I Got Fired!

Skevich · 11-08-2022, 05:48 PM

Oh my goodness, I am just horrible at this game! After 6 seasons I could not get the Pirates above a .400 win percentage. I have no idea how to rebuild a small market team apparently. I did get a job offer from the (last place) Yankees though!

MikeS369 · 11-08-2022, 10:10 PM

I'm not sure you are aware of this but you can go into your manager options and select "cannot be fired".

This might give you more time to learn the game and not be moved to different teams and starting everything all over again.

pgjocki · 11-08-2022, 10:31 PM

You know what it's good to get fired and then assess what went wrong. As a small market team you have to figure out how to manufacture as many advantages as you can against the big spenders; some examples:

- Focus on ground ball pitchers because homeruns will kill you and probably don't have a high power offense to make up the deficit

- Your best defensive players must be C, 2B, SS, and CF. As a small market team ensure that you draft and trade for very high defense in these positions and try and get the majority of your offense from 1B, 3B, LF, and RF.

- Speaking of draft - it's not only your friend it is your lifeline - focus the first few rounds of college guys or very highly developed guys who can spend 1-2 years in the minors and then help your big league club right away

- Don't get emotionally attached to anyone, and I mean ANYONE. Your players are nothing more than assets and liabilities and your job as the GM is to eliminate as many liabilities as possible (old guys, hurt guys, guys who want big contracts, guys who can't hit or field, etc) and turn your expiring assets into more assets (look to trade guys who hit arbitration early for cheaper guys and understand that you will be trading guys who are good but it's the only way you can stay in the financial positive

- Watch your Starting Pitchers and observe when they start to get hammered; the third time through the line-up can result in higher opponent averages so if you can be more resourceful and limit that it will work in your favor

- Have a long relief guy who you use as a sacrificial lamb when the team is getting beat big - when I'm down by 4 I will have this guy come in and throw 150 pitches and not burn my pen. Not realistic but I am ruthless and I don't care if his arm falls off. (Not ethical and not realistic but I do this instead of using position players like teams do in real life)

- Play small ball - steal bags, use hit and run, look for high contact and high on-base percentage guys. Understand that your focus on defense will force you to play match ups and manufacture runs.

- Have fun

Brad K · 11-09-2022, 07:13 AM

I don't know that its necessary to adopt a good defense/smallball offense strategy although that's where the team may end up. I look for players who are a good value for the money regardless of skill set.

Also there are bargains to be had among 30ish veterans on the FA list. Sometimes they'll sign minor league contracts or MLB minimum contracts and end up being starters.

Galeg · 11-09-2022, 12:11 PM

Spend big on a good scout and high scouting budget. Don't put too much of your salary budget into too few players.

Skevich · 11-09-2022, 01:36 PM

Thanks everyone! I actually wound up playing the offseason without being hired by anyone, and before spring training started back up, Nutting from the Pirates asked me to come back for one more chance! I am going to go a lot slower this time and really think through how I approach the team this year. Nutting wants me as close to .500 as soon as possible. Your advice was very helpful pgjocki, thank you!

Pelican · 11-09-2022, 11:10 PM

Of course, managing the Pirates in a contemporary scenario, it’s probably not your fault. Management is failing to keep good players, trading them away rather than pay big contracts. Not investing in the farm system or player development. It’s hard to win on a budget, when the Yanks and Braves and Dodgers seem to have unlimited funds, and the “soft cap” is a joke. Do not beat yourself up about it.

Skevich · 11-10-2022, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pelican

Of course, managing the Pirates in a contemporary scenario, it’s probably not your fault. Management is failing to keep good players, trading them away rather than pay big contracts. Not investing in the farm system or player development. It’s hard to win on a budget, when the Yanks and Braves and Dodgers seem to have unlimited funds, and the “soft cap” is a joke. Do not beat yourself up about it.

Yes, I had exactly 7 million dollars to spend on free agents last season. Yet the owner wanted my team at .500 when my draft picks were not ready for the majors yet.

Mr. Marlin · 11-10-2022, 07:56 PM

Don't sweat it. I've been playing since OOTP8 and have been fired many, many, many times. Major leagues, minor leagues, international leagues, feeder leagues. You name it, I've failed at it at least once.

