Total newb at Baseball - struggling with ootp

[nukkxx]

Hello everybody. I'm a French and I know absolutely ZERO at baseball.

Well, I know it's about a bat and a ball, but that's it. and I watched a video or two about the basic rules. But it's definitely not enough.

I just purchased the game yesterday because I like sport management sims and this one looks very complex (and I love complex games). It also seems that statistics play an important role in baseball and in the game, and yes, I love numbers too.

My question: been a total newb at baseball, what should I do to understand this game and all the surrounding culture (incl statistics, spirit, teams, etc) ? Books ? videos ? which ones ? watching BB games ? other ? What is the fastest way to understand what's going on ?

Because so far the game seems impressive but I hardly understand what all this is about and the learning curve, staring with baseball itself. All this is intimidating !

Thanks for giving me advises on how to get started with ootp21.

[BBGiovanni]

I think the most important thing is... start small. Make a small league (8 teams or so) and play through the games, watching what the computer does (which in your case will help, the computer does strange things but you'll grow into being angry at those like the rest of us!). Play with no minors or only a couple of levels; the real MLB setup is so many players I often delete whole minor leagues just to have fewer players to manage. Baseball broadcasts with smart commentators can be very helpful. The Mets' broadcasters are very good, sometimes very critical of players and managers, and generally fun. This season they've posted two full games on Youtube where they live-cast an MLB the Show game. They're very entertaining and would probably be helpful to you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4ee_OdHEj0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7nsIOJ3Vg4 For a very basic guide, I think this is one of the best: https://archive.org/details/High_Hea...Strategy_Guide It's from the last computer baseball game I played before switching to OOTP forever... it's very basic, but it's only 20 pages and I think will be helpful for you. Good luck!

[CardiffBlue]

I was where you are a couple of years ago.

I'd recommend the "idiot's guide to baseball". It's written by Jonny Bench, one of the great baseball players there's been and really gives you an excellent overview of the basics.

Read that and then watch "Baseball" - it's a Ken Burns documentary and is about 20 hours of baseball history - available (in the UK at least) on amazon prime video. It really is terrific.

If you read the book and then watch the series, you'll be good to go!

For further reading, I'd suggest reading "Watching Baseball Smarter" by Zach Hample and also "Moneyball" by Michael Lewis.

One word of caution though - once you get into baseball, IT'S likely to become an obsession!

[jimmysthebestcop]

The GM management experience in OOTPb is certainly not as good as Motorsport Manager or Football Manager so I'm not sure what other sports games you are coming from. I can tell you it is all about the stats.

I would recommend reading everything on Fangraphs glossary and how they evaluate players. Because the game is all about evaluating players trying to find the best players and the best future players. Or enough average players so you have no gaps.

The actual game of baseball what goes on the field you really don't need that much knowledge of. Except maybe for resting pitchers and how the bullpen aka relief pitchers work. That is just because of stamina and exhaustion factor in the game.

You could play baseball your entire life and follow the sport but if you are playing a file with the MLB and its entire minor leagues then its a completely different world.

Foolish Baseball on youtube had a great series I think on OOTPb 19 but its basically the same game still.

[Brad K]

Originally Posted by BBGiovanni

I think the most important thing is... start small. Make a small league (8 teams or so) and play through the games, watching what the computer does (which in your case will help, the computer does strange things but you'll grow into being angry at those like the rest of us!). Play with no minors or only a couple of levels;

Vote for no minors, just a reserve roster.

Also starting small doesn't apply to just the league size. Its also about features.

Suggest turning off owners goals, player morale, scouting, coaches, make ratings 100% accurate. Then adding features once comfortable at a level.

[pgjocki]

Also look up and read on the forums Orcin and the Racoons.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[jimmysthebestcop]

Originally Posted by Brad K

Vote for no minors, just a reserve roster.

Also starting small doesn't apply to just the league size. Its also about features.

