Stolen bases when I'm managing games...

Statsman1 · 03-23-2015, 03:37 PM

...is KILLING me.

My team has 4 guys with Speed > 15 AND Stealing > 18. In the first 6 games I managed myself, against catchers with Arm < 12, I went 1 for 21.

Yep. Less than 5% against guys my grandmother could steal on.

And then, to make it worse, guys running against me, with similar speed / stealing ratings, against my catcher's Arm = 17, went 11 for 12.

Is this just exceedingly bad luck? I have felt this way before - in OOTP14 and OOTP15, stealing bases just seemed to be a LOT tougher when I managed the games, compared to when I didn't, and let the AI do it.

Anyone else notice this? Or am I just a victim of statistical happenstance?

reds1869 · 03-23-2015, 03:40 PM

Pitcher hold ratings play a huge part in SB results. That said, 1-21 is kind of extreme. But it wouldn't surprise me if it was just a fluky streak.

RchW · 03-23-2015, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Statsman1

...is KILLING me.

My team has 4 guys with Speed > 15 AND Stealing > 18. In the first 6 games I managed myself, against catchers with Arm < 12, I went 1 for 21.

Yep. Less than 5% against guys my grandmother could steal on.

And then, to make it worse, guys running against me, with similar speed / stealing ratings, against my catcher's Arm = 17, went 11 for 12.

Is this just exceedingly bad luck? I have felt this way before - in OOTP14 and OOTP15, stealing bases just seemed to be a LOT tougher when I managed the games, compared to when I didn't, and let the AI do it.

Anyone else notice this? Or am I just a victim of statistical happenstance?

Are you stealing in the right game situations? The game will punish that if not. Also keep in mind that a lot of real life SB are run and hit and hit and run combinations. I rarely use the steal choice in game.

OldFatGuy · 03-23-2015, 03:49 PM

As someone who's played out every inning of every game for over a hundred seasons now, over various versions, I'll share my "thoughts" on your experience.

If you're playing one-pitch mode (which is what I ALWAYS play) and you essentially "force steal" (by selecting run and hit or hit and run) then my success rate has always been lower, much lower, than my opponents.

From tinkering with playing pitch by pitch mode, it seems (but not nearly enough data to support this, just an anecdotal observation) that by picking the right count and right situation, I had a much easier time having success stealing than I ever did playing one pitch mode.

I will also say that playing one pitch mode, I seemed to do "better" by selecting straight steal rather than forcing the issue, and dealing with the fact that the game basically turns into pitch by pitch mode for that AB as you often get the "runner couldn't get a good jump" result.

I obviously don't have enough time in 16 yet to tell, but it wouldn't surprise me if you're playing one pitch mode and are in effect "forcing" steals that your success rate would be much worse, as that has been my results over every version to date.

I'll let others decide whether having such poor results from "forcing" stealing is a good or bad thing. I can see arguments both ways, at least in terms of OOTP baseball.

rpriske · 03-23-2015, 03:50 PM

Always switch to pitch-by-pitch when you want to steal.

Hanson Bros · 03-23-2015, 03:52 PM

I always have trouble getting to actually go when using the straight steal option

The Game · 03-23-2015, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Statsman1

...is KILLING me.

My team has 4 guys with Speed > 15 AND Stealing > 18. In the first 6 games I managed myself, against catchers with Arm < 12, I went 1 for 21.

Yep. Less than 5% against guys my grandmother could steal on.

And then, to make it worse, guys running against me, with similar speed / stealing ratings, against my catcher's Arm = 17, went 11 for 12.

Is this just exceedingly bad luck? I have felt this way before - in OOTP14 and OOTP15, stealing bases just seemed to be a LOT tougher when I managed the games, compared to when I didn't, and let the AI do it.

Anyone else notice this? Or am I just a victim of statistical happenstance?