Sometimes the hitters don't hit and pitchers don't pitch.

jimmysthebestcop · 11-12-2022, 08:54 AM

If you are doing a lousy small market team the best thing to do is completely tank your 1st year.

Basically trade all of your players or the vast majority. You want a starting squad of al rookie minimum salaries. More like the entire team.

Everyone gets traded for prospects who are ready to play. You dont need superstars just mlb ready ball players. There are a ton. It takes awhile to find them and then find which teams will trade and which players you can trad etc.

Sign the top 5 million int amateur free agent. promote him on day 1 and trade him for 1 or 2 top prospect who are ready to start. Again not every AI team will be willing to do it. But there are always a handful.

All that salary room you create for yourself you want to trade with teams near the deadline that are unloading top players for salary. That only have 1 season left. You eat that salary then trade those players to playoff looking teams for prospects.

Remember you are only eating 50% of the salary since half the season is gone. Sometimes you can eat less salary. You do this until you sign and trade all the big deadline players or full your salary up. Which ever comes first.

Season 2 is where you can sign top free agents and trade them for more prospects. Often you dont have to eat much contract. You want basically a 1 year deal with 2 team options. You arent on the hook for team options and you can back load the contract. You trade this guys for prospects who are ready to play.

Same thing goes for rule 5. Have the bare minimum you need on your 40 man. Then use rule 5 to get like 10 players. Whichever players cant make your starting lineup then you trade them for prospects at end of spring training. Cause teams will have injuries and all of a sudden they will want those rule 5 guys and you can pickup prospects.

If you load all the leagues and indy legues. Continually manually scout the indy leagues and free agents for cut foreign draft picks to improve you minor league system. The more you can improve your total minor league system the more trade power in the future you have.

You have to continually look to improve not just your mlb team but your minor leagues if you want to achieve the most success and the quickest time frame.

You do this for 3 or 4 years to start the save and you will be a contender. Cause the prospects you get will keep getting better or you can package a bunch of prospects together for a stud prospect etc.

You main goal is to gain assets. No player loyalty. You play the financial game. You want the bare minimum player slayer so you can use it to acquire players to trade for future assets.

This will basically make you have the best minor league system. You might not have the most studs but you will have the most MLB ready players. You only need a 2 or 3 studs on an entire team if everyone else average or slightly above average.

You wont get fired your first season and sometimes you will do better with the minimum salary guys. Each year will slightly improve as you get more assets until these assets turn your team into world beaters.

The AI teams cannot beat the human in signing free agents or deadline trades. You will get basically 90% of whatever players fall under your specifications. Especially closers tend to bring a lot in. Who cares if they want 15 million you will probably have to eat 50% of it and then you could get a minor league closer who is future stud on the minimum contract.

I almost never trade or sign any players who have real MLB experience. I am looking for AAA, AA, A guys who are ready for the call up. The MLB guys i trade and sign for are just there to get me those minor league assets.

Then once you start becoming good you can start to sign old has beens who are fan favorites who boost your interest to 100% then you can max ticket prices. And you will be a top 10 budget team if you dont have owner controls budget on.

It is even possible to boot fan interest to 100% by start of second season even if you are awful an the fans will pay the ticket price. Easily doubling your budget by season 3.

Pelican · 11-12-2022, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skevich

Yes, I had exactly 7 million dollars to spend on free agents last season. Yet the owner wanted my team at .500 when my draft picks were not ready for the majors yet.

When I replay recent seasons, I have endeavored to eliminate or at least reduce these discrepancies, to promote something like parity, or at least make the season more competitive.

One approach, as Commissioner, is simply to give a team like the Pirates more cash to spend. Most of the owners have the money. I've had mixed results, and probably need more of a game plan, as has been suggested in this thread. It's easier with money to invest, though.

Another approach has been to impose a "hard cap" on total salary, to bring the Yanks, Dodgers, Braves (and now my beloved Phillies) down to earth. That tends to cause some curious trades, as the AI struggles to deal with the ceiling and clear salary. My advice there would be to set trading difficulty to its highest level, or there will be totally unrealistic salary dumps.

