Most Fun team to rebuild/use in OOTP 17
 

I have been wanting to rebuild a team in OOTP for a while but havent found the right team to use. Anyone have any good teams that are fun to rebuild?

If you are playing a standard MLB game from 2016, then the Reds, Phillies, and even the A's are fun in that order. Most challenging I think are the Padres, by a lot! The owner drove me crazy.

Rockies no question good farm system in McMahon, Wall, Hoffman, Murphy, and Rodgers.

You got stars to build around in Areanado, Story and LeMathieu

I got low key surprises out Gurka, Rafael Ynoa, Garnaeu and Wolters

Good staff too, it's a fun rebuild also with the option to contend too

God I hate the Padres. I recently played a game with them where I was able to achieve at best moderate success for 3 years (around 84-78 or so, and that was after an incredibly one-sided trade that netted me Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman) before suddenly and inexplicably everything fell apart. I ended up quitting in 2026 and taking over the last place rays.

Try fixing the disaster that idiot Moreno created in Anaheim.

Lol, please check out the thread "I Hate My Owner!!!!"

Yes that's right as well. I could never contend with them because I never managed to have above average era stats in particular the starters, no matter how high their ratings were. I think in real life it would be a hitter's park, but I don't know if OOTP 17 would mimic that. But yeah, the Rockies should be on my list to try again with.

Interesting to note, I came across a lengthy post from someone who played many years building the Rockies into a contender. Not sure if he won the World Series, but he said the secret to success with them is to load up the entire pitching staff that only give up ground balls, and don't give up walks. As to the defense, load up with outfielders with a high outfield range. For batters they only needed high contact and gap power. He said that is all you need with them. Interesting.

I did a rockies franchise in OOTP16 where I employed a really precise building strategy where I targeted solely pitchers with extreme ground ball tendencies, and almost entirely power hitters (outside of two high-average hitters at any given time). I managed to win the world series in 2018, and a couple more times after that.

I read a lengthy comment a while back suggesting GB pitchers + low walks, outfielders with excellent range, and batters with high contact and gap power. Was it you that wrote it? I'm trying to find it again because it was a great article. Thx.

No that wasn't me, but I did use a similar strategy. Extreme GB and control pitching. I don't remember how my outfielder fielding/speed was, but I didn't focus on that. And instead of pure contact hitters, I went with pure power hitters (who tended to have high gap power too)

Something I've always wanted to try, would be to put an expansion team in Montreal and try to rebuild the Expos.

Could put the expansion Expos in a league of your choice, put another one in the other league, then change the setup to go back to an 8 team East/West divisions. I'd probably have 1st/2nd in each division make the playoffs with one WC team.

I've been playing with the Rockies as well, and have been focusing primarily on groundball pitchers. The problem for me is that LeMahieu's ratings plummeted in 2017, and I traded him in a salary dump. I brought up Forrest Wall (who has hit well), but his defensive ratings have steadily declined. Story is my starting shortstop and has been more of a high average/ midrange power type than in real life, but his defensive rating is also subpar. A groundball staff with shaky fielders at 2B and SS is not exactly ideal... I'll probably trade Story and clear space for Brendan Rodgers.

Raimel Tapia emerged as a strong under-the-radar player for me-- in 2017, he was second in the league in batting average, and had about 65 extra base hits. After hitting about .320 but with less power in 2018, Pittsburgh offered Tyler Glasnow straight-up for him, and I figured that was too good of a return to turn down.

On the mound, Jon Gray has turned into a stud, managing a sub- 3.00 ERA in Coors, and Jordan Lyles has outperformed his ratings. Chad Bettis won 19 for me in 2016, but has since struggled with injuries. Of their pitching prospects, so far only Hoffman has developed, and he cracked my rotation in mid-2018.

I love to use expansion teams. You have a blank canvas to create your team and it's a fun challenge. Another bonus is that you are almost guaranteed to get the top picks for the first couple drafts.

Kansas City Athletics from the late 1950s or early 60s.