Minor League AI signing too many MR's

swood · 06-10-2006, 07:55 PM

I am playing a historical league with 3 levels of minor leagues. I was looking at my A level team and noticed they had about 50 middle relievers. Looking at the transaction log I noticed that everyday my team had signed 3 or 4 MR's to minor league contracts.

In my manager home page, transactions (signings) are set to be controlled by me but Minor League Team Management is set to the contral of my minor league managers. I assumed this meant lineups, depth charts, and pitching staff.

The minor league AI signing players may or may not be a bug depending on if I have the setting correct. However, either way the AI should not be signing 50 MR's, that is definetly a bug.

Note: It only did the for MR's not SP's or position players.

Raidergoo · 06-10-2006, 11:03 PM

I think there is a TT on this issue already.

battists · 07-02-2006, 08:56 PM

First of all, apologies for the slow response to this thread.

Second, while I couldn't find a specific TT assigned to this issue, Markus has been focusing heavily on the AI regarding roster moves in particular, so I am going to put this in the Claimed Fixed forum for now, because I believe this issue will be resolved.

Can you tell me, though, how is this league configured, especially regarding roster limits and so forth?

Thanks very much!

Steve

Carplos · 07-03-2006, 08:06 AM

One thing I noticed that the vast majority of MR being signed by AI teams for their minors seem to actually be starters that were changed to relievers, based on their endurance.

Quote:

Can you tell me, though, how is this league configured, especially regarding roster limits and so forth?

This happens in the default MAL quickstart, usually at its worst in the month after the draft. In fact, even if you designate transactions to yourself as GM, the AI will still sign these players for your team and reshuffle your minor league rosters when it does, despite adhering to your options every other time of the year.

battists · 07-03-2006, 08:40 AM

So, carplos, would steps to replicate this issue be something like this?

1. Create a new game based on the MLB quickstart
2. Sim a month
3. Check the AI rosters

And, when you say the "MLB quickstart," are you referring to the MAL quickstart that comes with the game, or some third-party quickstart?

Thanks!

Steve

Carplos · 07-03-2006, 08:56 AM

Well, I said MAL, not MLB.

I would recommend simming until (at least) August and then looking at transactions, especially for June and July.

You could also be a GM for a team (just to emulate the settings I've been seeing it at--it's happening with completely AI controlled teams too).

I've seen it with all three of the MAL quickstart games I've done, FWIW.

I don't know if that has anything to do with it, but like I said, I noticed a good number of the MRs getting signed have high endurance, so were probably starters originally and the AI may be taking that into account.

Most of the players have been signed and released multiple times as well.

Carplos · 07-03-2006, 09:07 AM

Looking over the transaction history for my *** (self-created, not the default), MRs with high endurance seem to be the minor league FA of choice. Although on a smaller scale obviously (only one level of minors, less players to go around), they are getting signed/released quite often.

Carplos · 07-03-2006, 09:11 AM

Could part of the problem be that the game changes anyone not in the starting rotation into a MR? So you only have five slots, which turns some pitchers who may actually have a decent future into MR, then get dumped, another the AI sees the endurance/potential signs them, may or may not put them in the rotation and so on.

I would hazard a guess the reason with the MAL quickstart it happens in June and July so much is because the draft happens and teams get a bunch of new pitchers, some of which will be better than others, moving people out of rotations and such.

Just looking around at a bunch of the players, the ones that seem to finally stick with a team are those who finally found a team where they would go into the rotation and would be changed back to a SP.

Maybe the AI needs to not value MRs with high endurance so much?

battists · 07-03-2006, 09:20 AM

Sorry about the MAL/MLB thing. My eyes are going blurry after all of this stuff.

Yeah, I'm not quite sure what it is, but I do know that Markus has tweaked a LOT of stuff relating specifically to MRs, how the computer values them, and the frequency of roster moves.

So, I'm cautiously optimistic that, if not completely perfect, the next patch should show much improved behavior in this area. I'll try a MAL quickstart with the latest build I have, run through June/July, and poke around a bit.

Carplos · 07-03-2006, 09:25 AM

The biggest issue with teams signing so many of these players is that they often take current rotation spots away from good SP prospects turning them into MR (which could end up getting them released, or not develop as they would.)

I kept wondering why my top pitching prospects would often be MR... I thought the game was just overrating MR prospects.. but then I looked and I had drafted them as SP, but they got turned into MR in the lower minors because of all the players signed.

andymac · 07-03-2006, 09:54 AM

This seems like a pretty good place to promote the elimination of the SP/MR labels completely

. They should be roles, but any pitcher should be able to have the endurance to start if you let them (just not necessarily the effectiveness). Pitchers very rarely get drafted as relievers, I would guess 90% or so of the MLB pitchers were starters through a large portion of their minor league career.

This has been discussed at length (along with other pitcher issues) here.