Are you playing one pitch mode? If so switch to full count or whatever its called and steal then and your success rate will go up. I get killed in 1 pitch mode trying to steal, even against guys with a 4 arm ( 1-10 scale) and pitchers with a hold rating on 6 or less.game i just played i was 1 for 4 the 3 players that got picked off all have a 8+ speed while the one player that did steal was a mess up on my part and has a 6 speed/steal.

r0nster · 03-23-2015, 04:30 PM

I do one pitch mode and do run and hit also double steal ALOT (my fav)

r0nster · 03-23-2015, 04:32 PM

I should note I have a player who stole 134 bases and currently has over 1100 stolen bases. Billy Hamelton his hitting started good but after 5 seasons it began tailing off to about .240 I think career ave is .262

phenom · 03-23-2015, 04:43 PM

I do believe there's a setting or two in the config files that you can adjust to help this.

IanIachimoe · 03-23-2015, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldFatGuy

As someone who's played out every inning of every game for over a hundred seasons now, over various versions, I'll share my "thoughts" on your experience.

If you're playing one-pitch mode (which is what I ALWAYS play) and you essentially "force steal" (by selecting run and hit or hit and run) then my success rate has always been lower, much lower, than my opponents.

From tinkering with playing pitch by pitch mode, it seems (but not nearly enough data to support this, just an anecdotal observation) that by picking the right count and right situation, I had a much easier time having success stealing than I ever did playing one pitch mode.

I will also say that playing one pitch mode, I seemed to do "better" by selecting straight steal rather than forcing the issue, and dealing with the fact that the game basically turns into pitch by pitch mode for that AB as you often get the "runner couldn't get a good jump" result.

I obviously don't have enough time in 16 yet to tell, but it wouldn't surprise me if you're playing one pitch mode and are in effect "forcing" steals that your success rate would be much worse, as that has been my results over every version to date.

I'll let others decide whether having such poor results from "forcing" stealing is a good or bad thing. I can see arguments both ways, at least in terms of OOTP baseball.

great post. I think you nailed it.

I also only play pbp & that has been my experience as well.

always figured 'force steal' was exactly that, forced. regardless if your player gets a good jump or not, he goes - likely leading to more falied attempts.

I've had much more success when letting the runner decide to go or not & I steal A LOT.

r0nster · 03-23-2015, 04:51 PM

You can change settings for each player or as a team to how you want the individual player or whole team

dodger300 · 03-23-2015, 05:01 PM

I play out all my games. The first thing I do when I get a new version Is open engine.cfg and set sb success to 108, and bunting success to 140. When playing out games and I have a base stealing threat on, take the first pitch to avoid running into pitchout. My leagues base stealing success rate runs between 70-72%. And I almost never use force steal.

MizzouRah · 03-23-2015, 05:06 PM

Well Molina hasn't thrown one runner out yet. UGH!

Statsman1 · 03-23-2015, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Game

Are you playing one pitch mode? If so switch to full count or whatever its called and steal then and your success rate will go up. I get killed in 1 pitch mode trying to steal, even against guys with a 4 arm ( 1-10 scale) and pitchers with a hold rating on 6 or less.game i just played i was 1 for 4 the 3 players that got picked off all have a 8+ speed while the one player that did steal was a mess up on my part and has a 6 speed/steal.

THIS.

I play one-pitch mode and select 'steal' (rather than run-and-hit or hit-and-run, mostly), and this just doesn't seem to fly. I know a few of the 1-for-21 victims were nailed when the batter didn't put the ball in play on a hit-and-run, but the above sums up my problem.

I will say this, even when the mode is one-pitch, very often the runner doesn't get a good pitch to run on, and then the situation becomes 'pitch by pitch' as the pitch will be called a ball or strike, and the runner never went anywhere, and I'm back to selecting an option. The opposition doesn't seem to have this problem - they run whenever they want, with no restriction based on count (I have seen no situation where I'm pitching, and the AI runner didn't get a good jump and the situation changes to one-pitch-at-a-time mode).

Anyway, thank you for the suggestions, fellows - I guess I'll have to switch to pitch-by-pitch when I have runners on, which is kind of a bummer to have to remember that, but so be it.

phenom · 03-23-2015, 05:21 PM

Change your engine.cfg file as stated above. Fool around with it to find something that works for you.

