For The Indecisive Franchise Player

[Bgrd1080]

MLB The Show is easily the best sports game for me, but I also struggle to stick with one team throughout for a franchise. I know I can't be the only one. I see CB go years with his beloved Cardinals and try to do the same but my beloved A's are impossible as I can never move players. I get to attached to the team to make moves. I strive for realism so try to keep my franchise as realistic as I can and also try to find fun storylines. I don't want a team that's 3 + years from competing because I like to play 1 of every 5 games on my way through a season and having nothing to play for in August is a real grind.....I tried LAA but they are overpowered in the game, Tried San Diego but was also pretty easy. Thought maybe Detroit with Riley and Torkelson could be a fun story. I'd love Cincy or Pittsburgh but the rebuild is still 2 years or more away from competing unless I spend in the offseason with Cincy like they did a few years back, but that philosophy seems done. What teams are you guys using? Boston perhaps as they have a tough division and a few weak spots in the lineup. What to do with Xander though???? What teams have you been able to stick with for a few seasons without restarting?

[Bullit]

Re: For The Indecisive Franchise Player

I have been struggling with this issue a lot this year. I have been spoiled by years to year saves and skipped '21.

I have been having some success sticking with the O's. Though I have been itching to play a Brewers franchise or maybe even finally trying the Nats now that we suck and would just trade everybody away and rebuild.

My longest running franchise has been with the Indians. I started that one in '14 and carried it through into '20. I am in year 2028 with that one.

[Madden08PCgmr]

Re: For The Indecisive Franchise Player

I am a retro-only guy, for the most part. Love the Ms (Junior, Unit, Edgar, Vizquel, Buhner..) also loved the Braves teams.

I am really debating launching a Mariners franchise now. Now that Julio has arrived, with Gilbert, Kirby, France.. Brash has FILTHY stuff that I have rarely seen.. Crawford is a great glove man.. really like the guys they have in their pen.

Tempted to pull the Soto trade and go for it.

And even if I can resist that urge, the farm still has tons of depth with Marte, Hancock, Henry Davis..

.. my problem is, I just want a great manager mode. I have never found a balance with hitting and pitching. I feel like I'm cheesing if I player lock my pitchers, and if I tone hitting down to my level, its the same deal.

[Hammerhunker]

Re: For The Indecisive Franchise Player

In all the years playing this title, I've completed one season in franchise as I enjoy playing through postseasons more and I can never stand being just one team.

This year I wanted to add the season to the post season so I created a chart, roll two 10-sided dice to determine my team. I will play a whole series with that team or sometimes just a single. It's been fun.

[DirtBallNation]

Re: For The Indecisive Franchise Player

Man, you and I are one of the same. I couldn't tell you how many franchises i've played already this year and then end up deleting them because I get bored of it. I think I have some sort of ADHD, because I play it for a while, then I get like a year out in the future and I don't seem to think its realistic so I end up scraping it. So I know exactly what you mean. I like to keep my trades and signings realistic. Like some of these Youtube guys have fantastic series. One of my favorites is JerseyBorn. He does a great job of keeping it pretty realistic. So I often watch some of his videos when I need motivation for franchises.

I have a Braves franchise that I start up every year and I try to at least stay up to speed with the calendar year (kinda play day by day or 1-2 games a day) but I haven't really played it much in the last 2-3 weeks. More or less, haven't had time to really play anything because of my schedule.

Other than that, I end up starting franchises because I get an idea because of prospects or certain players or even because of IRL situations. I.E. Juan Soto situation. Last night I started a Nats franchise because I wanted to see the haul I could get for him - Although Trade slots limited what I could get in return, I still got Dominguez, Volpe and Peraza from the Yankees. So I ended up fast tracking the season to get through the draft and to the AS break/Trade deadline. Now that i'm past that, I plan to slow down and play a few games between now and the end of the year; All levels - MLB, AAA and AA. I don't want to rush the prospects to the big leagues right away, plan on developing them over the next 1-2 years but Volpe is already at a 77, so he may just be a september call up.

I'm excited to get to the offseason, not to make a splash with signings, but just sign older, veteran guys that are trying to prove that can still play. So maybe go out and sign a decent arm or two but then wait until right before spring training to see whats left in FA to offer anyone.

I know its long winded but I wanted to let you know, you are not alone.

[Bgrd1080]

Re: For The Indecisive Franchise Player

Man, you and I are one of the same. I couldn't tell you how many franchises i've played already this year and then end up deleting them because I get bored of it. I think I have some sort of ADHD, because I play it for a while, then I get like a year out in the future and I don't seem to think its realistic so I end up scraping it. So I know exactly what you mean. I like to keep my trades and signings realistic. Like some of these Youtube guys have fantastic series. One of my favorites is JerseyBorn. He does a great job of keeping it pretty realistic. So I often watch some of his videos when I need motivation for franchises.

