For The Indecisive Franchise Player

[jcar0725]

Re: For The Indecisive Franchise Player

Completely fair! I've just found that I can shed off contracts fairly easily in season, in exchange for prospects, then turn around and spend that money on better free agents in the offseason (which I don't find to be particularly realistic) which is usually an immersion killer for me.

I guess I just found with that Jays franchise that keeping my players and also trying to improve my team kept me immersed, because trading away top prospects like Moreno/Groshans/Martin/SWR (at the time) was extremely tough to do, especially when you're trying to keep yourself within the games budgetting system. Maybe it was because it was the first time that I really held myself to a standard where I did my best to keep the game truly (in video game form at least) realistic.

Hilariously, it took me a couple of video game months to pull off the deal that I really wanted, which was for a top of the rotation guy (Jack Flaherty in this case, because the Cards finally floundered), and while it kicked the crap out of my farm (Moreno+Martin+++), I also found that I struggled to pitch with Flaherty . He still put up decent enough numbers (Probably a #4 for me), but Moreno ended up being an allstar for the Cards in year 3, and Flaherty's contract demands were too much for me at the end of the day, so I had to let him walk.

I think I'm sold on doing a Pirates franchise though, with the intention of adding, not subtracting. Think I'm going to put in a house rule where I don't sign anyone in the year 1 offseason that's over an 80 OA or something along those lines.

Do you have any house rules that you follow when rebuilding?

Great post. I mean there really isn't a right or wrong answer to this.

I'm somewhat of a stickler for house rules when doing a rebuild. I just can't dump everyone for everyone else's top prospects. The trades have to make sense for both teams. And some prospects should be REALLY tough to get.

I think what makes it hard to do a legit rebuild is the 3 year GM window, its easy if i just sim for 5 years and then my team is great. But if you take Pitt, or some other bad team, as they are now and try to win the WS by year 3, I think that's pretty hard to do, especially a team with a small budget. If you're trading even for top prospects, they don't just turn in to stars in 2 or 3 years. So I think its hard to do it that way and win any time soon. That's why I like it.

So it's cool to trade for some prospects, but also scrape to find role players that can fill a need and then try to win. It's all a matter of preference. As I've said before its nice to have options !

[jcar0725]

Re: For The Indecisive Franchise Player

I thought I would throw this out there. I am doing a Reds franchise this year, rebuild. I’m using a SDS roster, not really sure which live update but the Reds only have two players under contract past 2022. That’s right….I have 91 of 93 players to sign after the season. I wanted a rebuild but this will be a challenge and in 2023 it will truly be a team I built.

That's cool. That's what I like doing as well every year.

[JoshC1977]

Re: For The Indecisive Franchise Player

The most fun I've had was with a good team. If you plan on running it for the long haul, I found that it was a lot easier to get immersed, and made roster decisions so much harder.

Purely my opinion, but...It's easy to take a bad team, sell off the assets for prospects, and then role with the rebuild. It's so much harder to take a high payroll team, attempt to add more talent, and try to keep it sustainable for years down the road.

I think every type of franchise has its own challenges. I think high payroll teams definitely have challenges, like managing budget space, to simply overcoming the sheer boredom of winning.

The most fun I had in this series was in a franchise using an aging team with a putrid farm system. I had no "game plan" when I started - it was purely play and react. A horrific start solidified that a reload was needed (not a pure rebuild as key pieces were in their prime). It was quite satisfying to mix/match pieces and build the team back to strength. Those "middle road" teams often offer some intriguing possibilities if you're in a "Read and React" mode vs a "when I start this franchise I am going to do X, Y, Z" mode.

I actually think rebuilds are quite intriguing (and challenging) but I tend to do it a bit differently than most.

