Catchers - Games Started

[jberg57]

Why is there seemingly a block on catchers starting more than 120 games? I hate having a 80/80 catcher and only playing 120 games.

Any tips on how to maximize the statistical output for really good catchers - that are also good defenders?

2025: Bailey and Realmuto caught 132
2024: Raleigh caught 135
2023: Realmuto 133

[Bobfather]

Were there injuries to any of them? You can change the bench when fatigue option, and change when back-up plays in the depth chart. Check how many games they played in real life, too. Just spitballing here.

[snepp]

Other than 1 or maybe 2 guys per year, it looks like starting catchers are catching too many games (modern day game).

Until players get individual ratings for fatigue I don't know if there's really anything you can do to mirror the outliers.

[RunBlakeRun]

This is something I've noticed as well, and sometimes, if the catcher I have is an offensive machine, I'll have them DH or play 1B every few games. It's weird having them appear to almost always start maybe 115-120 games a season. Been like that as long as I can remember in OOTP.

[fredbeene]

Is GS at position of C or GS overall?
Can you BA/stats when they play x position?

[jberg57]

I guess what I am asking for from Devs is a toggle in the Strategy tab for Players when not starting at primary position can they be the DH?

I'd much rather my 80/80 catcher who is a little fatigued play DH instead of the bench. Instead I have my best hitter sitting and a 50/80 starting at DH.

[kq76]

Originally Posted by jberg57

I guess what I am asking for from Devs is a toggle in the Strategy tab for Players when not starting at primary position can they be the DH?

I'd much rather my 80/80 catcher who is a little fatigued play DH instead of the bench. Instead I have my best hitter sitting and a 50/80 starting at DH.

I definitely think we should have a mechanism of sorts for outliers, of a lot of kinds. But I'm not sure DHing him, even if you did it manually, would help much. I kind of think DHing should help fatigue some and I just don't think it does. I mean, I think it's less fatiguing than playing a position, sure, but even with DHing my best older player he still needs to sit some days for whatever reason.

If you look at real life players known for mainly DHing certain years of their careers (e.g., DO, EM, FT, HB) it was pretty rare for even them to play close to 160 games (they did some years, but not as many as we might think). And they weren't catchers on top of it. So maybe OOTP has it right. I just wish we could push them a bit more, but I guess we maybe can if we just ignore the days they're yellow.

What you maybe should consider is flipping the situation. Make him your primary DH and only have him catch the days your other catcher needs rest. That's what I would probably do if he was my best hitter. I get that having a great hitting catcher is a huge plus, but if he's also your best hitter the priority is to have him in the lineup as much as possible.