I have a Braves franchise that I start up every year and I try to at least stay up to speed with the calendar year (kinda play day by day or 1-2 games a day) but I haven't really played it much in the last 2-3 weeks. More or less, haven't had time to really play anything because of my schedule.

Other than that, I end up starting franchises because I get an idea because of prospects or certain players or even because of IRL situations. I.E. Juan Soto situation. Last night I started a Nats franchise because I wanted to see the haul I could get for him - Although Trade slots limited what I could get in return, I still got Dominguez, Volpe and Peraza from the Yankees. So I ended up fast tracking the season to get through the draft and to the AS break/Trade deadline. Now that i'm past that, I plan to slow down and play a few games between now and the end of the year; All levels - MLB, AAA and AA. I don't want to rush the prospects to the big leagues right away, plan on developing them over the next 1-2 years but Volpe is already at a 77, so he may just be a september call up.

I'm excited to get to the offseason, not to make a splash with signings, but just sign older, veteran guys that are trying to prove that can still play. So maybe go out and sign a decent arm or two but then wait until right before spring training to see whats left in FA to offer anyone.

I know its long winded but I wanted to let you know, you are not alone.

Did qe just become best friends. I'm literally leaving work now to go home fire up the PS5 and trade Soto in a startup franchise to NY or SD. Still deciding.
Please keep us updated on your franchise.

[SethMurphy]

Re: For The Indecisive Franchise Player

I’m so happy other people are like this. I’m a virtual GM type, I like to build a team up and do a lot of simming. But I find it super easy to trade.

Maybe I just need some better house rules.


Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

[jcar0725]

Re: For The Indecisive Franchise Player

You're definitely not alone. Over the years playing this amazing series I've had a tendency to start and restart many times per release. And I'm strictly a franchise player. Sometimes because there is something about the franchise that I don't like how i set it up, or sometimes because I have a new idea.

I do know that something I learned about me, I have to have a clear challenge and goal. I can't just take a team and go with it. I have to make it a real challenge.

[DirtBallNation]

Re: For The Indecisive Franchise Player

Did qe just become best friends. I'm literally leaving work now to go home fire up the PS5 and trade Soto in a startup franchise to NY or SD. Still deciding.

Please keep us updated on your franchise.

Another good haul you can get is from the Mariners.


Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

[JoshC1977]

Re: For The Indecisive Franchise Player

I’m so happy other people are like this. I’m a virtual GM type, I like to build a team up and do a lot of simming. But I find it super easy to trade.

Maybe I just need some better house rules.

Two suggestions:

1. Do not base trade values on "real life". A franchise universe and real life are completely divergent. Assess trades based on what makes sense in the context of your franchise and what is going on there.

2. The easiest house rule to implement. Ask yourself if you would do the trade if you were the GM for the other side (again, based on the context of the universe you're in). Just because the little trade meter says the CPU would accept it does not make it "right". I bypass many offers simply on the strength of that one simple question.

[jahickory]

Re: For The Indecisive Franchise Player

Yes, I know exactly what you mean. I used to love building up terrible rosters. It seems like rosters are more evenly spread out and there is a lot of young talent already established.



Contracts are awful with some teams and they wouldn't be fun because you're stuck with them.



The Nationals could be fun but after Soto gets traded. Then, I'd release Strasburg and Corbin.



It's tough to get locked into a team and invested in them. Sometimes I get in the habit of just the same players.

[kinsmen7]

Re: For The Indecisive Franchise Player

I had this problem for a long, long time. I think there's a similar thread around here for last year, but I took a lot of their advice, and ended up settling into a 3+ year franchise with the Jays (I took a few months off from the Show, and unfortunately couldn't get back into it, so I recently started an O's franchise which I'm currently enjoying and planning on running with).

Basically, I set myself a bunch of house rules that I follow fairly strictly. They are:

(I'm missing some, but I'm also at work right now, so here's the basics-most of which revolve around trading. I'll update tomorrow if I think of anything else)

