What Are You Working On? (Returning) - MLB The Show 22 Edition

[ravens_yankees]

I like prioritizing players I’m comfortable with and familiar with. I just find myself playing better with guys I’m comfortable with, so that’s definitely a factor for me.

I also like lineup balance vs handedness so I’m not too lefty or righty heavy.

For my bench I like to have a backup catcher especially if the starter is slow. I want someone who hits righties and lefties well. I also want someone with high speed I could use as pinch runner, and I like someone who’s a switch hitter if possible.

I kind of have an idea who I’m susceptible in my starting lineup so who I’m likely to pinch hit for. So if I’ve got a lefty in the outfield who I won’t want to face Chapman with the game on line I’ll make sure outfield is covered by one of those guys on the bench.

It’s pretty rare, but I do love those games that come down to the last guy on your bench.

[BigOscar]

Anyone find any interesting FS players yet? I've gotten to the second pack, but I'm struggling to pick ones that interest me at all tbh, they all seem very similar and really lacking in personality.

I guess obviously the lack of a connection in real life plays some role, but it's more that they are all pretty generic. None of them have interesting splits, they are all pretty much decent fielders, decent hitters who run ok. If they run great then they have lower power. If they have high power then they have low vision. They all just seem like create a player archetypes rather than actual players? None of them are bad at anything, none of them are exceptional at anything, I just don't see a need they fill? (no lefty or righty killing pinch hitter, no pinch runner etc etc) There are 5 catchers and I swear they are all the same player with ratings +/-5 in every category.

Looking ahead, I think Toglia looks relatively interesting, as maybe a Bell upgrade as a switch hitting 1B, but elite fielding at first has never mattered much on this game as everyone snags everything

[JoshC1977]

Quote: Originally Posted by BigOscar

Anyone find any interesting FS players yet? I've gotten to the second pack, but I'm struggling to pick ones that interest me at all tbh, they all seem very similar and really lacking in personality. I guess obviously the lack of a connection in real life plays some role, but it's more that they are all pretty generic. None of them have interesting splits, they are all pretty much decent fielders, decent hitters who run ok. If they run great then they have lower power. If they have high power then they have low vision. They all just seem like create a player archetypes rather than actual players? None of them are bad at anything, none of them are exceptional at anything, I just don't see a need they fill? (no lefty or righty killing pinch hitter, no pinch runner etc etc) There are 5 catchers and I swear they are all the same player with ratings +/-5 in every category. Looking ahead, I think Toglia looks relatively interesting, as maybe a Bell upgrade as a switch hitting 1B, but elite fielding at first has never mattered much on this game as everyone snags everything

You just hit on a major reason for my general disdain for this entire series - yeah, these guys are all very mediocre, ho hum players. If I wanted to see a bunch of bland, sterile, souped-up prospects, I'd just sim a few years out in franchise mode with one of those silly custom rosters people here make such a fuss about.

The pitchers COULD be more interesting depending on pitch mix, but the hitters are nothing special at all....

Future Stars was way better when SDS only did a few per year (because they were the true cream guys you WANTED to try out).

[BigOscar]

Quote: Originally Posted by JoshC1977

You just hit on a major reason for my general disdain for this entire series - yeah, these guys are all very mediocre, ho hum players. If I wanted to see a bunch of bland, sterile, souped-up prospects, I'd just sim a few years out in franchise mode with one of those silly custom rosters people here make such a fuss about. The pitchers COULD be more interesting depending on pitch mix, but the hitters are nothing special at all.... Future Stars was way better when SDS only did a few per year (because they were the true cream guys you WANTED to try out).

Yeah, I mean, surely every team has some prospect who's just made it to the majors who they could make a flawed but great fantasy version of? Someone the fans might be excited abouts future, but they are real players with obvious flaws you could make? This is just a whole bunch of meh. By not having any weaknesses, they can't really have any stand out strengths that make them noticeable at all. Genuinely can't see myself playing any of them tbh.

[JoshC1977]

Quote: Originally Posted by BigOscar

Yeah, I mean, surely every team has some prospect who's just made it to the majors who they could make a flawed but great fantasy version of? Someone the fans might be excited abouts future, but they are real players with obvious flaws you could make? This is just a whole bunch of meh. By not having any weaknesses, they can't really have any stand out strengths that make them noticeable at all. Genuinely can't see myself playing any of them tbh.

But then we can't make them all a 95 OVR and we all know just how important OVR is

[BigOscar]

Quote: Originally Posted by JoshC1977

But then we can't make them all a 95 OVR and we all know just how important OVR is

Surely I just give them high durability, clutch and plate discipline and BR aggressiveness until that overall is high enough?

[DanH35]

Quote: Originally Posted by JoshC1977

How do you guys build your squads? Not talking so much as "what ratings do you prefer" (which is a stylistic choice) but the broader mindset. A lot of my squad is pretty-well locked-in (and my pitching-staff is set); but there are quite a few positions where I have numerous candidates and am not precisely sure how to choose. Do you prioritize guys you feel comfortable with or do you prioritize maximizing player quality? Another question, how do you fill-out your bench; do you make sure that you have backups for each position or do you focus on specific roles (i.e. pinch runner, lefty killer, righty killer, etc.)?

I use a mix of the better players and players I like. For example, Edmonds is my favorite player ever so he’s pretty much always on my team. If the there’s a choice between a player with a little better rating or a guy I like, I go with the player I like. I’ve been trying out Winn the last couple of games, but here’s the lineup I used to get to WS last season:
RF: Cover Griffey
LF: LS Trout
CF: 2nd Half Edmonds
1B: Awards Pujols
C: Cover Mauer
3B: LS Arenado
2B: Prime Carpenter
SS: FotF Edman

Bench
Award Thomas
PotM Pederson
Prime Utley
Sig Young
LS Machado

I don’t hit lefties very well so if it’s a tough lefty, like Johnson or Keuchel I’ll sub Young for Marp and Thomas for Griffey then move Pujols to OF. Mauer and Edmonds both have contact vs L over 100, so I get away with hitting left on left with them and will still have one more bench right bat. Then I like having a couple of good lefty bats with Joc and Utley.

[DanH35]

Quote: Originally Posted by BigOscar

Anyone find any interesting FS players yet? I've gotten to the second pack, but I'm struggling to pick ones that interest me at all tbh, they all seem very similar and really lacking in personality.

I’ve been selling them off except for Winn, but did decide to try Matt Brash out because he looked interesting. I did okay with him in the RS game I played but he wasn’t anything special that would get a rotation spot from one of the guys I normally use so I sold him too. I’ll try out the Dodger pitcher when I get to him, but overall I think the best thing to do is to keep selling them for 30,000-40,000 then buy them back when the prices get low like they did with the FotF.