How to improve a team

jasonditz · 04-15-2007, 12:11 AM

I feel really dumb asking this considering I played hundreds of hours of both OOTP 3 and 4 and created some really impressive dynasties. But I've been playing for two weeks, a few different historical leagues, and I have to ask:

How on earth does one make a team better in the 2007 version?

I've tried everything I used to do, I seem to draft well (nearly all my top draft picks have become all-stars), yet I can't seem to get my team out of the cellar.

For instance, currently (1976 in a historical league with fictional teams):

I have 4 SPs that are rated 4 and a half stars or betters by my top notch scout. One is a rookie, the other three were in the top 10 last year in ERA. I have a mediocre collection of middle relievers (mostly lost to free agency), but I have an all-star (4 star) closer as a setup man and my present closer (5 star) had an 0.66 ERA after being a late season callup

My lineup seems as good or better than most of the ones I put together in the older versions. I have three outfielders that are .300 hitters who are good for 20 or so home runs, I have a gold glove first baseman who hit .290 with 15 HR, I have an allstar second baseman who hit .320 last year with 20 HR and 30 SB. I have a shortstop who hit .290 batting in the number 7 spot, and my third baseman hit .334 (5 points off the batting title) while hitting 15 homers and winning rookie of the year. Catcher is sort of a weak spot. He's solid defensively, and he hit 20 HRs, but he only batted .180.

This and my bench is full of former starters from playoff teams.

And what did I get with this seemingly overwhelming pitching staff? 98 losses and another last place finish.

My manager, my pitching and hitting coaches, my scouts and my doctor are all top notch, and here's the weird part: I managed the first 3 games myself, pitch by pitch, and swept the series. Then I simmed out the month and a 3-0 record became a 3-12 record in short order.

Is my team just cursed or something?

BadluckinOOTP · 04-15-2007, 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasonditz

Is my team just cursed or something?

ya

progen · 04-15-2007, 09:28 AM

Maybe you learned how to manage from the Charlie Manuel school of managing! that's why the Phillies have a 95 million dollar payroll, and nearly the worst record in baseball(next to the Nationals).

jasonditz · 04-15-2007, 11:12 AM

Now that you mention it, I have had the same manager since the 1969 expansion draft I built my team in. He's all 18's, 19's, and 20's, but maybe it's time to give him the axe after 8 consecutive losing seasons (only one of which I managed to avoid last place in my division).

jasonditz · 04-15-2007, 04:00 PM

Yup, it was all the manager's fault. I let him go at the end of the 1976 season, and promoted my AAA manager (seemingly inferior with his ratings in the 9-11 range), who was coming off his second AAA title in five seasons.

Basically the same team this year, the pitchers are putting up more or less the same ratios, the hitters are all hitting similar averages and SLGs. It's the all-star break and my team is now 3 games out of first and 11 games over .500.

Comedian2004 · 04-15-2007, 05:05 PM

There are so many factors in the game that can decide the fate of your team. The other teams in the divisions play a major role. Let's say your team is a power hitting, low average team with strong pitching. If your division rival has a strong staff with lots of K's and great speed, and you have a catcher with a wimpy arm, you could be in trouble.

Don't forget the luck factor.

I have found a formula that works pretty well. I run a fantasy draft and my 1st four picks are starting pitchers. Then I switch over to the hitters and about every 4th or 5th pick, I grab a relief pitcher.

My last team was a pretty good team that was based in 1996. They had a staff of Clemens, Maddux, Randy Johnson, Sanders and Bosio.

The hitters were: Cansanco, Sosa, Buhner, Grace, Veralde, Ozzie Smith, Sandy Alomar.

However, I skimped in the pen. The closer was suppose to be Nelson, but he kept blowing save after save. I ended up signing 41 year old Eckersley, who was being Eck for me until he sufferered a season ending injury that sent the pen into chaos again.

My team, Los Angeles was doing well, leading S.D. up until the all-star game. The last game before the all-game, S.D. moved into a tie for 1st with me.

As I got close to the 100 game mark, it was a see-saw battle with S.D. The biggest game was a game pitched by Maddux vs. S.D. where he got the 1st 24 batters down before a BUNT single ended the no-hitter. He ended up with a sweet 1 hitter. The next game, I lost Clemens for the season and more (12-13 months).

