Curious Question: What do you put for your scout/player dev. baselines?

[KBLover]

Before my first franchise went poof, I used the defaults.

This time around, I'm using much lower values - $2 M for each. Spread $1-6M instead of $3-18M.

My reasoning: narrow the spread between teams in the red and the max spending possible. Also, teams that are profitable can spend closer to the max (in theory - easier to spend $5 M than $15 M for spending 1.5x the baseline...plus, hurts less with retaining talent and signing players). I'm noticing teams going heavily after the international talents on long term deals, etc, including middle and lower markets teams (i.e. I'm not the only small market team trying infuse talent via internationals).

For example, the ChiSox, a struggling team, are still able to spend double the baseline in both. I'm thinking that will help them have solid knowledge and ability to grow their prospects while freeing up money for staff (which I'm now having to fight for the talented staff, getting into bidding wars - like I had to fight off like four teams for this fictional bench coach it was like...good gracious LOL) and such.

Now, I don't know if this is just randomness/GMs that teams hired or if it's really impacting, so I'm curious to what others are using and if my reasoning makes sense.

[notsobabybombers]

Re: Curious Question: What do you put for your scout/player dev. baselines?

Before my first franchise went poof, I used the defaults.

This time around, I'm using much lower values - $2 M for each. Spread $1-6M instead of $3-18M.

My reasoning: narrow the spread between teams in the red and the max spending possible. Also, teams that are profitable can spend closer to the max (in theory - easier to spend $5 M than $15 M for spending 1.5x the baseline...plus, hurts less with retaining talent and signing players). I'm noticing teams going heavily after the international talents on long term deals, etc, including middle and lower markets teams (i.e. I'm not the only small market team trying infuse talent via internationals).

For example, the ChiSox, a struggling team, are still able to spend double the baseline in both. I'm thinking that will help them have solid knowledge and ability to grow their prospects while freeing up money for staff (which I'm now having to fight for the talented staff, getting into bidding wars - like I had to fight off like four teams for this fictional bench coach it was like...good gracious LOL) and such.

Now, I don't know if this is just randomness/GMs that teams hired or if it's really impacting, so I'm curious to what others are using and if my reasoning makes sense.

I like that reasoning and, ideally, I want to see that effect in my saves. I have one of them set at zero (whichever says "0=disabled.) I read awhile ago that particular budget didn't really have that much of an impact in OOTP 17 & 18. I wonder if that's different this year.

[KBLover]

Re: Curious Question: What do you put for your scout/player dev. baselines?

I like that reasoning and, ideally, I want to see that effect in my saves. I have one of them set at zero (whichever says "0=disabled.) I read awhile ago that particular budget didn't really have that much of an impact in OOTP 17 & 18. I wonder if that's different this year.

Ah that would be Player Development Budget where 0 = disabled.

There's a lot of mixed opinions from what I've read. I don't know that I can say it definitively helps. I can say I development tends to be generally positive for my teams and I usually spend above baseline if at all possible. I like to have good coaches and money in development - maybe the two go hand-in-hand.

I often wonder how it impacts things. For example, the scouting - I have about 2 M in MLB, Minors, and International... is that the same impact as having it at the default levels (i.e. is 3x baseline the same no matter what baseline is or does the actual dollar amount matter)?

If the dollars themselves matter to scouting, I may raise that one back up some. I don't want to give every team bad scouting and international chances, and for bottom teams, it would remove one avenue for them to get more talent and build.

[KSUowls]

Re: Curious Question: What do you put for your scout/player dev. baselines?

I like your reasoning. It would be interested to see how much of a difference it really makes.

I've left my baselines at default in both my franchise runs, and my limited sample size suggests that player development contribution is a huge factor. The Braves are at default about $2m under the baseline which I left it at in my first. I definitely felt like my prospects were not developing. In my new game I'm $2 or $3m over baseline and things look a little better so far.