Suggest turning off owners goals, player morale, scouting, coaches, make ratings 100% accurate. Then adding features once comfortable at a level.

really good suggestion!

[nukkxx]

Only great suggestions everybody ! Many thanks ! Greatly appreciated.

Which league/team would you recommend for a first try ?

[jimmysthebestcop]

Originally Posted by nukkxx

Only great suggestions everybody ! Many thanks ! Greatly appreciated.

Which league/team would you recommend for a first try ?

MLB. A higher tier team aka big market but not one of the tops. Tops in money being yankees, dodgers, cubs.

NL East would probably be good someone like the Braves or Mets if you want to control playoff type teams or the Phillies if you want big market team that is still 2-3 years away from the playoffs.

Brewers are good choice too.

[GBL]

Originally Posted by nukkxx

Only great suggestions everybody ! Many thanks ! Greatly appreciated.

Which league/team would you recommend for a first try ?

I am a newbie for years too
If u choose a MLB team u dont have to manage the MLB team, u have to mange the minors too. Yes, the AI can do that for u, but its another level of complexity.


After that, u have to mange the drafts. Roster movement is the next problem (waiver, ...). Ah, yes dont forget the rule 5. Lets talk about contracts and arbitration. After that, the stats and how to evaluate a player.



I think the game is overwehlming at the MLB level for a new player.



My suggestion for u, dont eat the whole pie at once. Start in europe (yes, we play baseball too ), a league like "Baseball Bundesliga (Germany)", or "Honkbal Hoofdklasse" (netherlands).
Why???????
Because these teams dont have minors (no complex roster moves), they have easy contracts and u dont know the players.

With this teams u have to learn fewer things:

• How to set a team for a game
• Choose Players from a simple player pool
• Learn how to evaluate players (starter, bench or secondary roster).
• Handle injuries
• Free Agent trades with a small amount of money

After some sessions, u can choose a league with a small minor system like Nippon or Korean league. At this point u start knowing WHY u need a minor team and which player should play at your minors.


This type of games (start in europe, start in asia) can easy set up with ottp. At the start screen choose "New standard game", in the next screen u can choose which leages u wanne play. Thats it.


I hope u realy enjoy this great game.

[Brad K]

Suggest starting in 1969, 3 year recalc with some talent change randomness and historical rookies. Players won't perform exactly - a star might end up and average player or vice versa - but you won't see a superstar be a career minor leaguer. Teams I would pick are the Pirates, the Reds, the Orioles, or the A's.

[jpeters1734]

Pick the Pirates. They are one of the all-time great teams with worldwide recognition except for France which may be why you haven't heard of them.

Just kidding, but welcome to baseball!!! OOTP is a great way to get into baseball. I would actually start without trying to manage a team. Just watch some of the games and learn how the stats are accumulated. Once you have a better idea on how baseball works, find a job as a manager only. That way you don't have to worry about building your team. once you get a good idea of what kind of player attributes, then you can try being a general manager.

Also you have to keep in mind that baseball is a grind and sample size matters. A player could play terrible everyday for almost 2 months and still end up with a decent season.

[nukkxx]

Originally Posted by jpeters1734

Pick the Pirates. They are one of the all-time great teams with worldwide recognition except for France which may be why you haven't heard of them.

Just kidding,.

Well, no, you're precisely right

Good suggestion otherwise ! Thank you.

OOTP is a great way to get into baseball. I would actually start without trying to manage a team. Just watch some of the games and learn how the stats are accumulated.

You mean, watch games inside OOTP ? Without managing a team ? Can I do that ?

[nukkxx]

You said :

Just watch some of the games and learn how the stats are accumulated.

The way I found is to delegate all tasks to my bench coach or assistant GM in "Manager Options" menu, bottom right part "Team Control Settings". Like "setting lineups and Depth charts" ; "setting pitching staff" ;; etc.

Is it was you suggested ?

