Help Me Win The World Series

[Joshbrady]

Hello OOTPers!

This may come across as a bit of a noob question, but I have actually been playing OOTP casually since OOTP16 and haven't ever run into any issues with winning using a top team. In the early days I spent a lot of time reading up on tips and tricks and learning more about baseball stats along the way, but on this edition of the game I need some advice.

My favourite team is the Dodgers, so I always start off doing a Dodgers save (easy start as they have the largest budget and are already stacked) and then select a bad team and do a long term rebuilding save. However, on OOTP 22 I have done 3 seasons with the Dodgers on 4 different occasions and have still yet to win a single World Series (I understand in real life it's bloody hard to win it, but on OOTP I never have any issues winning in the 1st or 2nd season with LAD).

I play casually and use pretty easy settings to make the game more fun for me when I dip in and out (easy trading & 100% scouting accuracy). I've got very good defence through the middle, with a top class C, SS, CF & 2B. My bullpen seems elite based on them all having a high "Stuff" stat and low WHIP ratings (below 1.00). I always win over 100 games and have the best record in the entire MLB, but I just can't win the World Series!? I always use the Sabermetric pre-set strategy.

Perhaps I am not evaluating players correctly? I'll breakdown what ratings I look for the most in each position below:
C = 75+ for catcher arm & ability.
SS = 75+ infield range & arm.
CF = 75+ outfield range.
RF = 80+ outfield arm.
LF = 50+ outfield ratings & amazing hitter.
1B = amazing hitter.
2B = 65+ infield range.
3B = 75+ infield arm.
SP = 70+ pitch types & stamina.
RP = 70+ pitch types and stuff.
CL = 80+ pitch types and stuff.

[Brad K]

If you never had any issues before it was luck.

The current MLB system for the playoffs is rigged to make it unlikely the best team wins the World Series. Actually it's rigged so it's unlikely the best AL and best NL team even makes it to the World series.

To maximize your chances get rid of the divisions so there is a 15 team scramble in each league for first place and don't have any wild cards.

[Joshbrady]

Originally Posted by Brad K

If you never had any issues before it was luck.

The current MLB system for the playoffs is rigged to make it unlikely the best team wins the World Series. Actually it's rigged so it's unlikely the best AL and best NL team even makes it to the World series.

To maximize your chances get rid of the divisions so there is a 15 team scramble in each league for first place and don't have any wild cards.

Luck in SIX editions of OOTP using the same kinda set-up to win? Surely not. I don't really want to mess with the divisions or anything like that tbh, I'm also not sure how removing divisions will help me win playoff games? I am fine in the regular season with divisions as I always have the best record without fail when using the LAD.

[Brad K]

Originally Posted by Joshbrady

I'm also not sure how removing divisions will help me win playoff games?

Kinda wondered how MLB convinced people big playoffs were a good idea.

[jg2977]

Originally Posted by Brad K

Kinda wondered how MLB convinced people big playoffs were a good idea.

I kind of agree. This year we wound up with Houston vs Atlanta. If the playoffs were replayed from scratch, we might get Tampa vs San Francisco. A 3rd time? Perhaps Chicago vs Milwaukee. Who knows? It’s so random.

[Bobbyraz49]

Originally Posted by Brad K

Kinda wondered how MLB convinced people big playoffs were a good idea.

They only people MLB had to convince were owners and players, IMO. More money coming in from TV and gate revenue. All playoffs are on national TV. More money in = bigger checks to clubs and players.

[Brad K]

Originally Posted by Bobbyraz49

They only people MLB had to convince were owners and players, IMO. More money coming in from TV and gate revenue. All playoffs are on national TV. More money in = bigger checks to clubs and players.

Clearly some fans think its a good idea. Look at home many OOTPers have a third or a half of their leagues make the playoffs. And who don't understand the effect of that..

