Need help on line-up set-ups

[towerbooks3192]

Ok, I had 15 and I managed to get to the point that I was enjoying the game and seem to be getting good results with a line-up where I manually set-up the team. Are there any resources that covers what kind of player ratings is best to be placed in a position? I remember there was a post that covered something like "place a player with high stamina as starting pitcher and others as closer, etc." and other advices like arranging batters and other stuff.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by towerbooks3192

Ok, I had 15 and I managed to get to the point that I was enjoying the game and seem to be getting good results with a line-up where I manually set-up the team. Are there any resources that covers what kind of player ratings is best to be placed in a position? I remember there was a post that covered something like "place a player with high stamina as starting pitcher and others as closer, etc." and other advices like arranging batters and other stuff.

Attached is a file that talks about how to set up your lineup of batters.

Regarding pitchers, the guys with good stamina and at least three quality pitches are candidates for your starting rotation. Your closer should be the guy with the highest pitching velocity and stuff (more strikeouts). The set up guy(s) are near-closers and ideally you want a lefty specialist in the mix. You also need a couple of middle-inning relievers, pitchers with decent stamina; workhorses. If you have room, one other guy can be "mop-up" man, generally the worst reliever in bullpen but can go several innings when the score is lopsided either way.

[towerbooks3192]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Attached is a file that talks about how to set up your lineup of batters.

Regarding pitchers, the guys with good stamina and at least three quality pitches are candidates for your starting rotation. Your closer should be the guy with the highest pitching velocity and stuff (more strikeouts). The set up guy(s) are near-closers and ideally you want a lefty specialist in the mix. You also need a couple of middle-inning relievers, pitchers with decent stamina; workhorses. If you have room, one other guy can be "mop-up" man, generally the worst reliever in bullpen but can go several innings when the score is lopsided either way.

Thank you so much.

Any chance you can help me with the defensive ratings? Like what does the infield and outfield players need in terms of Arms/Reach/ Error etc?

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by towerbooks3192

Thank you so much.

Any chance you can help me with the defensive ratings? Like what does the infield and outfield players need in terms of Arms/Reach/ Error etc?

Yes, let me see. From my own knowledge and memory:

OUTFIELDERS

All outfielders should have good ratings for OUTFIELD ERROR. That makes sense for all fielders.

Center field is a large expanse to cover and the CF backs up the LF and the RF on many plays. So, your CF should have good OUTFIELD RANGE. Often you see the CF is one of the swiftest runners on your team because range and speed seem to go together.

Right field is a long way from third base where many runners need to be thrown out. Therefore, the RF should have the best OUTFIELD ARM.

That leaves left field which gets a lot of action from primarily right-handed batters pulling the ball their way. With so much action, the most important defensive skill for the LF is OUTFIELD ERROR. Often you see a guy in LF with a good error rating and a weak arm. The runner is coming toward the LF when running to second base, and third base is not far away from the LF, so a weak arm in left field is not so bad.

INFIELDERS

Of course, what I said above for outfielders applies here as well; all infielders should have good ratings for INFIELD ERROR.

Leave aside the idea that 1B and 3B are generally more power hitters and 2B and SS are lighter hitters. That tends to be the case but let's stay with defensive skills.

The 3B is a long way from first base. It stands to reason that the best 3B's have a strong INFIELD ARM.

A lot of balls are hit as 2B and SS. Those guys better have the highest INFIELD ERROR ratings. Both had better be good with INFIELD RANGE and TURN DP, too.

So which is 2B and which is SS? Well, that's where INFIELD ARM comes in again. I give the nod at SS to the guy with the stronger arm. 2B is closer to first base.

That leaves 1B. Well, in this game there are not that many good 1B's usually. Generally, the game puts guys with the lowest infield ratings at first base and what happens is, they play long enough to gain a decent overall rating at 1B through experience, even though their defensive ratings are low. Personally, I don't agree with this treatment of 1B - I think a skilled defensive 1B is a big asset - but that's the way it is.

CATCHERS

You know catchers when you see them! They are usually the ONLY ones who have any ratings at all for CATCHER ABILITY and CATCHER ARM (although some 1B's and OF's have some C skills, and vice versa). Obviously, you want a C with good marks in both aspects but he must at least be decent in both. Even if a C has one good rating, if the other is a poor rating, he is not going to be a good C. You should try to get a C with good ABILITY and ARM but if you have to choose, get a C with good ABILITY and a decent ARM. Reason is, CATCHER ABILITY makes your pitchers better.

PITCHERS

What? Who cares about pitcher defense? Well, you should care because over the years, I have noticed that the best pitchers tend to have good marks in PITCHER DEFENSE as well as HOLD RUNNERS. It's not absolute, of course, but I strongly believe this is a tendency and it's one that is overlooked by even experienced players of OOTPB.

EXPERIENCE

I mentioned experience briefly but I should talk a bit more about it here. Players gain experience at positions the more they play at them. It is experience that gives players improving OVERALL defensive ratings at their positions. However, keep in mind that no matter how long a player plays a position, if he does not have the basic defensive skills discussed above, he will never be rated highly at the position (possible exception: 1B, as discussed above).

This is from the file that I attached to this message:

The game takes into account the 'defensive spectrum' defined by Bill James as 1B-LF-RF-3B-CF-2B-SS-C in terms of increasing raw ability needed to play each position. 1B is the only position that has essentially no minimum requirements; anyone can learn to play it well enough to get a visible rating in the profile screen. The thresholds for range, error, etc, go up as you move through the spectrum. Only born middle infielders will ever be good shortstops, at least in a league with fictional players created by the game engine. Position players can learn to play catcher, but it often takes a very long time, and they typically don’t make very good ones. Converting infielders to the outfield is a much more promising proposition than the other way around.

Read through that file for more information.

I hope this helps. Enjoy.