Spring Training in Franchise Mode

[SilverBullet1929]

Re: Spring Training in Franchise Mode

Alright, who's the wiseass that plays all the ST games, then sims the whole regular season?
*looks around*
No one? Then I guess it must be me, the one time I did that back around Show 10 or 11 lmao

Are you the real life commissioner of the Grapefruit League or something because that's about the only way I could see someone doing that. Lol come to think of it there literally has to be the people who run the Grapefruit and Cactus leagues and they probably do care about their leagues more than the major league season lol.

[SilverBullet1929]

Re: Spring Training in Franchise Mode

Apologies if this is slightly off topic, but I'm still learning offseason/ST roster management and one thing is currently confusing me - teams (in real life ST games) seem to be able to play anyone regardless of whether they were Non Roster Invitees to Major League camp. This thread helped me to understand the whole NRI aspect, and the fact that it isn't implemented in The Show which is why I can't play, for example, an AA player not on my 40 man roster in an ST game.

However, I was looking at some box scores from yesterday's real life ST games, and noticed that (to use one specific example) Detroit played a guy called Quincy Latimore (caught my attention as I am from Australia and have seen him play in our summer league). Latimore is on a Minor League contract though, and isn't on the list of NRI's on the Detroit MLB site. Can anyone explain how he (and there were a bunch of others in similar situation) was able to play in an ST game for the Tigers without being either on the 40 man roster or being an NRI?

Generally speaking, managers already know ahead of time which of their players will get to play in spring training games. I've even seen spring training lineups filled out with the mid game substitutions already written out ahead of time because the manager already knows "in the 6th inning I'm replacing this guy with that guy" and along the same plan managers even know the exact order that their pitchers will pitch in. In order to not overwork the rest of the roster the managers won't deviate from that plan. The 40 man and NRI players not planned to enter the game will never enter the game. Also if a star player has a day off in spring training there's zero chance that they come off the bench to play like they might in the regular season.

So what happens when a spring game doesn't go as planned and more substitutions need to be made and maybe an extra player or two is needed to complete the game? Since the managers won't use the guys they hadn't planned on using... a handful of minor league players who are not on the major league spring training roster are almost always invited to be on the bench for spring training games. Minor league camps are usually happening at the same time as major league spring training and are almost always held at the same spring training facilities but in a separate area. These minor league guys are usually literally like in the building next door.

So that's how they get in. If a manager says I'm only using these 6 pitchers today but he suddenly needs 7 he'll grab one of the minor leaguers to pitch.

So that's a long explanation but that's how it happens. They're like extras in a movie. They're just there to fill up spots at the end of spring training games.

[Modra]

Re: Spring Training in Franchise Mode

Generally speaking, managers already know ahead of time which of their players will get to play in spring training games. I've even seen spring training lineups filled out with the mid game substitutions already written out ahead of time because the manager already knows "in the 6th inning I'm replacing this guy with that guy" and along the same plan managers even know the exact order that their pitchers will pitch in. In order to not overwork the rest of the roster the managers won't deviate from that plan. The 40 man and NRI players not planned to enter the game will never enter the game. Also if a star player has a day off in spring training there's zero chance that they come off the bench to play like they might in the regular season.

So what happens when a spring game doesn't go as planned and more substitutions need to be made and maybe an extra player or two is needed to complete the game? Since the managers won't use the guys they hadn't planned on using... a handful of minor league players who are not on the major league spring training roster are almost always invited to be on the bench for spring training games. Minor league camps are usually happening at the same time as major league spring training and are almost always held at the same spring training facilities but in a separate area. These minor league guys are usually literally like in the building next door.

So that's how they get in. If a manager says I'm only using these 6 pitchers today but he suddenly needs 7 he'll grab one of the minor leaguers to pitch.

So that's a long explanation but that's how it happens. They're like extras in a movie. They're just there to fill up spots at the end of spring training games.

Thanks for the explanation! That makes total sense - in my mind I was thinking that a player had to be on the NRI list (or 40 man) in order to play in ST, but makes sense that it can be anyone in the organisation. Sounds like the NRI list is more informative (i.e. these are the prospects that are going to be training with the major league team to develop) than being critical for roster management.

[SilverBullet1929]

Re: Spring Training in Franchise Mode

Thanks for the explanation! That makes total sense - in my mind I was thinking that a player had to be on the NRI list (or 40 man) in order to play in ST, but makes sense that it can be anyone in the organisation. Sounds like the NRI list is more informative (i.e. these are the prospects that are going to be training with the major league team to develop) than being critical for roster management.

Well the NRI list isn't just informative because several of those guys do usually have a shot to make the big league opening day roster. Of course the NRI list has many prospects just being invited to spring knowing they'll be sent back to minor league camp eventually but in theory everyone on the NRI list does have a chance at making the team.

[Bremser_Rules]

Re: Spring Training in Franchise Mode

I'd like to see ratings hidden so we have to base our roster decisions on how well they play in spring training. You'd still keep your obvious players but the fringe guys would be picked based on performance and not necessarily hard coded ratings.

[SilverBullet1929]

Re: Spring Training in Franchise Mode

Id love to see spring training have it's own system where you have to build your players stamina for the upcoming season based on how you use them in spring training. If you use them poorly or not enough their stamina rating to start the season is not at full level. And to do that correctly you have to progressively increase player usage throughout the spring. Like at the start of spring you only use your starting pitchers for an 1 inning, then up to 2, then 3-4, then 5-6, just making sure they can get to about 7 innings by the last week of spring. Do this too fast and they get an increased chance of injury...do this too slow and they have a lower stamina or durability rating when the season starts.

[JHedges2]

Re: Spring Training in Franchise Mode

Id love to see spring training have it's own system where you have to build your players stamina for the upcoming season based on how you use them in spring training. If you use them poorly or not enough their stamina rating to start the season is not at full level. And to do that correctly you have to progressively increase player usage throughout the spring. Like at the start of spring you only use your starting pitchers for an 1 inning, then up to 2, then 3-4, then 5-6, just making sure they can get to about 7 innings by the last week of spring. Do this too fast and they get an increased chance of injury...do this too slow and they have a lower stamina or durability rating when the season starts.

This is a brilliant idea. Would really make ST worth the time. Not sure how hard to implement this would be though. Like, does everyone 'build' fatigue at the same rate? Or say, if player A has a higher fatigue rating than player B, player A wouldn't have to play as many innings to prepare?

Great thoughts mate!

[NYJin2011tm]

Re: Spring Training in Franchise Mode

I'd like to see ratings hidden so we have to base our roster decisions on how well they play in spring training. You'd still keep your obvious players but the fringe guys would be picked based on performance and not necessarily hard coded ratings.

I do this anyway. My fringe/bench players/bullpen is based on performance not ratings. But I get your point tho...

[Caulfield]

Re: Spring Training in Franchise Mode

I do this anyway. My fringe/bench players/bullpen is based on performance not ratings. But I get your point tho...

yeah, I dont have any trouble ignoring the attributes, the one thing I would change is when you hit triangle to view the player card, I wish MLB Career Stats screen came up first and you would have to hit R1/L1 to go to attribute, not the other way around which it currently is.