MLB The Show 22 Franchise Discussion Thread

[jcar0725]

Re: MLB The Show 22 Franchise Discussion Thread

The Nationals shocked the Braves, taking two of three in Atlanta. They still couldn't pull off the sweep, even after taking an early 2-0 lead in the first in the finale. The highlight of the series was the rally pulled off in the bottom of the ninth in Game 2. With two down and the Nats trailing 3-1, Anderson Tejeda drove a line drive home run to left to tie the game, eventually forcing extras. The Nats would score three more in the tenth to shock the sellout home crowd. Stephen Strasburg also outdueled Spencer Strider in that matchup, as Strider left in the sixth due to a high pitch count, while Strasburg was able to go 7 full innings.

There is much to like in this young group, but they still have issues maintaining the lead when they score early. They seem to be able to jump out to early leads, but holding on has been an issue lately. I'm thinking of looking for some new bullpen arms, but I also don't want to ruin what the team has been building thus far.

The Nationals will return home for two against Seattle and three against Atlanta before the All-Star Break.

Rebuilds are the best. I'm having a blast watching my young guys develop. Keep these coming.

Sent from my thoughts

[dragster646]

Re: MLB The Show 22 Franchise Discussion Thread

My Braves did get swept by the Nationals in Atlanta.

We're hitting .208 as a team. Albies and Freeman have been especially bad. It's still very early, but we're in fourth in the East at 4-5. We've got the Marlins coming in for four games, so hopefully we can get on track.

Ouch that's brutal. Albies was striking out a BUNCH against me. He was swinging at just about everything

Rebuilds are the best. I'm having a blast watching my young guys develop. Keep these coming.

Honestly I want to give a detailed description of everything going on in the franchise but, truth be told, I've been so busy lately that I'm not even updating you guys as I finish my series lol. It's so fun though, and I keep forgetting two of my best players are out (Luis Garcia and Ildemaro Vargas [he's gone for the season]). I might have some tough decisions to make in the not to distant future.

[dragster646]

Re: MLB The Show 22 Franchise Discussion Thread

Quick update, the Nationals split the two game series against the Mariners. They once again took early leads in both games, only to fall behind in the middle innings. They were able to rally in game two, with C.J. Abrams coming through in the clutch with a two out, two run double in the 7th. The Mariners are a solid team, with a record of 55-39 and a CY Young Candidate in Logan Gilbert (who only went 5 innings in this series).

It's now time for the four game (I previously said three) series against the Braves to end the first "half" of the season. On paper, the 33-61 Nationals don't stand a chance against the 58-37 Braves, but that last series showed that the Nats can compete against World Series contenders, even if their record doesn't show it.

[TSGuy]

Re: MLB The Show 22 Franchise Discussion Thread

Question: Who are players that seem to always be difficult for you to face?

For me no matter what Gleyber Torres, Will Smith, and when he didnt retire Brandon Crawford in my franchise are always hard for me to face.

[jcar0725]

Re: MLB The Show 22 Franchise Discussion Thread

Question: Who are players that seem to always be difficult for you to face?

For me no matter what Gleyber Torres, Will Smith, and when he didnt retire Brandon Crawford in my franchise are always hard for me to face.

Every time I face Matt Olson he seems to be on a tear and kills anything close to the plate.

[countryboy]

Re: MLB The Show 22 Franchise Discussion Thread

For the first time in I don't know how long, after being this far into a franchise, I've decided to start over.

For those that follow or maybe I should say pay attention to my ramblings, I've had an issue with the CPU teams (National league) signing guys to seemingly fulfill the DH spot in the lineup but I use traditional rules.

It started with the Dodgers and Joey Gallo, but it fixed itself after one season. Then the Padres signed Matt Chapman to a big time contract only to sit him on the bench in a platoon role, or DH when available. I thought after that one season the Padres would fix their roster, but they didn't, resigning the likes of Anthony Rizzo and leaving Chapman to spend his first two seasons on the bench with the Padres.

This current offseason, its gotten "worse". The Brewers signed Vladimir Guerrero Jr to play first base thus putting Matt Olson on the bench. The Phillies signed Austin Riley while having Alex Bregman at 3rd and thus put Riley on the bench. All players when viewing the lineup were slotted for the DH position or in the field with another player at DH in those lineups.

I just can't/couldn't deal with it anymore. I thought about returning to '21, but I honestly like '22 a lot better.

So I have restarted turning on the universal DH. This will allow me to get a couple seasons in before '23 drops next year, and in the very slightest of chances Y2Y saves return, then I will carry this franchise over to '23 and continue. If not, at least I get familiar with playing with universal DH and get a chance to play a season with Albert Pujols to see if I can get him into the 700 club.

