Best baseball sim for managing

[JimboJ]

I'm looking for the best sim for playing the role of manager. Career mode is important, but what I enjoy most is the day to day managing - setting lineups, substitutions, in-game strategy, etc. Which of these games has the best in-game managing experience and the smartest computer manager?

[Cork]

OOTP hands down. The other games don't even come close.

-Cork

[JimboJ]

Originally Posted by Cork

OOTP hands down. The other games don't even come close.

-Cork

Maybe not... it seems to be pretty even with Puresim, based on the responses so far...

[rowech]

People really overestimate OOTP or they underestimate Puresim.

Baseball Mogul -- not the most accurate but still a ton of fun to play

OOTP -- lots of detail -- sometimes too much detail

Puresim -- a fine balance between the two

Of course, I think if you want to do only managing you should buy Strat or Diamond Mind.

[Young Drachma]

I picked OOTP, but I don't believe that to be true. I think Puresim would have the leg up, because OOTP tries to do a lot and doesn't particular execute as it ought to.

[JimboJ]

I used to play Strat and Diamond Mind until Front Page Sports Baseball came out. Then I played OOTP for a few years, and then kind of got away from baseball sims for awhile. I could never go back to a replay only game again.

I do enjoy the GM and career aspects of the game, but what I really enjoy most is managing. It just used to piss me off when the CPU would make dumb lineup decisions and substitutions. I want a game that is smart and keeps me on my toes, like the chess match that baseball is supposed to be.

[rowech]

I think your best bet is to try and join some sort of online league then.

[Galaril]

Originally Posted by rowech

People really overestimate OOTP or they underestimate Puresim.

Baseball Mogul -- not the most accurate but still a ton of fun to play

OOTP -- lots of detail -- sometimes too much detail

Puresim -- a fine balance between the two

Of course, I think if you want to do only managing you should buy Strat or Diamond Mind.

I would highly recommend Action Baseball. I recently got into replay ball and I really am enjoying it. Strat is good but that gam ehas a horrendous copyright system that really is a big pain to move it toanother PC (impossible in fact). Diamondmind is great simulator, kind of the BigBlue of baseball sims but pretty poor interface and the companies future vision appears to be aimed at a new online game more than the single player one.

[jbergey22]

Someone actually picked Baseball Mogul. That is borderline disturbing.

This is a tough one. I chose PureSim but all of them lack a lot in that department. With pitching changes and knowing when to steal OOTP is better, lineups Id choose PureSim. PureSims in game engine seems a bit more stable at this point that is why I chose that. OOTP still has too many Wild Pitches and Passed Balls.

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

Someone actually picked Baseball Mogul. That is borderline disturbing.

+1

[lynchjm24]

The best thing that Draft Day BB or OOTP could do would be to take a version and improve the in-game and roster AI. It's a perfect time for Puresim to do this as the repackaging of the interface will make it look like a new game anyway. Shaun if you are out there working to make the game more of a challenge for the solo player while minimizing the house rules would be a tremendous step in the right direction for the genre.

[vtbub]

If replay gaming is what you want, Strat, APBA, or Action do nicely. (For me, in that order.)

If fantasy gaming is what you are looking for, Puresim or an older pre-SI version of OOTP would be what I'd recommend. The last coupe OOTP's are ok for quicksims and multiplayer, but just god awful for managng day in and day out.

[weegeebored]

I bought OOTP (ver 5?) disguised as Season Ticket Baseball several years back. Most fun I had playing a baseball sim. When I wanted to upgrade I read the OOTP and other forums and it seemed to go in a direction that was more complex than I wanted.

Played around a bit with BM '08 and while it was fun I felt that there wasn't enough realism to it, almost the opposite of the latest incarnations of OOTP. I really wanted to like it, though.

I bought PS 2007 last year after trying out an earlier version (maybe 2005) a couple of years back. I liked the demo (hence the purchase a couple of years later) but for some reason I am feeling disappointed with the game as a whole. So much so that I haven't played it much. The AI seems only ok at best, esp. regarding trades and lineups. I am a sim kind of player as opposed to a replay guy. I started my game in 2000 with my beloved White Sox trying to avenge their horrible playoff performance (I've traded a lot). I've "managed" most of the games and some of the AI's lineups are atrocious (like Jose Canseco batting leadoff and 2nd for Tampa Bay).

It also seems like I can get too much of an advantage in trades as well (Kip Wells for Javier Vasquez). And I just saw a flawed computer/computer trade as well -- a nothing FA ($43,000 salary with ratings <10) for Pat Hentgen who happened to be on the DL for just a couple more days. Or how about an aging Glenallen Hill for Derrick Lee?

So, like many, I'm still looking for a game that's both fun and "realistic". And not too buggy.