’s no equivalent throw in left. So even though RF is worth a lot more according to that study, I can tell you straight up that the difference in the thresholds you need to reach to have a passable RF compared to a LF are almost all in arm.

One thing I’d love to see in the future is for this to be based more on OF dimensions and the total area a player needs to cover. Some places have big right fields, other places like Safeco Field have relatively small right fields (Safeco is huge overall) but massive left fields. I specifically remember Raul Ibanez being an absolute butcher in left for a couple seasons in the late 2000s because the manager went by the prevailing wisdom that you stuck crappy defenders in left.

[CBL-Commish]

Originally Posted by KendoMN

Hi all.

I have a guy who just turned 25YO. He’s a LHB 1B with tremendous HR power and is a pretty decent fielder at 1st. My “problem” is that I have a superstar LHB 1B already entrenched there. Both are left handed throwers so they can’t play SS/3B.

When I go to the editor to experiment and max out their experience at LF or RF (besides 1B, these should be the easiest to learn) BOTH are rated at only 1. Looks like their OF range, error, and arm ratings are kind of low.

So.... am I just stuck?

1) guessing that if I play either of these guys in LF/RF even for a long time that they’ll never develop there?

2) just how bad would it be to start someone in LF/RF who is a 1 fielder and (likely) no chance of improving?

Thanks!!!

Just do like the real life Orioles and play Trey Mancini in the outfield even though he's clearly just a first baseman. They've also done pretty much the same thing with Mark Trumbo and Delmon Young. Sometimes you just say what the heck, and pretty much go without a corner outfielder.

[micropterus58]

When you max out the experience you need to force a league wide re-scout or have your scout access him again. I've done this in my fictional league.

[BBGiovanni]

Congratulations on running the 1960s Giants, you too can trade Orlando Cepeda or Bill White or play Willie Mac in LF! Nothing wrong with trading your slugger for a star at a position of need and a prospect, if you can. I'm sure you'll do better than Horace Stoneham In one of my games I found a mediocre pitcher who had some of the best batting ratings in the league, he happens to have a good arm (pitcher!) so I suck it up and play him in RF but it's annoying.

[Fronzizzle]

I second the trade scenario, assuming you don't have a DH position.

For some reason, I always manage to find/develop star 1B. I try to time it so that one guy is ready just as the other is about to be a free agent so I can deal him for something, or get a comp pick if he leaves but other times, I end up with 3 guys all ready for MLB. Assuming they can't play any other position, then I try to find a trade to upgrade at another position.