Moneyball aside, it is virtually impossible to succeed when starved for funds.

ccd494 · 11-17-2022, 01:56 PM

Also sometimes your owner is an idiot. My current save has my team playing in a bandbox. I scored 890 runs last year and won the World Series. My owner is whining, constantly, about my defensive efficiency ranking.

11-08-2022, 05:48 PM	#1
Skevich Minors (Single A) Join Date: Nov 2022 Posts: 63	I Got Fired! Oh my goodness, I am just horrible at this game! After 6 seasons I could not get the Pirates above a .400 win percentage. I have no idea how to rebuild a small market team apparently. I did get a job offer from the (last place) Yankees though!

11-08-2022, 10:31 PM	#3
pgjocki All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Maryland - just outside DC Posts: 1,580	You know what it's good to get fired and then assess what went wrong. As a small market team you have to figure out how to manufacture as many advantages as you can against the big spenders; some examples: - Focus on ground ball pitchers because homeruns will kill you and probably don't have a high power offense to make up the deficit - Your best defensive players must be C, 2B, SS, and CF. As a small market team ensure that you draft and trade for very high defense in these positions and try and get the majority of your offense from 1B, 3B, LF, and RF. - Speaking of draft - it's not only your friend it is your lifeline - focus the first few rounds of college guys or very highly developed guys who can spend 1-2 years in the minors and then help your big league club right away - Don't get emotionally attached to anyone, and I mean ANYONE. Your players are nothing more than assets and liabilities and your job as the GM is to eliminate as many liabilities as possible (old guys, hurt guys, guys who want big contracts, guys who can't hit or field, etc) and turn your expiring assets into more assets (look to trade guys who hit arbitration early for cheaper guys and understand that you will be trading guys who are good but it's the only way you can stay in the financial positive - Watch your Starting Pitchers and observe when they start to get hammered; the third time through the line-up can result in higher opponent averages so if you can be more resourceful and limit that it will work in your favor - Have a long relief guy who you use as a sacrificial lamb when the team is getting beat big - when I'm down by 4 I will have this guy come in and throw 150 pitches and not burn my pen. Not realistic but I am ruthless and I don't care if his arm falls off. (Not ethical and not realistic but I do this instead of using position players like teams do in real life) - Play small ball - steal bags, use hit and run, look for high contact and high on-base percentage guys. Understand that your focus on defense will force you to play match ups and manufacture runs. - Have fun __________________ - - - World Series championships: 1926, 1931, 1934, 1942, 1944, 1946, 1964, 1967, 1982, 2006, 2011

11-09-2022, 07:13 AM	#4
Brad K Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2016 Location: St Petersburg Florida USA Posts: 6,509 Infractions: 0/1 (1)	I don't know that its necessary to adopt a good defense/smallball offense strategy although that's where the team may end up. I look for players who are a good value for the money regardless of skill set. Also there are bargains to be had among 30ish veterans on the FA list. Sometimes they'll sign minor league contracts or MLB minimum contracts and end up being starters. __________________ "What do you mean, I have to share my HRs?" - Babe Ruth. Experience reality in your what-if league. Use pre-calc. Yellow and red is good!

11-09-2022, 11:10 PM	#7
Pelican Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: Wilmington, Delaware Posts: 2,863	Of course, managing the Pirates in a contemporary scenario, it’s probably not your fault. Management is failing to keep good players, trading them away rather than pay big contracts. Not investing in the farm system or player development. It’s hard to win on a budget, when the Yanks and Braves and Dodgers seem to have unlimited funds, and the “soft cap” is a joke. Do not beat yourself up about it. __________________ Pelican OOTP 2020-? ”Hard to believe, Harry.”

11-08-2022, 10:10 PM	#2
MikeS369 All Star Reserve Join Date: Dec 2020 Location: USA Posts: 651	I'm not sure you are aware of this but you can go into your manager options and select "cannot be fired". This might give you more time to learn the game and not be moved to different teams and starting everything all over again.

11-09-2022, 12:11 PM	#5
Galeg Major Leagues Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 404	Spend big on a good scout and high scouting budget. Don't put too much of your salary budget into too few players.