[Dave Stieb II]

Originally Posted by Bobbyraz49

They only people MLB had to convince were owners and players, IMO. More money coming in from TV and gate revenue. All playoffs are on national TV. More money in = bigger checks to clubs and players.

I agree with everything you said but it goes WAY beyond the additional playoff TV revenues.
More playoff teams = even more teams in wild card contention later in the season = sustained interest in each of these fan bases later in the season = more ticket sales, concession and merchandise sales and more LOCAL TV revenues as well.
It's driven by the goal of sustaining fan interest in as many markets as possible as late in the season as possible.
Especially today, when attention spans aren't what they used to be with so many other diversions available.
The vast majority of young fans today (not all) have no interest in 'wasting time' on losers who've been eliminated from playoff contention by the end of May. There are alternatives. Lots of them.
And that is why MLB's current CBA proposal would have SEVEN playoff teams in each league. (and all but the worst clubs would remain in contention until late in the season)
As more of a traditionalist, the idea of seven teams in each league (almost 50%) 'qualifying' for the post season is abhorrent to me. What is the sense of playing a 162-game season to eliminate so few teams?
Having said that, the owners and players are in business and which is the better model, strictly from a business point of view?
If I were an owner, I'd quickly set my traditionalistic views aside.

[Brad K]

I have a hard time believing there's a huge amount of extra money to be made the last two weeks of the season by manipulating the system so a 75-73 team has a chance for the post season.

[Dave Stieb II]

I tried twice to respond to this extremely narrow example you cited, obviously cherry picked to allegedly support what you find 'hard to believe'.
(Who said anything about a 75-73 team? Who said anything about the final two weeks of the season?)
But I don't have the energy to debate.
If you 'find it hard to believe' that adding two more playoff teams per league will sustain fan interest in several cities much deeper into the season than presently in any given season, then so be it.
No need to change your belief system.

[Bobfather]

How far did you get before being eliminated? What weaknesses were exposed during season/ playoffs? Did you try fixing them? Also how do you play, sim or playout games. I would also say most players would be happy winning 2 world series, me on the other hand look towards the next one, and have made it pretty easy to get there.

[PSUColonel]

Originally Posted by Brad K

Kinda wondered how MLB convinced people big playoffs were a good idea.

Not me...I am for expansion to 32 teams...4 divisions of 4 teams in each league. 8 teams in the playoffs....division winners. easy peazy IMO

[Brad K]

Originally Posted by PSUColonel

Not me...I am for expansion to 32 teams...4 divisions of 4 teams in each league. 8 teams in the playoffs....division winners. easy peazy IMO

I am for expansion to 32 teams with 4 divisions of 8, winners only to playoffs, no interleague, and a schedule of 112 in division and 48 out. Or a contraction to 28 with 42 out and 120 in.

[Brad K]

Originally Posted by Dave Stieb II

I tried twice to respond to this extremely narrow example you cited, obviously cherry picked to allegedly support what you find 'hard to believe'.
(Who said anything about a 75-73 team? Who said anything about the final two weeks of the season?)
But I don't have the energy to debate.
If you 'find it hard to believe' that adding two more playoff teams per league will sustain fan interest in several cities much deeper into the season than presently in any given season, then so be it.
No need to change your belief system.

Any extra fan interest is based on the idea their teams have a chance to win. But the chance of winning is a tease. Baseball doesn't want those marginal teams to win, hence the one and done playoff, playing on the road, and always being seeded against the best.

Yes, I have a cherry picked example. Maybe you do too. You talk about the extra revenue for marginal teams that find themselves contrived into the post season race. But what about the possibility of the fans of truly deserving teams who get bounced out year after year losing interest after concluding the system is rigged against them?

[Joshbrady]

Originally Posted by Bobfather

How far did you get before being eliminated? What weaknesses were exposed during season/ playoffs? Did you try fixing them? Also how do you play, sim or playout games. I would also say most players would be happy winning 2 world series, me on the other hand look towards the next one, and have made it pretty easy to get there.

