How to build a squad in franchise??

[mullhouse]

Been trying to get an opinion on this one for a while now... Just wondering what strategy you guys use in building a strong team that you play with (no simming).

What types of players do you look for? What attributes? What attributes do you train on and why?

I guess I'm trying to figure out the best method to building a contending, user controlled team in franchise mode.

Any thoughts or strategies would be totally appreciated!

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[redsox4evur]

Re: How to build a squad in franchise??

There is no correct way to do it. You can build through trades, FA, draft and develop. It doesn't matter all of these have worked at one time or another.

[RogueHominid]

Re: How to build a squad in franchise??

I love to build pitching/defense/speed squads, personally, and I'm a huge fan of investing heavily in the bullpen.

If I had a choice between allocating funds toward a slugger or toward 2-3 good relievers, I'd choose the latter every time.

With hitters, I like to see if I can draft 1-2 guys with good power potential and then trade them off when they're at the end of the team control period so I don't have to pay them astronomical money.

[Keenan G.]

Re: How to build a squad in franchise??

I am in year 2 of my Angels franchise that I carried over from MLB 14. My approach is to build through drafting and developing players. I have made only one trade and that was when I traded away Josh Hamilton for a few minor league players. I had a younger and faster player in AAA that I called up to replace Hamilton.

[Keenan G.]

Re: How to build a squad in franchise??

I need to figure out what I am going to do with Pujols and that huge contract.

[MetsFan16]

Re: How to build a squad in franchise??

Depends on what team you start with. For example, I play with the Mets, so it was pretty easy and didnt take long because of their wealth of young starters so I simply acquired some big bats in the draft and trades

But if you're starting with a team like the Phillies or Braves, it would be smarter to trade away big names for high potential prospects and draft with your high draft picks because of your team early struggles in the first 2-3 years.

If you are playing with a team like the Angels who have a player like Trout and are just a few pieces away from being in playoff contention, work the free agency market because they have money to spend.

[HypoLuxa13]

Re: How to build a squad in franchise??

this may be a bit of an exploit, but because stolen bases are so easy in this year's game, I like having plenty of guys with 70+ speed and decent steal ratings. I try to have 3-4 of these guys scattered through my lineup each game. You can manufacture a lot of runs just by getting your lead off hitter on base a few times per game. Base hit or walk to lead off the inning, steal 2nd, and either score on a simple single or get him to 3rd somehow and score on a lazy ground out or fly out.

For pitching, I lean towards guys with good control. If you are able to paint the corners and not make too many mistakes, you can be successful. I'm not too concerned with strikeouts, and I don't mind giving up some home runs if I'm not allowing too many base runners.

But I can't stand pitchers who constantly miss their spots and either walk guys at a silly rate or miss over the plate too often and get knocked around easily. As a pitcher's confidence goes down, so does their control, and the situation snowballs. And the next thing you know you've given up a couple walks and a couple extra base hits, and in the blink of an eye you've just allowed a 3-4 run inning.

Anyway, these are the attributes I've built around to be successful in my franchise. But this is just works for me, with my play style, difficulty, and slider settings, and personal ability with the game.

[mullhouse]

Re: How to build a squad in franchise??

Thanks for all of the replies... Are there specific attributes you guys focus on? Contact? Also how much of an effect does defense really have in the game? I use A&S sliders so my fielding is auto...

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[RogueHominid]

Re: How to build a squad in franchise??

Thanks for all of the replies... Are there specific attributes you guys focus on? Contact? Also how much of an effect does defense really have in the game? I use A&S sliders so my fielding is auto...

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Up the middle, defense is huge. Less so on the corners. Something is different this year with 3B play, such that guys often fail to make plays on balls down the line that they would have made in MLBTS 14. The weird pirouette animation that plays too often at 3B is a case in point.

It depends on your park, obviously, but if I'm going to sacrifice defense for hitting, it will be at 3B, LF, and maybe 1B. I like to have very strong CF and RF and good guys in the MIF.

[Pappy Knuckles]

Re: How to build a squad in franchise??

