Is it normal for team to 'crash' after Promo to Gold?

Marsh511 · 06-27-2019, 12:27 PM

Quick question: My team was promoted to Gold after making it to the WS (and losing) last year in Silver. This year (2032), with some minor improvements, I thought I would compete ok in my Gold league... but my team's been in free-fall after the first 20 games. I look at other teams rosters and don't see that much difference compared to mine. Most rosters have the same usual suspects...but they are all performing much better than "my version". Players like Bogaerts, Buehler, Greinke - so many teams have them, but for me, they're all doing terrible, especially the pitchers (ERA > 6.00; WHIP > 1.6). Is this because my team is a first year GOLD team....or is there some other level of strategy I need to start using to compete in Gold? Thanks for your help - this game sucks you in for sure!!

pgjocki · 06-27-2019, 12:33 PM

It could be strategy or it could be small sample size or observation bias.

Two teams can have the same or similar players but use them drastically different in splits, platoons and substitutions, etc.

Maybe he has a quick hook to prevent a starter from going 7 and giving up the big inning and maybe they are emphasizing defense in the last 3 innings that help him keep a lead.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

matingly23 · 06-27-2019, 05:36 PM

Which catchers do you use and how is your defense in general? Are a lot of your players on cold streaks?

I don't think though that it's out of the ordinary to not do that well in your first year in a new level, unless you're a whale just plowing through to Perfect.

Cheesehead1964 · 06-27-2019, 06:58 PM

I've had a few down years after being promoted to Gold or Diamond, then rebounded the next season.

Perfect on the other hand...

Marsh511 · 06-27-2019, 07:24 PM

My defense may be an issue as my team's ZR is an abysmal -29.7 (2nd to last). Per someone's advice, I've been using LaValliere (C-115, CABI-93, CARM-95), but his CERA is a terrible 5.08. I'm seeing NO ONE on my team "Hot", and currently, no one is showing "Cold" either. It seems like my pitchers are just performing terribly. Other than Schilling and Ryu (WHIP = 1.22), everyone else (Buehler, Marichal, Greinke, Morton, Nagy, Spahn among SP types) has ERA's over 4.00 or WHIPs over 1.50. Could this all be because of defense? Frankly, I'm sick of seeing "my" Greinke or Morton consistenly being bombed, while those same pitchers are cruising for my opponents!

Quote:

Originally Posted by matingly23

Which catchers do you use and how is your defense in general? Are a lot of your players on cold streaks?

I don't think though that it's out of the ordinary to not do that well in your first year in a new level, unless you're a whale just plowing through to Perfect.

One Great Matrix · 06-27-2019, 07:39 PM

Losing in a World Series can be hard. I think I only lost once but it didn't matter bc I didn't expect to be there in the 1st year at Iron Level, it was too new a thing; unexplored. But losing the gold conference final series led to a subpar performance in my first year at Diamond. Yeah, I think that can happen. Big ups and downs like on the momentum charts.

matingly23 · 06-27-2019, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marsh511

My defense may be an issue as my team's ZR is an abysmal -29.7 (2nd to last). Per someone's advice, I've been using LaValliere (C-115, CABI-93, CARM-95), but his CERA is a terrible 5.08. I'm seeing NO ONE on my team "Hot", and currently, no one is showing "Cold" either. It seems like my pitchers are just performing terribly. Other than Schilling and Ryu (WHIP = 1.22), everyone else (Buehler, Marichal, Greinke, Morton, Nagy, Spahn among SP types) has ERA's over 4.00 or WHIPs over 1.50. Could this all be because of defense? Frankly, I'm sick of seeing "my" Greinke or Morton consistenly being bombed, while those same pitchers are cruising for my opponents!

The worst places for bad defense would be C, SS, CF and then 2B. I would see if you have any glaring weaknesses at those spots (although Lava is fine at C if you have him now).

You can also sometimes just get matched against teams who are red-hot, or get a couple of whales in a row that will wreck a pitching staff.

Marsh511 · 06-27-2019, 10:36 PM

Yep, getting to the WS in my Silver league last year was a surprise, too...especially getting there as a Wild Card at 88-74 after ignoring most of the season (was offline, no access to the game). So maybe I got cocky and figured the promotion to Gold wouldn't really be much of a change! Instead, it's been an eye-opener. Can't even imagine what Diamond and Perfect are like!