Its bittersweet, but I wasn't enjoying that franchise much and there was no way I was going to carry it over, so it was essentially dead in the water. This way, if there is Y2Y saves, or if something happens and I dislike '23, or a bug, or delay, or whatnot, I have a franchise that I can enjoy and play as a backup.

Anyways, more ramblings that people probably don't care about....LOL

Starting my Cardinals franchise with the universal DH and I turned back on the extra inning runner rule. Excited to get started.

[JoshC1977]

Re: MLB The Show 22 Franchise Discussion Thread

For the first time in I don't know how long, after being this far into a franchise, I've decided to start over.

For those that follow or maybe I should say pay attention to my ramblings, I've had an issue with the CPU teams (National league) signing guys to seemingly fulfill the DH spot in the lineup but I use traditional rules.

It started with the Dodgers and Joey Gallo, but it fixed itself after one season. Then the Padres signed Matt Chapman to a big time contract only to sit him on the bench in a platoon role, or DH when available. I thought after that one season the Padres would fix their roster, but they didn't, resigning the likes of Anthony Rizzo and leaving Chapman to spend his first two seasons on the bench with the Padres.

This current offseason, its gotten "worse". The Brewers signed Vladimir Guerrero Jr to play first base thus putting Matt Olson on the bench. The Phillies signed Austin Riley while having Alex Bregman at 3rd and thus put Riley on the bench. All players when viewing the lineup were slotted for the DH position or in the field with another player at DH in those lineups.

I just can't/couldn't deal with it anymore. I thought about returning to '21, but I honestly like '22 a lot better.

So I have restarted turning on the universal DH. This will allow me to get a couple seasons in before '23 drops next year, and in the very slightest of chances Y2Y saves return, then I will carry this franchise over to '23 and continue. If not, at least I get familiar with playing with universal DH and get a chance to play a season with Albert Pujols to see if I can get him into the 700 club.

Its bittersweet, but I wasn't enjoying that franchise much and there was no way I was going to carry it over, so it was essentially dead in the water. This way, if there is Y2Y saves, or if something happens and I dislike '23, or a bug, or delay, or whatnot, I have a franchise that I can enjoy and play as a backup.

Anyways, more ramblings that people probably don't care about....LOL

Starting my Cardinals franchise with the universal DH and I turned back on the extra inning runner rule. Excited to get started.

That's a tough pill to swallow....you've had quite the time this year. The plus side; the FA signing management works quite a bit better with DH turned-on so I can pretty confidently say that it was the root of your problem (which is a shame). May you do a better job with them than their management has in my franchise (where they've become the worst team in baseball).

I will say this (as a fellow NL guy), while the DH makes the game dull tactically once the first pitch has been thrown, it does add some interesting conceptual elements with respect to roster/lineup strategy that I have grown to respect. It grows into a major question of whether or not you employ a true DH or use it as a means of making the best possible usage out of your primary position players (in which case, baking-in some significant flexibility in your best roster can be imminently useful - allowing you to really mix and match as you rotate guys through the DH slot).

I can't say in good faith that I have grown to like the rule, but rather, it's been more tolerable than I expected.

[countryboy]

Re: MLB The Show 22 Franchise Discussion Thread

That's a tough pill to swallow....you've had quite the time this year. The plus side; the FA signing management works quite a bit better with DH turned-on so I can pretty confidently say that it was the root of your problem (which is a shame). May you do a better job with them than their management has in my franchise (where they've become the worst team in baseball).

I will say this (as a fellow NL guy), while the DH makes the game dull tactically once the first pitch has been thrown, it does add some interesting conceptual elements with respect to roster/lineup strategy that I have grown to respect. It grows into a major question of whether or not you employ a true DH or use it as a means of making the best possible usage out of your primary position players (in which case, baking-in some significant flexibility in your best roster can be imminently useful - allowing you to really mix and match as you rotate guys through the DH slot).

I can't say in good faith that I have grown to like the rule, but rather, it's been more tolerable than I expected.

Its been a roller coaster of a year that's for sure. I kick myself because I told myself that if I stopped my '21 franchise to go to '22 that I was going to do the universal DH to mix it up, but didn't and here I am.

As the year played out in real life with the universal DH, I've grown to accept it. I still miss the strategy of having a pitcher in the lineup, but with how the game has progressed, those strategies were fading anyways.

I am excited for this new way of playing and it will keep me entertained until '23 drops. I don't play other sports games (I tried NBA 2k but b-ball games getting boring fast for me) and I don't care for the NFL these days, so my sports fix is MLB baseball. I'm used to playing it year round, so I needed to find something to fill the gap until '23 releases.

If Y2Y saves return (I give it a 0.0000000000000001% chance) then I have a franchise that I want to carry over. My old one was going to stop when '23 dropped so it wasn't that engrossing.

I wish I would've done this from the start, or at the very least when the problem first started bothering me. But I didn't and thats cool. This will serve as a learning experience so to speak.

