AI trades - decent prospects never getting traded? (Even with Veterans heavily favored)

[Baconi]

I am noticing in this version in my fictional league, when trades are made between AI teams, teams basically never part with any half-decent prospects, even when there are good players going back the other way. Decent starters and relievers get traded for nothing - like 35 POT nothing minor leaguers. This is when I have trading preferences set all the way to the Favor Veterans side, too. At most teams might throw in someone with 50-55 POT for an all star level player with full retention.



And this doesn't even get into this issue that has persisted for multiple years now - AI Team #1, who are rebuilding, trade a decent player for Team #2's prospect - except Team #1 adds a prospect of their own to the deal, that's even better than the one they're getting back - which obviously doesn't make sense.

[omg_pwnasaurus]

I see quite the opposite in my sims. I see the AI trade good prospects with itself all the time for lesser packages than I would offer the AI. I feel like it is tougher to get a good return from the AI than it is if the AI trades with itself. Which is fine, I like a challenge but it is somewhat surprising when the prospect I'm trying to acquire gets dealt for an average reliever or something eventually in CPU to CPU deals.

I do see the 2nd point you're mentioning though, when the CPU adds a better prospect than the one they're getting, plus a good player's expiring contract for some lesser prospect or 2. I wonder if it's trying to simulate the "we're taking on more money, so we need them to add another good young player" type thing. Still the prospect cost seems way too high for the return sometimes. I track all of these in a spreadsheet lol.

[md40022]

Originally Posted by Baconi

And this doesn't even get into this issue that has persisted for multiple years now - AI Team #1, who are rebuilding, trade a decent player for Team #2's prospect - except Team #1 adds a prospect of their own to the deal, that's even better than the one they're getting back - which obviously doesn't make sense.

I can't really comment on this year's game since I'm not far along enough to really say, but in years previous it always felt to me like "rebuilding" teams just made trades for the sake of making trades - without any rhyme or reason

They'd trade a veteran for a prospect on Monday, which would make sense. But then on Tuesday they'd trade a prospect for a veteran, which makes no sense. And then to your point, on Wednesday they'd make a package deal but give up the better prospects than what they would receive back.

It never seemed like rebuilding teams were intentionally trading aging vets for young prospects as much as it felt like rebuilding teams were more or less just making as many trades as possible with no logic what so ever behind any of them.

That's been my opinion for quite a while... not sure if it's still the case in 25 though.

[OzzieFan]

I feel like trading has become so hard that it's hard to pull off any trade taht would happen in real life. Teams with players that are going to go FA soon and in last place should be selling at the trade deadline, but in many cases don't even try to shop their players.

[Guthrien]

Originally Posted by OzzieFan

I feel like trading has become so hard that it's hard to pull off any trade taht would happen in real life. Teams with players that are going to go FA soon and in last place should be selling at the trade deadline, but in many cases don't even try to shop their players.

I see them selling, but at outrageous prices. IMO this year's trade engine is the hardest yet for the player, it seems much less able to be gamed which is great, but they just ask for absurd returns on expiring Free Agents. You'd never see that in real life for who most of them are. At least rarely.