[jparker2112]

Originally Posted by GBL

I am a newbie for years too
If u choose a MLB team u dont have to manage the MLB team, u have to mange the minors too. Yes, the AI can do that for u, but its another level of complexity.


After that, u have to mange the drafts. Roster movement is the next problem (waiver, ...). Ah, yes dont forget the rule 5. Lets talk about contracts and arbitration. After that, the stats and how to evaluate a player.



I think the game is overwehlming at the MLB level for a new player.



My suggestion for u, dont eat the whole pie at once. Start in europe (yes, we play baseball too ), a league like "Baseball Bundesliga (Germany)", or "Honkbal Hoofdklasse" (netherlands).
Why???????
Because these teams dont have minors (no complex roster moves), they have easy contracts and u dont know the players.

With this teams u have to learn fewer things:

• How to set a team for a game
• Choose Players from a simple player pool
• Learn how to evaluate players (starter, bench or secondary roster).
• Handle injuries
• Free Agent trades with a small amount of money

After some sessions, u can choose a league with a small minor system like Nippon or Korean league. At this point u start knowing WHY u need a minor team and which player should play at your minors.


This type of games (start in europe, start in asia) can easy set up with ottp. At the start screen choose "New standard game", in the next screen u can choose which leages u wanne play. Thats it.


I hope u realy enjoy this great game.

This is a GREAT idea for our Euro friends who are new to the game! There are sooo many random and odd stats and tactics, that you will get overwhelmed and turned off to the sport. Start small and like he said...eat a nibble of the pie...dont stuff your face right into it

[nukkxx]

Why??????? Because these teams dont have minors

What does it mean exactly ? What are these minors exactly ?

[jparker2112]

Originally Posted by nukkxx

What does it mean exactly ? What are these minors exactly ?

minors are where yet to be fully developed players play. Its a lower league where the players play to get better and good enough to play in the majors (think futbol...Man City is the majors...man city U19 team is the minors)

[GBL]

Hello nukkkxx,


as jparker2112 said, the minors are the development teams of the major teams. Like the U-19 in football, but in ootp (like in real life) its a little bit complicated. The mayor teams have 6(?) minor teams.

Why and how to use/manage the system? jpeters1734 wrote a guide
https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=305472



Dont get me wrong, this isn´t rocket science. After u got it, its easy to understand. But i didnt know anything about baseball like u (i am from germany) and there is a lot of stuff to learn.


In my opinion OOTP has two levels. The first one is to understand the baseball game and rules. Playing the baseball games, substitute your guys on the field, try to steal bases. Understanding the stats and evaluate the players (why should player A play Short Stop and not player b, both are labeld as Short Stop).


What kind of player do i need to start winning. The first question is, why i am loosing? Where are my weaknesses? The stats realy help here and there are toons of them.


Links:


Pitching Stats, overview:
https://library.fangraphs.com/pitchi...list-pitching/


But much better, stat explained! What is ERA? Is ERA an important stat?

https://library.fangraphs.com/pitching/era/



There are links for "every" stat at the link above and the explaination.


Same for batters:
https://library.fangraphs.com/offens...atistics-list/


Example for woba, as example:


https://library.fangraphs.com/offense/woba/





After that, some kind if strategy (lineup, who bats first and WHY):

https://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/20...your-lineup-by


i stop writing at this point, because there is moch more to say.



After that, level 2 begin. How to manage a team? What is the big picture of my team? I start scratching at the surface of this level.

[nukkxx]

Many thanks jparker2112 and GBL, and everybody.
Very helpful ! Gee this game seems extremely complex and the potential for enjoyment seems huge. Looks like it's worth the learning curve.

I'm currently watching the 10-episode documentary named "Baseball" as suggested above and I really love what I see. Otherwise still struggling with the game. Steep learning curve !!

I wish the dev had added pop-ups when overing the mouse over all in-game abbreviations ...

[jpeters1734]

ALB123 also posted this wonderful stat guide https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=316743