Quote:

Originally Posted by One Great Matrix

Losing in a World Series can be hard. I think I only lost once but it didn't matter bc I didn't expect to be there in the 1st year at Iron Level, it was too new a thing; unexplored. But losing the gold conference final series led to a subpar performance in my first year at Diamond. Yeah, I think that can happen. Big ups and downs like on the momentum charts.

One Great Matrix · 06-27-2019, 11:34 PM

Yeah, sometimes called the sophomore jinx. As in you get through your freshman year and then waltz into the next year without taking the same steps. Happens to some 2nd year players.

One Great Matrix · 06-27-2019, 11:39 PM

A separate thing going on there too though where you don't quite do as well as you believe you could have and then don't want to show up next season as much

One Great Matrix · 06-27-2019, 11:52 PM

And the 3rd being that it is in fact getting harder not easier. Guess now that I'm at Perfects, when you get there at least you're at the highest level but yeah there are about 48 teams that win 115+ games regularly. In fact I had a stretch today with 3 of them where I went 2-9 or something.

I met my match in my first season of diamond. From the time I played Mr. Bucket's Aoteroa Angels, I knew it wouldn't be easy from there.

06-27-2019, 12:27 PM	#1
Marsh511 Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 27	Is it normal for team to 'crash' after Promo to Gold? Quick question: My team was promoted to Gold after making it to the WS (and losing) last year in Silver. This year (2032), with some minor improvements, I thought I would compete ok in my Gold league... but my team's been in free-fall after the first 20 games. I look at other teams rosters and don't see that much difference compared to mine. Most rosters have the same usual suspects...but they are all performing much better than "my version". Players like Bogaerts, Buehler, Greinke - so many teams have them, but for me, they're all doing terrible, especially the pitchers (ERA > 6.00; WHIP > 1.6). Is this because my team is a first year GOLD team....or is there some other level of strategy I need to start using to compete in Gold? Thanks for your help - this game sucks you in for sure!! __________________

06-27-2019, 12:33 PM	#2
pgjocki All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Maryland - just outside DC Posts: 1,581	It could be strategy or it could be small sample size or observation bias. Two teams can have the same or similar players but use them drastically different in splits, platoons and substitutions, etc. Maybe he has a quick hook to prevent a starter from going 7 and giving up the big inning and maybe they are emphasizing defense in the last 3 innings that help him keep a lead. Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk __________________ - - - World Series championships: 1926, 1931, 1934, 1942, 1944, 1946, 1964, 1967, 1982, 2006, 2011

06-27-2019, 07:39 PM	#6
One Great Matrix All Star Starter Join Date: Apr 2019 Posts: 1,782	Losing in a World Series can be hard. I think I only lost once but it didn't matter bc I didn't expect to be there in the 1st year at Iron Level, it was too new a thing; unexplored. But losing the gold conference final series led to a subpar performance in my first year at Diamond. Yeah, I think that can happen. Big ups and downs like on the momentum charts. __________________ Last edited by One Great Matrix; 06-27-2019 at 07:40 PM. Reason: clarification

06-27-2019, 11:34 PM	#9
One Great Matrix All Star Starter Join Date: Apr 2019 Posts: 1,782	Yeah, sometimes called the sophomore jinx. As in you get through your freshman year and then waltz into the next year without taking the same steps. Happens to some 2nd year players. __________________

06-27-2019, 11:39 PM	#10
One Great Matrix All Star Starter Join Date: Apr 2019 Posts: 1,782	A separate thing going on there too though where you don't quite do as well as you believe you could have and then don't want to show up next season as much __________________

06-27-2019, 05:36 PM	#3
matingly23 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 135	Which catchers do you use and how is your defense in general? Are a lot of your players on cold streaks? I don't think though that it's out of the ordinary to not do that well in your first year in a new level, unless you're a whale just plowing through to Perfect.

06-27-2019, 06:58 PM	#4
Cheesehead1964 Major Leagues Join Date: Apr 2017 Posts: 429	I've had a few down years after being promoted to Gold or Diamond, then rebounded the next season. Perfect on the other hand...

06-27-2019, 11:52 PM	#11
One Great Matrix All Star Starter Join Date: Apr 2019 Posts: 1,782	And the 3rd being that it is in fact getting harder not easier. Guess now that I'm at Perfects, when you get there at least you're at the highest level but yeah there are about 48 teams that win 115+ games regularly. In fact I had a stretch today with 3 of them where I went 2-9 or something. I met my match in my first season of diamond. From the time I played Mr. Bucket's Aoteroa Angels, I knew it wouldn't be easy from there. __________________