[Bullit]

Re: MLB The Show 22 Franchise Discussion Thread

LOL CountryBoy.

I was literally coming on here to ask if you were still having problems with offseason and the DH rule. I have finally switched over to '22 and wanted to know what the situation was.

So I will start my Franchise with the DH on in both Leagues but I will still probably leave the Extra Inning Runner off though.

Thanks for the update. They are all useful in some ways.

[jcar0725]

Re: MLB The Show 22 Franchise Discussion Thread

For the first time in I don't know how long, after being this far into a franchise, I've decided to start over.

For those that follow or maybe I should say pay attention to my ramblings, I've had an issue with the CPU teams (National league) signing guys to seemingly fulfill the DH spot in the lineup but I use traditional rules.

It started with the Dodgers and Joey Gallo, but it fixed itself after one season. Then the Padres signed Matt Chapman to a big time contract only to sit him on the bench in a platoon role, or DH when available. I thought after that one season the Padres would fix their roster, but they didn't, resigning the likes of Anthony Rizzo and leaving Chapman to spend his first two seasons on the bench with the Padres.

This current offseason, its gotten "worse". The Brewers signed Vladimir Guerrero Jr to play first base thus putting Matt Olson on the bench. The Phillies signed Austin Riley while having Alex Bregman at 3rd and thus put Riley on the bench. All players when viewing the lineup were slotted for the DH position or in the field with another player at DH in those lineups.

I just can't/couldn't deal with it anymore. I thought about returning to '21, but I honestly like '22 a lot better.

So I have restarted turning on the universal DH. This will allow me to get a couple seasons in before '23 drops next year, and in the very slightest of chances Y2Y saves return, then I will carry this franchise over to '23 and continue. If not, at least I get familiar with playing with universal DH and get a chance to play a season with Albert Pujols to see if I can get him into the 700 club.

Its bittersweet, but I wasn't enjoying that franchise much and there was no way I was going to carry it over, so it was essentially dead in the water. This way, if there is Y2Y saves, or if something happens and I dislike '23, or a bug, or delay, or whatnot, I have a franchise that I can enjoy and play as a backup.

Anyways, more ramblings that people probably don't care about....LOL

Starting my Cardinals franchise with the universal DH and I turned back on the extra inning runner rule. Excited to get started.

This might be a good thing. I started a second franchise last month (Brewers) after my after my first spring/summer franchise rebuild (Oakland) failed. And something just felt "off" about it. So instead of continuing, I quickly dumped it and restarted with something else and now I'm having a blast with it. So I'm glad I did it. And I have universal DH on and it does help with rosters.

[LowerWolf]

Re: MLB The Show 22 Franchise Discussion Thread

I'm playing 21 with traditional rules because I prefer the strategy. And I haven't really noticed an issue with the DH.

Going forward with MLB 23 and beyond, I'll use the universal DH. The game is probably developed for it, but it's also kind of nice to have that extra guy to accumulate stats with. It always kind of irks me for some reason when I get an RBI with a pitcher.

[JoshC1977]

Re: MLB The Show 22 Franchise Discussion Thread

I'm playing 21 with traditional rules because I prefer the strategy. And I haven't really noticed an issue with the DH.

Going forward with MLB 23 and beyond, I'll use the universal DH. The game is probably developed for it, but it's also kind of nice to have that extra guy to accumulate stats with. It always kind of irks me for some reason when I get an RBI with a pitcher.

Yeah, 21 handled the non-DH leagues fine. The logic was obviously tuned in '22 to accommodate the universal DH, but it doesn't deal well with non-DH leagues.

[countryboy]

Re: MLB The Show 22 Franchise Discussion Thread

LOL CountryBoy.

I was literally coming on here to ask if you were still having problems with offseason and the DH rule. I have finally switched over to '22 and wanted to know what the situation was.

So I will start my Franchise with the DH on in both Leagues but I will still probably leave the Extra Inning Runner off though.

Thanks for the update. They are all useful in some ways.

No problem.

Yeah '22 struggles the further you get into a franchise with teams trying to fulfill the DH position even when using traditional DH rules.

One bit of warning on the Extra Inning Runner rule, having it off lead to the Brewers in one game pitching Josh Hader 10 innings in a simulated game that went 20+ innings.

[bigjdotcom01]

Re: MLB The Show 22 Franchise Discussion Thread

DLDS: PHOENIX vs. LAS VEGAS
(Phoenix wins series 3-2)

October 8: Firebirds 2, Nuggets 0
October 9: Firebirds 3, Nuggets 2
October 11: Nuggets 3, Firebirds 0
October 12: Nuggets 5, Firebirds 3
October 14: Firebirds 8, Nuggets 4

The Firebirds opened the series with a 2-0 victory over the Nuggets. Mario Escobar tossed eight shutout innings as Phoenix grabbed the series lead.