So, I saw Doc Gooden on the FA list and grabbed him. He has not pitched well in his two outings. My offense was pretty good, they had enough power and I had some decent speed and good fielding. Injuries to the middle of the infield kept me busy bring people up from the minors and changing things around, but then a disaster happened. As I was saving the game, my computer decided to reboot (damn new Nvidia graphic card, 6200 by PNY, AVOID it).

So, I lost my league! Boo hoo!!!

So, lesson. Take the time back up your league. I had played every single game out, batter by batter, with the exception of a handful of games. I was really enjoying this season and was having lot of fun, but now the season is just a past memory. Time to start a new one!!

New policy for me:

Every night when I go to sleep, I will back up the league. It is really easy to do, and just takes a couple clicks.

I use winrar, but you can use 7zip, winzip, or whatever you fancy. Just right click on the league folder and archive it. It will zip it up and if it crashes, at least you can easily go back to where you were before the crash.

Radsmats · 04-15-2007, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasonditz

My manager, my pitching and hitting coaches, my scouts and my doctor are all top notch, and here's the weird part: I managed the first 3 games myself, pitch by pitch, and swept the series. Then I simmed out the month and a 3-0 record became a 3-12 record in short order.

I haven't sat down to figure out where the sim manager is weak, but it is. I'm probably a dozen games a year better than the default settings, and I ain't no coachin' gene-I-yoos.

On the other hand, I was stuck in a distant second, playing about .575 ball with the 1922 Washington Senators (not too shabby), so with two months to go, I let the computer take over. By the end of the year, I was down to one win over .500, which was the owner's target, and I moved up about eight spots in the draft order. Sometimes it's good to have Don eZimmer running your team.

jasonditz · 04-16-2007, 02:36 PM

One last update on the 1977 season:

With a strong September my team, yes, virtually the same team (minus a couple players lost to the expansion draft) that went 64-98 in 1976, went 95-67. Won our division even before getting bounced in the NLCS by a vastly superior opponent that went on to win its division.

All that by firing my manager and replacing him with a seemingly inferior AAA manager. Shades of Grady Little perhaps?

So I guess if anyone else is having the same problem I am: start going all Steinbrenner on your coaching staff. Even if there's no good replacement out there: can 'em. In the end, after a decade in the cellar, my team is a young defending division champ who only has two significant players over 30 and also has a minor league stocked with top picks.

04-15-2007, 12:11 AM	#1
jasonditz Minors (Double A) Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 121	How to improve a team I feel really dumb asking this considering I played hundreds of hours of both OOTP 3 and 4 and created some really impressive dynasties. But I've been playing for two weeks, a few different historical leagues, and I have to ask: How on earth does one make a team better in the 2007 version? I've tried everything I used to do, I seem to draft well (nearly all my top draft picks have become all-stars), yet I can't seem to get my team out of the cellar. For instance, currently (1976 in a historical league with fictional teams): I have 4 SPs that are rated 4 and a half stars or betters by my top notch scout. One is a rookie, the other three were in the top 10 last year in ERA. I have a mediocre collection of middle relievers (mostly lost to free agency), but I have an all-star (4 star) closer as a setup man and my present closer (5 star) had an 0.66 ERA after being a late season callup My lineup seems as good or better than most of the ones I put together in the older versions. I have three outfielders that are .300 hitters who are good for 20 or so home runs, I have a gold glove first baseman who hit .290 with 15 HR, I have an allstar second baseman who hit .320 last year with 20 HR and 30 SB. I have a shortstop who hit .290 batting in the number 7 spot, and my third baseman hit .334 (5 points off the batting title) while hitting 15 homers and winning rookie of the year. Catcher is sort of a weak spot. He's solid defensively, and he hit 20 HRs, but he only batted .180. This and my bench is full of former starters from playoff teams. And what did I get with this seemingly overwhelming pitching staff? 98 losses and another last place finish. My manager, my pitching and hitting coaches, my scouts and my doctor are all top notch, and here's the weird part: I managed the first 3 games myself, pitch by pitch, and swept the series. Then I simmed out the month and a 3-0 record became a 3-12 record in short order. Is my team just cursed or something?