03-23-2015, 03:37 PM	#1
Statsman1 Major Leagues Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Marmora, Ontario, Canada Posts: 340	Stolen bases when I'm managing games... ...is KILLING me. My team has 4 guys with Speed > 15 AND Stealing > 18. In the first 6 games I managed myself, against catchers with Arm < 12, I went 1 for 21. Yep. Less than 5% against guys my grandmother could steal on. And then, to make it worse, guys running against me, with similar speed / stealing ratings, against my catcher's Arm = 17, went 11 for 12. Is this just exceedingly bad luck? I have felt this way before - in OOTP14 and OOTP15, stealing bases just seemed to be a LOT tougher when I managed the games, compared to when I didn't, and let the AI do it. Anyone else notice this? Or am I just a victim of statistical happenstance? __________________ Statsman1

03-23-2015, 03:49 PM	#4
OldFatGuy All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern Va., Loudoun County Posts: 1,893	As someone who's played out every inning of every game for over a hundred seasons now, over various versions, I'll share my "thoughts" on your experience. If you're playing one-pitch mode (which is what I ALWAYS play) and you essentially "force steal" (by selecting run and hit or hit and run) then my success rate has always been lower, much lower, than my opponents. From tinkering with playing pitch by pitch mode, it seems (but not nearly enough data to support this, just an anecdotal observation) that by picking the right count and right situation, I had a much easier time having success stealing than I ever did playing one pitch mode. I will also say that playing one pitch mode, I seemed to do "better" by selecting straight steal rather than forcing the issue, and dealing with the fact that the game basically turns into pitch by pitch mode for that AB as you often get the "runner couldn't get a good jump" result. I obviously don't have enough time in 16 yet to tell, but it wouldn't surprise me if you're playing one pitch mode and are in effect "forcing" steals that your success rate would be much worse, as that has been my results over every version to date. I'll let others decide whether having such poor results from "forcing" stealing is a good or bad thing. I can see arguments both ways, at least in terms of OOTP baseball. __________________ I believed in drug testing a long time ago. In the 60's I tested everything. - Bill Lee

03-23-2015, 03:50 PM	#5
rpriske Hall Of Famer Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Spencerville, ON, Canada Posts: 26,400	Always switch to pitch-by-pitch when you want to steal. __________________ Rusty Priske Poet, Canadian, Baseball Fan ````````````````````````````````````````

03-23-2015, 03:52 PM	#6
Hanson Bros Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 2,006	I always have trouble getting to actually go when using the straight steal option __________________ LBA UTBA3

03-23-2015, 04:43 PM	#10
phenom Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Near the Great Wall. On the GOOD side. Posts: 3,763	I do believe there's a setting or two in the config files that you can adjust to help this. __________________ reported

03-23-2015, 03:40 PM	#2
reds1869 Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Cincinnati, OH, USA Posts: 258	Pitcher hold ratings play a huge part in SB results. That said, 1-21 is kind of extreme. But it wouldn't surprise me if it was just a fluky streak.

03-23-2015, 04:30 PM	#8
r0nster Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 3,053	I do one pitch mode and do run and hit also double steal ALOT (my fav)

03-23-2015, 04:32 PM	#9
r0nster Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 3,053	I should note I have a player who stole 134 bases and currently has over 1100 stolen bases. Billy Hamelton his hitting started good but after 5 seasons it began tailing off to about .240 I think career ave is .262

03-23-2015, 04:51 PM	#12
r0nster Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 3,053	You can change settings for each player or as a team to how you want the individual player or whole team

03-23-2015, 05:01 PM	#13
dodger300 Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 268	I play out all my games. The first thing I do when I get a new version Is open engine.cfg and set sb success to 108, and bunting success to 140. When playing out games and I have a base stealing threat on, take the first pitch to avoid running into pitchout. My leagues base stealing success rate runs between 70-72%. And I almost never use force steal. Last edited by dodger300; 03-23-2015 at 05:05 PM. Reason: puncuation

03-23-2015, 05:06 PM	#14
MizzouRah Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Troy, Mo Posts: 6,252	Well Molina hasn't thrown one runner out yet. UGH!

03-23-2015, 05:21 PM	#16
phenom Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Near the Great Wall. On the GOOD side. Posts: 3,763	Change your engine.cfg file as stated above. Fool around with it to find something that works for you. __________________ reported