How are you guys getting through multiple seasons? Are you playing shortened ones? I completed a quick franchise with a buddy, but the furthest along I've gotten into a full season is about 45 games or so.

[Trent Booty]

Re: How to build a squad in franchise??

I always choose defense over offense. I always build good defensive CF/SS/C for the Mariners. Luckily they have Zunino at C already an then Austin Jackson at CF already. Ketel Marte can play either CF/SS so that good too as he's a speedy guy who's a quick learner.

I definitely sacrifice defense in LF/RF, although I like Gavin a good arm in RF if I can (sometimes I put Cruz out there if he's not DH)

Luckily I have Cano and Seager too so defense is never an issue.

I do value 1B defense A LOT. I'd always pick Smoak (when we had him) over LoMo or whoever we had there because Smoak was an above-average 1B defensively.

I also go for a stron bullpen full if guys I pitch good with. And a rotation with a strong 1-2-3 and average but not below average 4-5 guys.

It all depends I how you want to build a team.

[TheWarmWind]

Re: How to build a squad in franchise??

I think there are a ton of factors to consider. What's your home park? What division are you playing in? To you tend to pull the ball, or push? What kind of stances are you comfortable with? Do you prefer to paint the corners, or are you more of a "blow them away" kind of pitcher? What do you want to achieve with each slot in the lineup? What stats do you prioritize on defense at each position?

I could tell you the answers to all of that and more for myself personally, but the key is to figure all this out for yourself. My advice? Experiment and learn what you are good at. Everyone thinks they are the big ball home run player at first, but you may find out that your actually really good at manufacturing runs.

The more ways you learn how to win, the more ways you will win, and you will have success with more and different types of players.

[bigd51]

Re: How to build a squad in franchise??

Up the middle, defense is huge. Less so on the corners. Something is different this year with 3B play, such that guys often fail to make plays on balls down the line that they would have made in MLBTS 14. The weird pirouette animation that plays too often at 3B is a case in point.

It depends on your park, obviously, but if I'm going to sacrifice defense for hitting, it will be at 3B, LF, and maybe 1B. I like to have very strong CF and RF and good guys in the MIF.

All of this right here. For SS, 2B, CF, and maybe catcher, I make sure those positions have good defensive over offense. With the other positional players, I focus on contact and power.

(I've also noticed how 3B is really late at reacting to hits down the line, even if those hits aren't hard, whereas the 1B never has a problem getting to these when they're hit his way.)

With SP's, I only focus on H/9 and maybe control or BB/9. As long as his H/9 is high, though, you can almost guarantee the guy's ERA will consistently be in the low 3's or even lower, which results in pitchers not regressing as fast because their performance hardly falters while batters regress very rapidly due to overpowered pitchers.

RP's may as well be useless. I still use them for the sake of realism, but the CPU teams will consistently load their rosters with 9 or 10 SP's with only 2 or 3 RP's due to the ratings. I mean, if you think about it, why would you bother with RP's at 80's when you can use starting pitchers in their place with attributes much higher? Again, I don't play like this, but it's no secret the CPU doesn't mind using 10 starters and 2 relievers.

With CP's, I only focus on H/9, Velocity, and Break. There's so much more I could go into, but it would take way more time than I'm allotted right now. I've used a lot of strategies during my time rigorously playing franchise over the last couple of years.

[Jr.]

Re: How to build a squad in franchise??

How are you guys getting through multiple seasons? Are you playing shortened ones? I completed a quick franchise with a buddy, but the furthest along I've gotten into a full season is about 45 games or so.

Alternating playing and simming, for me. For my current franchise, I've been playing 1, simming 3. That's gotten me through a season and a half in about 3 months.

[Pappy Knuckles]

Re: How to build a squad in franchise??

Alternating playing and simming, for me. For my current franchise, I've been playing 1, simming 3. That's gotten me through a season and a half in about 3 months.

I might have to give that a shot. I'm kind of a stats junkie and like them to all be my own, but completing a season is never going to happen going this route.