Yay, finally a reply to my actual opening post

I sim every game. I hadn't actually won any World Series in the 4 occasions I ran a Dodgers save (3 seasons per occasion). In the total of 12 seasons I did over 4 different Dodger save files I lost in the World Series 6 times, lost in the Conference Series 4 times and lost in the Division Series 2 times.

In terms of weaknesses, we were 1st or 2nd in basically everything at the end of the regular season, maybe 4th-5th in base running? We had an All-Star for every single position most years.

However, yesterday I turned off the coaching cohesion impact and ran a the 2021 season with the Dodgers and won the World Series, sweeping every round. Likely this was just fluke, and not solely down to turning off coaching cohesion.

[Brad K]

Originally Posted by Joshbrady

Yay, finally a reply to my actual opening post

I sim every game. I hadn't actually won any World Series in the 4 occasions I ran a Dodgers save (3 seasons per occasion). In the total of 12 seasons I did over 4 different Dodger save files I lost in the World Series 6 times, lost in the Conference Series 4 times and lost in the Division Series 2 times.

In terms of weaknesses, we were 1st or 2nd in basically everything at the end of the regular season, maybe 4th-5th in base running? We had an All-Star for every single position most years.

However, yesterday I turned off the coaching cohesion impact and ran a the 2021 season with the Dodgers and won the World Series, sweeping every round. Likely this was just fluke, and not solely down to turning off coaching cohesion.

So you're first or second in every stat category, pack the all star team, and win the division every year. I suppose you're winning, what, 110+ games every season, maybe 115+, while no one else wins over 100. And you think someone trying to help you find weaknesses in your team is the solution to your failure to win the World Series. Your answer proved there are no weaknesses.

The difference here is Bobfather took your original post at face value and didn't assume details like what you provided in your last post. The rest of us assumed that info. You got ample answers in this thread. Not liking the answers doesn't make them false.

[Brad K]

Originally Posted by PSUColonel

Not me...I am for expansion to 32 teams...4 divisions of 4 teams in each league. 8 teams in the playoffs....division winners. easy peazy IMO

How did they convince you?

[Joshbrady]

Originally Posted by Brad K

So you're first or second in every stat category, pack the all star team, and win the division every year. I suppose you're winning, what, 110+ games every season, maybe 115+, while no one else wins over 100. And you think someone trying to help you find weaknesses in your team is the solution to your failure to win the World Series. Your answer proved there are no weaknesses.

The difference here is Bobfather took your original post at face value and didn't assume details like what you provided in your last post. The rest of us assumed that info. You got ample answers in this thread. Not liking the answers doesn't make them false.

Absolutely nothing you've said on this thread has been of any help to my opening post, you do appear to enjoy arguing with people though.

Removing the Wildcard isn't going to help me as I always win my division anyway. I don't want to use the editor to change the MLB structure, because then it won't be the MLB.

NNTR.

[Brad K]

Your team is great. You said so yourself. Even provided evidence.

You said you're not managing games so it can't be a bad field manager.

There's nothing left but the luck of the draw.

That and the fact that the system as designed makes it unlikely the best team will win the World Series.

You won't acknowledge the fact that more teams in the post season reduces your chance of winning the World Series. Do you really not get it or do you like to argue?

[Joshbrady]

Originally Posted by Brad K

Your team is great. You said so yourself. Even provided evidence.

You said you're not managing games so it can't be a bad field manager.

There's nothing left but the luck of the draw.

That and the fact that the system as designed makes it unlikely the best team will win the World Series.

You won't acknowledge the fact that more teams in the post season reduces your chance of winning the World Series. Do you really not get it or do you like to argue?

Of course I get it, but as I have already said, I do not want to edit the MLB structure to make the game easier, plus it wouldn't feel like MLB if I removed everything you've suggested.

As I said before Brad, NNTR (no need to reply).