11-09-2022, 01:36 PM	#6
Skevich Minors (Single A) Join Date: Nov 2022 Posts: 63	Thanks everyone! I actually wound up playing the offseason without being hired by anyone, and before spring training started back up, Nutting from the Pirates asked me to come back for one more chance! I am going to go a lot slower this time and really think through how I approach the team this year. Nutting wants me as close to .500 as soon as possible. Your advice was very helpful pgjocki, thank you!

11-10-2022, 07:56 PM	#9
Mr. Marlin All Star Starter Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,272	Don't sweat it. I've been playing since OOTP8 and have been fired many, many, many times. Major leagues, minor leagues, international leagues, feeder leagues. You name it, I've failed at it at least once. Sometimes the hitters don't hit and pitchers don't pitch.

11-12-2022, 08:54 AM	#10
jimmysthebestcop Banned Join Date: Jun 2018 Posts: 1,728 Infractions: 0/2 (5)	If you are doing a lousy small market team the best thing to do is completely tank your 1st year. Basically trade all of your players or the vast majority. You want a starting squad of al rookie minimum salaries. More like the entire team. Everyone gets traded for prospects who are ready to play. You dont need superstars just mlb ready ball players. There are a ton. It takes awhile to find them and then find which teams will trade and which players you can trad etc. Sign the top 5 million int amateur free agent. promote him on day 1 and trade him for 1 or 2 top prospect who are ready to start. Again not every AI team will be willing to do it. But there are always a handful. All that salary room you create for yourself you want to trade with teams near the deadline that are unloading top players for salary. That only have 1 season left. You eat that salary then trade those players to playoff looking teams for prospects. Remember you are only eating 50% of the salary since half the season is gone. Sometimes you can eat less salary. You do this until you sign and trade all the big deadline players or full your salary up. Which ever comes first. Season 2 is where you can sign top free agents and trade them for more prospects. Often you dont have to eat much contract. You want basically a 1 year deal with 2 team options. You arent on the hook for team options and you can back load the contract. You trade this guys for prospects who are ready to play. Same thing goes for rule 5. Have the bare minimum you need on your 40 man. Then use rule 5 to get like 10 players. Whichever players cant make your starting lineup then you trade them for prospects at end of spring training. Cause teams will have injuries and all of a sudden they will want those rule 5 guys and you can pickup prospects. If you load all the leagues and indy legues. Continually manually scout the indy leagues and free agents for cut foreign draft picks to improve you minor league system. The more you can improve your total minor league system the more trade power in the future you have. You have to continually look to improve not just your mlb team but your minor leagues if you want to achieve the most success and the quickest time frame. You do this for 3 or 4 years to start the save and you will be a contender. Cause the prospects you get will keep getting better or you can package a bunch of prospects together for a stud prospect etc. You main goal is to gain assets. No player loyalty. You play the financial game. You want the bare minimum player slayer so you can use it to acquire players to trade for future assets. This will basically make you have the best minor league system. You might not have the most studs but you will have the most MLB ready players. You only need a 2 or 3 studs on an entire team if everyone else average or slightly above average. You wont get fired your first season and sometimes you will do better with the minimum salary guys. Each year will slightly improve as you get more assets until these assets turn your team into world beaters. The AI teams cannot beat the human in signing free agents or deadline trades. You will get basically 90% of whatever players fall under your specifications. Especially closers tend to bring a lot in. Who cares if they want 15 million you will probably have to eat 50% of it and then you could get a minor league closer who is future stud on the minimum contract. I almost never trade or sign any players who have real MLB experience. I am looking for AAA, AA, A guys who are ready for the call up. The MLB guys i trade and sign for are just there to get me those minor league assets. Then once you start becoming good you can start to sign old has beens who are fan favorites who boost your interest to 100% then you can max ticket prices. And you will be a top 10 budget team if you dont have owner controls budget on. It is even possible to boot fan interest to 100% by start of second season even if you are awful an the fans will pay the ticket price. Easily doubling your budget by season 3.

11-17-2022, 01:56 PM	#12
ccd494 Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 34	Also sometimes your owner is an idiot. My current save has my team playing in a bandbox. I scored 890 runs last year and won the World Series. My owner is whining, constantly, about my defensive efficiency ranking.