[Orcin]

Select "new historical game". I would say "no thanks" to Challenge Mode for this type of league.

Step 1: Choose the year that you want and whether you want to import history (you probably do). Do not select "import real minor leagues" or "use random players". Go to next step.

Step 2: Select "use real historical transactions" and 'real historical lineups". Do not select anything else on this step.

Step 3 and Step 4: Use the default selections.

Final step: select your team and play as manager or GM/manager . It really won't make any difference in this mode. but I would choose manager.

After the game starts, make a backup! Then go about adding historical ballparks, player images, uniforms, etc. if you wish. You could go into the league settings and find the checkbox to disable storylines as a precaution. I am not sure they are even active in this mode but you would not want them. By the same token, you probably want to disable personalities and the morale system if it is on by default.

The only thing to question in this mode is the rosters. You will have every player available to you, even if he did not play that day. So will the AI. So you will face the correct opposing lineup to begin, and you will be prompted with yours. You can change yours, and the AI can substitute after the game starts as it chooses. So you may see a player in the game that did not play that day in real life. It doesn't bother me, but it might bother you.

You manage your team and the AI runs the rest. There will be trades, but only those that match the real life trades. There will be no injuries. If a player is hurt in real life, he won't be in the lineup but he will be available to substitute (see above). The game will continue after you complete a season, and the offseason trades will occur as they did in real life. Or you can just start a new season.

After you have some experience, you can try setting up this type of game in the advanced mode (skips the wizard and takes you directly to the game options). There you could choose to have the ratings based on a three-year recalc with double weight on the current year or even a one-year recalc for greater accuracy. I think you will be pretty happy with default (three year average) unless you are looking to replicate an outlier like Maris in 1961.