The only offense in game one came on two solo home runs. Carl Lentzkow homered in the third and Darren McCarty homered in the eighth. The Firebirds only had two other hits in the game.

Escobar (1-0) tossed eight innings, scattering seven hits and striking out six while walking just one. Ricky Gilbert earned the save, his second in the postseason.

Stanley Taguchi (0-1) was the hard luck loser, pitching six strong innings and allowing one run on two hits. He struck out seven and walked only one.

The Phoenix Firebirds took game two in Las Vegas to grab a commanding two game lead in their best-of-five series with a 3-2 victory on Sunday afternoon. Back-to-back home runs from Michael Yancey and Carl Lentzkow in the second innings were all the runs that Phoenix would need. Enrique Lima drove in both Las Vegas runs with a two-run double in the seventh inning.

The Las Vegas Nuggets staved off elimination on Tuesday afternoon with a 3-0 victory over the Firebirds in Phoenix. Enrique Lima hit a solo homer in the third and Jamie Case added a two-run shot in the eighth to provide the offense for the visitors. Roger Frawley (1-0) pitched eight shutout innings, striking out seven and walking two to pick up the win.

Las Vegas once again avoided elimination as they defeated Phoenix 5-3 on Wednesday evening to force a deciding game five on Friday in Las Vegas. Fritz Wiggins hit a three-run home run in a four run second inning to key the Nuggets victory. Richard went 3 for 4 with a solo home run for Vegas.

Carl Lentzkow homered for the Firebirds. It was his third this postseason.

In the deciding game five, once again it was Carl Lentzkow who provided the fireworks as he went 3 for 5 with a double, home run and four RBIs in Phoenix’s 8-4 victory to clinch the DLDS series in Las Vegas. The road team won all five games in this series.

Lentzkow hit four home runs in the series and drove in eight to help send Phoenix onto the DLCS.

<img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52549125174_0c061781f6_o.jpg" width="720" height="405" alt="DLDS1_22">
Phoenix eliminated Las Vegas in a series that saw the road team win each game.

[bigjdotcom01]

Re: MLB The Show 22 Franchise Discussion Thread

DLDS: GILBERT vs. SURPRISE
(Surprise wins series 3-2)

October 8: Saguaros 2, Barnstormers 0
October 9: Barnstormers 5, Saguaros 4 (19)
October 11: Saguaros 4, Barnstormers 1
October 12: Barnstormers 5, Saguaros 4
October 14: Saguaros 3, Barnstormers 2

The Surprise Saguaros opened up their postseason with a 2-0 victory over the Gilbert Barnstormers. Three pitchers combined on a four hit shutout to give the Saguaros the series lead.

The lone scoring play in this game was a two-run double from Tim Ferriera in the fifth inning.

Gilbert’s Frank Reyna (0-1) tossed six innings, allowing the two runs on seven hits. He struck out seven and walked two. Dan Reyna (1-0) picked up the win for Surprise, tossing seven innings and striking out five while walking two. Maury Keith picked up the save.

Game two was a marathon with the Barnstormers winning 5-4 in 19 innings. Hideo Yashida lined an RBI single in the 19th inning that scored Anthony Ortiz to put the Barnstormers ahead. Gilbert used nine pitchers in the win. Starter Armando Bermudez lasted just 4.1 innings, allowing three runs on four hits. Rene Guillen (1-0) pitched the final two innings to pick up the victory.

Surprise won the critical game three 4-1 behind a great pitching performance from Jamaal Sykes. He pitched eight innings, allowing one run on just three hits to help the Saguaros grab a 2-1 series lead.

Surprise scored three times in the second inning on home runs from Andre Everett and Tim Ferreira to grab a 3-0 lead and they would never look back.

Gilbert’s lone run came on a solo home run from Hideo Yoshida in the bottom of the third inning. Juro Yamaguchi (0-1) took the loss, allowing three run son nine hits. He struck out two and did not walk a batter.

Gilbert avoided elimination with a 5-4 victory on Wednesday evening in game four. Steve Heupel hit a three-run home run in the first and Anthony Ortiz added a two-run shot in the fifth to help force the deciding game five on Friday evening in Surprise.

On Friday evening, an Alberto Ruiz solo home run in the bottom of the eighth proved to be the game winner as Surprise slipped past Gilbert 3-2 to advance to the DLCS. It was the first home run of the postseason for the DL MVP.

RBI singles from Tim Ferreira and Edmundo Ramos in the second put the Saguaros up 2-0. Richard Nash would hit a solo home run for the Barnstormers in the fourth to cut the lead in half. They would also get a solo home run from Brad Meyer in the ninth but it was too little, too late for the East champions Barnstormers.

<img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52548367597_9fdb3209c5_o.jpg" width="720" height="405" alt="DLDS2_22"/>
Surprise advanced to the DLCS where they will face Phoenix.