Are Secondary Positions Ever Learned?

[Mike Lowe]

I'm noticing a lot of--if not all--rookies I'm scouting have just a primary position. Will these guys or others ever learn other positions?

[Bullit]

Re: Are Secondary Positions Ever Learned?

To the best of my knowledge no they can't. I have never personally seen it happen. But at time what I do is I manually add a secondary position if it seems appropriate to the situation. For example I drafted a very high prospect shortstop that really started to pan out. He was over achieving by quite a bit. So after some time it seemed logical to add other infield positions to his secondary.

[Caulfield]

Re: Are Secondary Positions Ever Learned?

To the best of my knowledge no they can't. I have never personally seen it happen. But at time what I do is I manually add a secondary position if it seems appropriate to the situation.

This is what I do. If I have an injury at a position or just no one to adequately fill that position and I have another position player that doesnt play his current position very well, I'll see if it makes sense to move him.
For instance if I had a Rangers Franchise going (and I dont) I would explore moving Rougned Odor from 2B to LF. Maybe do this during spring training, if all goes well, make LF his secondary position, then after say about 100 games at LF, make that his primary and 2B his secondary.

[countryboy]

Re: Are Secondary Positions Ever Learned?

Yeah I've never seen players learn a new position. This is something that I've been wanting for a while now. This and pitchers who develop new pitches.


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[nemesis04]

Re: Are Secondary Positions Ever Learned?

Just thinking out loud, I guess the best way to implement that would be with auto training where you could assign learn a "secondary position or "learn a new pitch".

[Mike Lowe]

Re: Are Secondary Positions Ever Learned?

Nice ideas, guys. I just wish the AI could handle this for their teams as well as I do not want to control all 32 teams. Ridiculous!

[Bullit]

Re: Are Secondary Positions Ever Learned?

Nice ideas, guys. I just wish the AI could handle this for their teams as well as I do not want to control all 32 teams. Ridiculous!

I don't know if ridiculous is the right word. I imagine, I have no idea how to program, that this would be a pretty monumental task. To have all the teams handle deciding if a player was to learn a new position based on ability or performance? I think the system in place is far from perfect in this regard, but not so out of whack to be ridiculous.

Plus you don't need to control all 30 teams to edit players, you can just do it.

[parky_17]

Re: Are Secondary Positions Ever Learned?

Nice ideas, guys. I just wish the AI could handle this for their teams as well as I do not want to control all 32 teams. Ridiculous!

You know something we don't about expansion? [emoji6] [emoji6]

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[Mike Lowe]

Re: Are Secondary Positions Ever Learned?

I don't know if ridiculous is the right word. I imagine, I have no idea how to program, that this would be a pretty monumental task. To have all the teams handle deciding if a player was to learn a new position based on ability or performance? I think the system in place is far from perfect in this regard, but not so out of whack to be ridiculous.

Plus you don't need to control all 30 teams to edit players, you can just do it.

I'd like to see a system that worked liked OOTP and how new positions are learned. And yes, woops 30 teams, not 32!

[Bluesman]

Re: Are Secondary Positions Ever Learned?

I don't know if ridiculous is the right word. I imagine, I have no idea how to program, that this would be a pretty monumental task. To have all the teams handle deciding if a player was to learn a new position based on ability or performance? I think the system in place is far from perfect in this regard, but not so out of whack to be ridiculous.

Plus you don't need to control all 30 teams to edit players, you can just do it.

It wouldn't be terribly difficult to create a rule set that would map a new position based on a static set of criteria, i.e. a SS with a reaction and fielding rating greater than 75 and a speed rating greater than 65 he has 2B added as a secondary position.

The big issue is that often times positions switches/learning is context dependent, i.e. Chris Owings moving to CF to replace A.J Pollock, Jose Reyes now playing 3B because David Wright is out, etc. Trying to derive the rules for when these position changes occur would be tremendously difficult and it is probably best left up to the user to make those changes should they deem them necessary.

Personally what I would love to see is a secondary set of fielding ratings that map to the secondary position(s). This would more accurately reflect players like Heyward and Eaton who are better in RF than they are in CF. Also I would love to see pitch framing added to catcher's ratings, but I imagine that would be a nightmare to get working with quick counts, dynamic strike zones, and the overall balance in general. Still though it would be fun.

[El_MaYiMbE]

Re: Are Secondary Positions Ever Learned?

I think a few things need to happen to make it close to how real MLB teams handle players learning/switching positions:

1. Depth Charts - I mentioned this in a previous post...there needs to be the concept of depth charts in MLB The Show. This will help utility players be more useful because in addition to having multiple secondary positions, they will actually be listed on a depth chart at multiple positions on top of having the skill to play there. Additionally, I should be able to assign a player to the depth chart at a position even if he does not have it as a position, which leads me to next point.

2. Mimic Fantasy Baseball - if Depth Charts are implemented, then they can take a page from Fantasy Baseball, where if a player plays more than "X amount" of games at position, he is now eligible for that position. I will let the devs decide what that number is. The more you play it the better you should become at that position, and if you play too many games in a position it should become your primary position (more than 81 games in a season) and the other position should become your secondary.

3. Learning a new Position - Additionally in RTTS and Franchise, you should be able to use points to learn a new position. In Franchise it is a little easier to manipulate because if you want your 19 yr old SS with 90 speed to turn into a CF you can just edit him. But in RTTS I feel it is important to be allowed to learn a new position because you can see how you rank in your organization, and if there are 4 SS in your org, but only 1 CF, you might want to switch positions to try and make The Show (supply and demand)....side note: this might be implemented this year with the non-linear RTTS.

4. Eligible vs. Second Position - there should be a difference between a legit 2nd position and one you are willing to play. If we take #1-#3 above into account, it should happen in phases...If you play X Amount of games at a position it becomes an eligible position (you play it, but not well, maybe at 60% of your fielding ability), if you play Y Amount of games at an eligible position it now becomes a secondary position, if you play 81 games at a secondary position in a season it becomes primary and primary becomes secondary, if you don't play Y amount of games at eligible position in a season it gets dropped (but can always be picked up again by playing X amount of games).

All of this starts with the ability to have a depth chart. The depth chart will naturally force players (mainly when CPU is making lineup) to play positions they normally would not play, especially when there is an injury. The more the player plays his eligible or secondary position, the better he gets at that position, and the more likely it is it becomes either a permanent position, or one he can add to repertoire while there is a necessity.