1. No simming games while you're bad. I don't say this to knock people that DO sim games; but when you're BAD and you play through those games, you get so many cool little stories - you have a chance to develop affections for lesser players. IMO, if you skip through the games when your team is bad; you're missing out on the most appealing aspect of the rebuild - the sheer satisfaction of winning after losing so much.
2. I don't sell-off every single piece - I try to spend a large chunk of my budget each year (they might be in the form of short-term deals, but we DO spend our cash). In my O's chise; I did trade Mountcastle (to make room for a lefty 1B) and Means in year 1 (Means being a guy I had to sell low on because I blatantly hated his pitch mix). But Mullins, Hays, Mancini, Mateo, Grayson, Adley, DL, etc. are all still on the team.
3. I follow the ole "would I do this if I were the other team" rule with trades; a simple "gut check" if a deal feels right. I'll often offer more than what the CPU would accept according to the little meter.
4. Most importantly - single-team control with GM goals on. I understand why people like 30-team control; but in a rebuild, an unlimited-timeframe reduces the challenge immensely. But, apply a 3 year window with all the above "rules"...it's a ticking clock you have to overcome (and if you DO hit that first three year clock....can you do it sustainably enough to hit the next?).

One thing I wish I did implement in year 1 that I didn't - no in-season contract extensions. I've seen no evidence that the CPU uses this functionality - I fortunately did not overuse it; but it bugs me that I did.

[kinsmen7]

Re: For The Indecisive Franchise Player

Great post. I mean there really isn't a right or wrong answer to this.

I'm somewhat of a stickler for house rules when doing a rebuild. I just can't dump everyone for everyone else's top prospects. The trades have to make sense for both teams. And some prospects should be REALLY tough to get.

I think what makes it hard to do a legit rebuild is the 3 year GM window, its easy if i just sim for 5 years and then my team is great. But if you take Pitt, or some other bad team, as they are now and try to win the WS by year 3, I think that's pretty hard to do, especially a team with a small budget. If you're trading even for top prospects, they don't just turn in to stars in 2 or 3 years. So I think its hard to do it that way and win any time soon. That's why I like it.

So it's cool to trade for some prospects, but also scrape to find role players that can fill a need and then try to win. It's all a matter of preference. As I've said before its nice to have options !

Yeah, I'm going to hold myself accountable by keeping guys like Reynolds...might even extend him in spring training.

Bednar is pretty much the only guy with solid value that I'd consider moving, but I'd imagine that if I can keep the team around .500 I'd be trying to add relievers anyway, so I should probably just hold on to him.

I'm getting fired up to watch the career of that friggin' giant Oneil Cruz!

[jcar0725]

Re: For The Indecisive Franchise Player

I think every type of franchise has its own challenges. I think high payroll teams definitely have challenges, like managing budget space, to simply overcoming the sheer boredom of winning.

The most fun I had in this series was in a franchise using an aging team with a putrid farm system. I had no "game plan" when I started - it was purely play and react. A horrific start solidified that a reload was needed (not a pure rebuild as key pieces were in their prime). It was quite satisfying to mix/match pieces and build the team back to strength. Those "middle road" teams often offer some intriguing possibilities if you're in a "Read and React" mode vs a "when I start this franchise I am going to do X, Y, Z" mode.

I actually think rebuilds are quite intriguing (and challenging) but I tend to do it a bit differently than most.

1. No simming games while you're bad. I don't say this to knock people that DO sim games; but when you're BAD and you play through those games, you get so many cool little stories - you have a chance to develop affections for lesser players. IMO, if you skip through the games when your team is bad; you're missing out on the most appealing aspect of the rebuild - the sheer satisfaction of winning after losing so much.
2. I don't sell-off every single piece - I try to spend a large chunk of my budget each year (they might be in the form of short-term deals, but we DO spend our cash). In my O's chise; I did trade Mountcastle (to make room for a lefty 1B) and Means in year 1 (Means being a guy I had to sell low on because I blatantly hated his pitch mix). But Mullins, Hays, Mancini, Mateo, Grayson, Adley, DL, etc. are all still on the team.
3. I follow the ole "would I do this if I were the other team" rule with trades; a simple "gut check" if a deal feels right. I'll often offer more than what the CPU would accept according to the little meter.
4. Most importantly - single-team control with GM goals on. I understand why people like 30-team control; but in a rebuild, an unlimited-timeframe reduces the challenge immensely. But, apply a 3 year window with all the above "rules"...it's a ticking clock you have to overcome (and if you DO hit that first three year clock....can you do it sustainably enough to hit the next?).