-30 team control. The CPU will make some stupid roster decisions sometimes, and I don't fix them, I'll end up hating it.
-DO NOT TRY AND MIRROR REAL LIFE! Once you press "go", roll with it. If you try to mirror real life transactions, there'll be some event (Trade deadline? Draft? Offseason? In-season trade? Player gets DFA'd?) that will completely throw you off. Put the blinders on and enjoy.
-I use baseballtradevalues.com as a basis for my transactions, including the CPU's. I've used it as well as the trade forum on here long enough to have a decent enough (in my mind at least) idea of how the numbers would adjust based on the in-game stats for the players, and I'll typically I'll just find a comparable real life player and use their value.
-As @JoshC1977 said, put yourself in the shoes of the opposing GM when you're making trades. For instance, a team like Toronto (Jansen, Kirk, Moreno) is unlikely to make a move for a catcher. A team like Seattle is unlikely to acquire a mid-level outfielder (but, SOTO SZNNNNN!). A team like the Yankees/Dodgers are quite likely to just go insane and acquire just about anyone that is an upgrade, regardless of whether they have room for them or not .
-If it's a minor CPU trade, just let it go. Running around and reversing a bunch of them is a pain. *IF* the CPU moves a top prospect for a mediocre prospect, I'll reverse it...I'm still playing 20 (No PS5 so there's not much point IMO), and for the longest time the CPU would trade Wander Franco for peanuts.
-With my Jays franchise, I obviously chose a good team. Rebuilding is fun, but I found it so much more satisfying to force myself to keep my good players and build the roster around them. There was no "Sell off player A for a bunch of propsects". It was always "Try and acquire upgrades". At one point, I think I spent about almost two months trying to work on a trade for a top of the rotation starter (Acquired Flaherty from the Cards after they were out of the race). Because I was so into/involved with my franchise at all levels, it was almost painful to move my prospects at any point, which kept my usual "trigger happy" trade mentality to a minimum.
-With the O's franchise that I just started up, I decided that I'm no longer "rebuilding". I'm trying to take the build to the next level. If I'm out of it at the deadline, I'll probably move a couple of pending free agents, but unless I'm moving them for an upgrade, I won't be trading players with team control for prospects.
-Not my rule, but I know a few that use the "Play 1, sim 5" system. Makes for a quicker season, and also let's you roll through the rotation.

In the end, I think it's all about setting your own parameters. Choose a team that you believe you can roll with, and then decide on the direction you want to go in.

[JoshC1977]

Re: For The Indecisive Franchise Player

I was indecisive the first 10-14 days after the game dropped. Then, I dove into a Baltimore franchise. I did something different this time; I played every spring training game. I got the emergence of some storylines in that initial spring training and used them to get my heart into the team. I'm now in May of year 2 (I play every game) and am fully ensconced.

One of the storylines in that first spring training: Bryan Baker. A 56 OVR D potential reliever; pitched well in that ST (over a number of better pitchers) and made the squad. He's now up to a 63 OVR in May 2023 and is still lights-out (while I have seen other better-rated arms falter - so it's not one of those "pitching is too easy" things). For whatever reason, he "clicks" for me....and to me; everyone needs a "Bryan Baker" on their team....

But when I started the franchise, I also had "a plan" - to get more depth and more high-potential players by recycling players and dealing quantity for quality.

Part 1 was to snare a handful of veteran free agents to reinforce the squad and flip them later for more farm system depth. A couple of those FAs (Rosenthal in particular) blew-up and gave me back far better value than I ever could have expected when coupled with a couple of mid-tier guys.

Part 2 was to move a couple of established players to gain better potential players. One such move was my reacting to a beautiful trade made between Miami and Atlanta (Riley for Aguilar/Sixto being the major pieces) that left a major void in Miami at 1B. I used that void to move Mountcastle (and others) to Miami, getting back a pair of solid young pitchers (Meyer/Holloway plus Cooper - who got flipped himself). I also moved Means at the deadline as he wasn't clicking for me...

In short, I had a general plan going in but I did not know what the final shape would be. It wasn't "I'm going to trade Player X" or "I am going to acquire Player Y". I let the results on the field and the moves made by other teams help dictate what I did within the umbrella of that general plan. And THAT is where the immersion comes in...truly role-playing as that GM in that fictional universe.

My core team is still built around guys I started with (Cedi, Adley, DL, Grayson, Mateo, Hays, Mancini, etc.) but I also am having fun with it. The way I feel about my franchise right now, I may not even bother moving-on when MLBTS23 rolls-out next year....

[Bullit]

Re: For The Indecisive Franchise Player

I am very pleasantly surprised by the amount of guys, myself included, who have gone with the O's and are finding Franchise happiness.

[JoshC1977]

Re: For The Indecisive Franchise Player

I am very pleasantly surprised by the amount of guys, myself included, who have gone with the O's and are finding Franchise happiness.

I am, but I'm not. We're even seeing it this year IRL - they aren't THAT bad. They're actually in a really interesting phase right now. They are out of the 'dark days' (like where Oakland is right now) but aren't exactly an amazing young team that is already built. You have a core, but LOTS of options and possible approaches to completing the build to take them to that next level (or fail badly).

They remind me (in terms of where they are in the rebuild process) of the 2012 Royals or the 2014 Astros....a year away from that breakout year of finishing over .500 (and a couple of years removed from a playoff run).

I finished in Year 1 of my franchise with 75 wins; I'm expecting to finish over .500 in 2023 (barring catastrophic injury); and hopefully a playoff run in 2024.