06-10-2006, 07:55 PM	#1
swood Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Saskatoon Posts: 33	Minor League AI signing too many MR's I am playing a historical league with 3 levels of minor leagues. I was looking at my A level team and noticed they had about 50 middle relievers. Looking at the transaction log I noticed that everyday my team had signed 3 or 4 MR's to minor league contracts. In my manager home page, transactions (signings) are set to be controlled by me but Minor League Team Management is set to the contral of my minor league managers. I assumed this meant lineups, depth charts, and pitching staff. The minor league AI signing players may or may not be a bug depending on if I have the setting correct. However, either way the AI should not be signing 50 MR's, that is definetly a bug. Note: It only did the for MR's not SP's or position players.

07-03-2006, 08:56 AM	#6
Carplos Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Idaho Posts: 2,824 Infractions: 1/0 (0)	Well, I said MAL, not MLB. I would recommend simming until (at least) August and then looking at transactions, especially for June and July. You could also be a GM for a team (just to emulate the settings I've been seeing it at--it's happening with completely AI controlled teams too). I've seen it with all three of the MAL quickstart games I've done, FWIW. I don't know if that has anything to do with it, but like I said, I noticed a good number of the MRs getting signed have high endurance, so were probably starters originally and the AI may be taking that into account. Most of the players have been signed and released multiple times as well. Last edited by Carplos; 07-03-2006 at 09:01 AM.

07-03-2006, 09:11 AM	#8
Carplos Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Idaho Posts: 2,824 Infractions: 1/0 (0)	Could part of the problem be that the game changes anyone not in the starting rotation into a MR? So you only have five slots, which turns some pitchers who may actually have a decent future into MR, then get dumped, another the AI sees the endurance/potential signs them, may or may not put them in the rotation and so on. I would hazard a guess the reason with the MAL quickstart it happens in June and July so much is because the draft happens and teams get a bunch of new pitchers, some of which will be better than others, moving people out of rotations and such. Just looking around at a bunch of the players, the ones that seem to finally stick with a team are those who finally found a team where they would go into the rotation and would be changed back to a SP. Maybe the AI needs to not value MRs with high endurance so much? Last edited by Carplos; 07-03-2006 at 09:20 AM.

07-03-2006, 09:54 AM	#11
andymac Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Effingham, IL Posts: 5,725	This seems like a pretty good place to promote the elimination of the SP/MR labels completely . They should be roles, but any pitcher should be able to have the endurance to start if you let them (just not necessarily the effectiveness). Pitchers very rarely get drafted as relievers, I would guess 90% or so of the MLB pitchers were starters through a large portion of their minor league career. This has been discussed at length (along with other pitcher issues) here. __________________ June Madness: Links FTB: andymac

06-10-2006, 11:03 PM	#2
Raidergoo Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 9,005	I think there is a TT on this issue already.

07-02-2006, 08:56 PM	#3
battists Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 18,506	First of all, apologies for the slow response to this thread. Second, while I couldn't find a specific TT assigned to this issue, Markus has been focusing heavily on the AI regarding roster moves in particular, so I am going to put this in the Claimed Fixed forum for now, because I believe this issue will be resolved. Can you tell me, though, how is this league configured, especially regarding roster limits and so forth? Thanks very much! Steve

07-03-2006, 08:40 AM	#5
battists Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 18,506	So, carplos, would steps to replicate this issue be something like this? 1. Create a new game based on the MLB quickstart 2. Sim a month 3. Check the AI rosters And, when you say the "MLB quickstart," are you referring to the MAL quickstart that comes with the game, or some third-party quickstart? Thanks! Steve

07-03-2006, 09:07 AM	#7
Carplos Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Idaho Posts: 2,824 Infractions: 1/0 (0)	Looking over the transaction history for my *** (self-created, not the default), MRs with high endurance seem to be the minor league FA of choice. Although on a smaller scale obviously (only one level of minors, less players to go around), they are getting signed/released quite often.

07-03-2006, 09:20 AM	#9
battists Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 18,506	Sorry about the MAL/MLB thing. My eyes are going blurry after all of this stuff. Yeah, I'm not quite sure what it is, but I do know that Markus has tweaked a LOT of stuff relating specifically to MRs, how the computer values them, and the frequency of roster moves. So, I'm cautiously optimistic that, if not completely perfect, the next patch should show much improved behavior in this area. I'll try a MAL quickstart with the latest build I have, run through June/July, and poke around a bit.

07-03-2006, 09:25 AM	#10
Carplos Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Idaho Posts: 2,824 Infractions: 1/0 (0)	The biggest issue with teams signing so many of these players is that they often take current rotation spots away from good SP prospects turning them into MR (which could end up getting them released, or not develop as they would.) I kept wondering why my top pitching prospects would often be MR... I thought the game was just overrating MR prospects.. but then I looked and I had drafted them as SP, but they got turned into MR in the lower minors because of all the players signed.