One thing I wish I did implement in year 1 that I didn't - no in-season contract extensions. I've seen no evidence that the CPU uses this functionality - I fortunately did not overuse it; but it bugs me that I did.

Over the years I found that the more simming I do with rebuilds, the less satisfying the final product is and I'm less immersed.

[kinsmen7]

Re: For The Indecisive Franchise Player

I think every type of franchise has its own challenges. I think high payroll teams definitely have challenges, like managing budget space, to simply overcoming the sheer boredom of winning.

The most fun I had in this series was in a franchise using an aging team with a putrid farm system. I had no "game plan" when I started - it was purely play and react. A horrific start solidified that a reload was needed (not a pure rebuild as key pieces were in their prime). It was quite satisfying to mix/match pieces and build the team back to strength. Those "middle road" teams often offer some intriguing possibilities if you're in a "Read and React" mode vs a "when I start this franchise I am going to do X, Y, Z" mode.

I actually think rebuilds are quite intriguing (and challenging) but I tend to do it a bit differently than most.

1. No simming games while you're bad. I don't say this to knock people that DO sim games; but when you're BAD and you play through those games, you get so many cool little stories - you have a chance to develop affections for lesser players. IMO, if you skip through the games when your team is bad; you're missing out on the most appealing aspect of the rebuild - the sheer satisfaction of winning after losing so much.
2. I don't sell-off every single piece - I try to spend a large chunk of my budget each year (they might be in the form of short-term deals, but we DO spend our cash). In my O's chise; I did trade Mountcastle (to make room for a lefty 1B) and Means in year 1 (Means being a guy I had to sell low on because I blatantly hated his pitch mix). But Mullins, Hays, Mancini, Mateo, Grayson, Adley, DL, etc. are all still on the team.
3. I follow the ole "would I do this if I were the other team" rule with trades; a simple "gut check" if a deal feels right. I'll often offer more than what the CPU would accept according to the little meter.
4. Most importantly - single-team control with GM goals on. I understand why people like 30-team control; but in a rebuild, an unlimited-timeframe reduces the challenge immensely. But, apply a 3 year window with all the above "rules"...it's a ticking clock you have to overcome (and if you DO hit that first three year clock....can you do it sustainably enough to hit the next?).

One thing I wish I did implement in year 1 that I didn't - no in-season contract extensions. I've seen no evidence that the CPU uses this functionality - I fortunately did not overuse it; but it bugs me that I did.

Yeah, I think rule 3 is absolutely the most important one, which is why I do the opposite of your #4 (I do set the CPU to auto, but I can't stand watching teams trade top prospects for low rated prospects just to even out their rosters). My Jays trade with Moreno to the Cards made a ton of sense (at the time) since Herrera was a lower level prospect at the time. Finding the right team to make that move with was the hardest part, and was hilariously fun to try and work out. I just can't handle it when I make a move and a couple of weeks later, I feel like I've ripped off the CPU.

I'm also a play 162 guy, and while it's frustrating to lose, I find it oddly satisfying to "grow" with the team (ie. learning how to pitch better with certain pitchers, figuring out how to hit with certain swing styles, etc.).

I think I'm going to have fun.