04-15-2007, 09:28 AM	#3
progen All Star Starter Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 1,530 Infractions: 0/1 (1)	Maybe you learned how to manage from the Charlie Manuel school of managing! that's why the Phillies have a 95 million dollar payroll, and nearly the worst record in baseball(next to the Nationals).

04-15-2007, 11:12 AM	#4
jasonditz Minors (Double A) Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 121	Now that you mention it, I have had the same manager since the 1969 expansion draft I built my team in. He's all 18's, 19's, and 20's, but maybe it's time to give him the axe after 8 consecutive losing seasons (only one of which I managed to avoid last place in my division).

04-15-2007, 04:00 PM	#5
jasonditz Minors (Double A) Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 121	Yup, it was all the manager's fault. I let him go at the end of the 1976 season, and promoted my AAA manager (seemingly inferior with his ratings in the 9-11 range), who was coming off his second AAA title in five seasons. Basically the same team this year, the pitchers are putting up more or less the same ratios, the hitters are all hitting similar averages and SLGs. It's the all-star break and my team is now 3 games out of first and 11 games over .500.

04-15-2007, 05:05 PM	#6
Comedian2004 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: In a house in Saint Cloud, Florida. Posts: 7,085	There are so many factors in the game that can decide the fate of your team. The other teams in the divisions play a major role. Let's say your team is a power hitting, low average team with strong pitching. If your division rival has a strong staff with lots of K's and great speed, and you have a catcher with a wimpy arm, you could be in trouble. Don't forget the luck factor. I have found a formula that works pretty well. I run a fantasy draft and my 1st four picks are starting pitchers. Then I switch over to the hitters and about every 4th or 5th pick, I grab a relief pitcher. My last team was a pretty good team that was based in 1996. They had a staff of Clemens, Maddux, Randy Johnson, Sanders and Bosio. The hitters were: Cansanco, Sosa, Buhner, Grace, Veralde, Ozzie Smith, Sandy Alomar. However, I skimped in the pen. The closer was suppose to be Nelson, but he kept blowing save after save. I ended up signing 41 year old Eckersley, who was being Eck for me until he sufferered a season ending injury that sent the pen into chaos again. My team, Los Angeles was doing well, leading S.D. up until the all-star game. The last game before the all-game, S.D. moved into a tie for 1st with me. As I got close to the 100 game mark, it was a see-saw battle with S.D. The biggest game was a game pitched by Maddux vs. S.D. where he got the 1st 24 batters down before a BUNT single ended the no-hitter. He ended up with a sweet 1 hitter. The next game, I lost Clemens for the season and more (12-13 months). So, I saw Doc Gooden on the FA list and grabbed him. He has not pitched well in his two outings. My offense was pretty good, they had enough power and I had some decent speed and good fielding. Injuries to the middle of the infield kept me busy bring people up from the minors and changing things around, but then a disaster happened. As I was saving the game, my computer decided to reboot (damn new Nvidia graphic card, 6200 by PNY, AVOID it). So, I lost my league! Boo hoo!!! So, lesson. Take the time back up your league. I had played every single game out, batter by batter, with the exception of a handful of games. I was really enjoying this season and was having lot of fun, but now the season is just a past memory. Time to start a new one!! New policy for me: Every night when I go to sleep, I will back up the league. It is really easy to do, and just takes a couple clicks. I use winrar, but you can use 7zip, winzip, or whatever you fancy. Just right click on the league folder and archive it. It will zip it up and if it crashes, at least you can easily go back to where you were before the crash.

04-16-2007, 02:36 PM	#8
jasonditz Minors (Double A) Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 121	One last update on the 1977 season: With a strong September my team, yes, virtually the same team (minus a couple players lost to the expansion draft) that went 64-98 in 1976, went 95-67. Won our division even before getting bounced in the NLCS by a vastly superior opponent that went on to win its division. All that by firing my manager and replacing him with a seemingly inferior AAA manager. Shades of Grady Little perhaps? So I guess if anyone else is having the same problem I am: start going all Steinbrenner on your coaching staff. Even if there's no good replacement out there: can 'em. In the end, after a decade in the cellar, my team is a young defending division champ who only has two significant players over 30 and also has a minor league stocked with top picks.