[jcar0725]

Re: For The Indecisive Franchise Player

Yeah, I think rule 3 is absolutely the most important one, which is why I do the opposite of your #4 (I do set the CPU to auto, but I can't stand watching teams trade top prospects for low rated prospects just to even out their rosters). My Jays trade with Moreno to the Cards made a ton of sense (at the time) since Herrera was a lower level prospect at the time. Finding the right team to make that move with was the hardest part, and was hilariously fun to try and work out. I just can't handle it when I make a move and a couple of weeks later, I feel like I've ripped off the CPU.

I'm also a play 162 guy, and while it's frustrating to lose, I find it oddly satisfying to "grow" with the team (ie. learning how to pitch better with certain pitchers, figuring out how to hit with certain swing styles, etc.).

I think I'm going to have fun.

Awesome ! It'll be a great time.

[IndianSummer]

Re: For The Indecisive Franchise Player

I just about mirror Josh. I have a house rule that I can’t dip into the FA pool until it has been broke open by an AI team. I also look at the trades as well and look for logical reason why the AI would make that trade. Perfect example this year was a trade with the Orioles. I traded Jake Fraley for Trey Mancini and the only logical thing I seen was if the O’s was dumping salary. Mancini was $8m contract and Fraley was 700k. I decided to go with it as that. This Reds franchise has really got me interested as I’m basically playing 162 spring training games. With 91 players looking for a job.

Being a life long Cardinals fan, I struggled with this franchise in the beginning but it has really grown on me and I’m happy I stuck with it.

[Caulfield]

Re: For The Indecisive Franchise Player

10 years ago I was indecisive so instead of playing a true franchise, every year beginning with Show 12, I went to playing 1 season with my favorite team from each division. sometimes I'd qualify for October baseball, sometimes I wouldn't, and I was fine with that. even if my team record was something like 70-90, my attitude is ''it's about the journey, not the destination''

so it wasn't until Show 15 that I ever made it into a ''real'' franchise, when I carried over my Braves team from Show 14, the first time that was available. now that carry-over saves are dead, I'm back to strictly one and done seasons, but since I played with basically the same usual suspects every year from 12 to 21, usually Baltimore, Colorado, Seattle and the White Sox, I still view those seasons as a kind of franchise, albeit one where I'm not developing prospects and don't have full control of who is on my team, but there are still my core Show players I really grew close to over the years, players like Jose Abreu, Adam Jones, JJ Hardy. the hard part was in losing players like Brian Roberts, Darren O'Day and Chris Sale, that if I were running a true franchise, I wasn't ready to depart with.

anyways, I weighed the pros and cons, and 1-&-done seasons decidedly became my favorite way to ''franchise''

[dramachild11]

Re: For The Indecisive Franchise Player

For the past two years I've waited until Ridin releases his post trade deadline rosters so I can start with a team that decided IRL to be sellers at the deadline (usually its a bad team that got rid of its 2 or 3 best players and got 5 or 6 prospects back), I turn the trade slider down to 0 and sim the first year.. my thought process is that the one year sim will show me which prospects actually improved so I can see what positions I can bypass in FA as I plan for the future.. year 2 I play ONLY minor league games so I can truly flesh out the farm system an see who's worth keeping and who I might package in a trade at the deadline (during the year I turn the trade slider up one level every month).. Year 3 I play every game because if I don't make the postseason I'm likely going to get fired and it's a challenge because by that point my team is usually much better than when I started but usually isn't ranked in the top 12 or 15, so I'm relying on young players to show drastic improvement

[COMMISSIONERHBK9]

Re: For The Indecisive Franchise Player

I am like this every year. I never get to stick to a team and i have yet to complete a full season in mlb. I pick multiple teams thru restart then i get to the trade deadline something happens and im like im going to start now. This year no difference. I have restarted franchsie with Yankees Mets dodgers padres braves astros giants but after reading the article by bob and being a ecw fan. I decide im going to take the Phillies. And not look back. I want to finish one full season no sim play every game. Since the trade deadline is over i turn off cpu trades so the rosters stay the same minus signing free agents