MLB 2K13: The Franchise Mode Thread

[steelereign]

Thinking about possibly running a possible Astros Franchise as well. Some of my possible plans

-BigFNJoes Sliders
-Playing a game a series (Be around 50 games played for a season)
-Trading for Ubaldo Jimenez and getting his career back together. (Hopefully)
-Trading for Tony Cingrani if possible. (I'm a Reds fan)
-Might unload Altuve just to see where his career goes. (I can't hit with him anyways)
-Create my own crazy knuckleballer, just for lols. (Unless someone knows one I can pick up easy)
-I'm not really shooting for much, wildcard spot would be a pleasant surprise, so I may mess around with their triple A players who have potential.

Any prospects or players that aren't incredible that anyone recommends just to try out?
-I'm open for any ideas or suggestion.

Not sure if the latest update will have the guy that won the Next Knuckleballer show on MLB network. He would be in the minor league with the Diamondbacks. Forget his name.

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[xcmart19]

Re: MLB 2K13: The Franchise Mode Thread

Not sure if the latest update will have the guy that won the Next Knuckleballer show on MLB network. He would be in the minor league with the Diamondbacks. Forget his name.

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Forgot all about that show. My guess is i'll have to create Josh Booty-which ironically is the older brother of John David Booty (Former USC QB). Good call though.

[steelereign]

Forgot all about that show. My guess is i'll have to create Josh Booty-which ironically is the older brother of John David Booty (Former USC QB). Good call though.

I think the winner's name was David Green.

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[MizzouRah]

Re: MLB 2K13: The Franchise Mode Thread

I'm in the last week of Spring Training, just finalizing some sliders. Did a fantasy draft as the Cardinals and had the 13th pick. First two picks had to be Cardinals, so I took Holliday and Wainwright.

C - Pierzynski
1B - Morneau
2B - Aviles
SS - A. Ramirez
3B - Rolen
LF - Holliday
CF - Granderson
RF - Markakis

SP - Wainwright
SP - Koroda
SP - J. Johnson
SP - Haren
SP - Bailey

LR - Patton
RP - Uehara
RP - Farnsworth
RP - Choate
SU - Madson

CL - Rivera

Bench - R. Davis
Bench - Gonzalez
Bench - Johnson
Bench - Olivo
Bench - Thome
Bench - Polano

Olivo has been battling Pierzynski for the catcher spot as he's hitting the cover off of the ball, Granderson was injured for 10 days and should be ready for opening day. The starting pitchers might change spots as Homer Bailey has been magnificent thus far.

It's neat seeing what the other teams have as far as players go. Played against the Mets last night, who have Trout out in CF.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: MLB 2K13: The Franchise Mode Thread

Not sure if the latest update will have the guy that won the Next Knuckleballer show on MLB network. He would be in the minor league with the Diamondbacks. Forget his name.

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And if you really wanted to create a filthy staff, you could go with 5 knucklers as your starters! I haven't checked exhaustively, but I've noticed some of the created minor leaguers feature a knuckleball.

I don't think he's in the game, but Charlie Haeger (former White Sox prospect) was just signed by the Red Sox to a minor league deal. Other than that, R.A. Dickey is the only active knuckler I can think of right now.

If you want to go old school, you could create some past knuckleballers. How does a staff of R.A. Dickey, Tom Candiotti, Tim Wakefield and the Niekro brothers strike you?

Other than that you could search for any current (real life) minor leaguers who feature a knuckler that I might be forgetting about.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: MLB 2K13: The Franchise Mode Thread

I'm in the last week of Spring Training, just finalizing some sliders. Did a fantasy draft as the Cardinals and had the 13th pick. First two picks had to be Cardinals, so I took Holliday and Wainwright.

C - Pierzynski
1B - Morneau
2B - Aviles
SS - A. Ramirez
3B - Rolen
LF - Holliday
CF - Granderson
RF - Markakis

SP - Wainwright
SP - Koroda
SP - J. Johnson
SP - Haren
SP - Bailey

LR - Patton
RP - Uehara
RP - Farnsworth
RP - Choate
SU - Madson

CL - Rivera

Bench - R. Davis
Bench - Gonzalez
Bench - Johnson
Bench - Olivo
Bench - Thome
Bench - Polano

Olivo has been battling Pierzynski for the catcher spot as he's hitting the cover off of the ball, Granderson was injured for 10 days and should be ready for opening day. The starting pitchers might change spots as Homer Bailey has been magnificent thus far.

It's neat seeing what the other teams have as far as players go. Played against the Mets last night, who have Trout out in CF.

Man your squad is old! lol

I wouldn't want to play them in the playoffs with all that veteran savvy though. Would have to catch 'em on bingo night!

Miguel Olivo vs. Pierzynski, isn't Olivo a much better defensive catcher also?

The Mets have Trout? Poor real-life Mets fans...I am a Cubs fan and I still feel bad for them...

[xcmart19]

Re: MLB 2K13: The Franchise Mode Thread

And if you really wanted to create a filthy staff, you could go with 5 knucklers as your starters! I haven't checked exhaustively, but I've noticed some of the created minor leaguers feature a knuckleball.

I don't think he's in the game, but Charlie Haeger (former White Sox prospect) was just signed by the Red Sox to a minor league deal. Other than that, R.A. Dickey is the only active knuckler I can think of right now.

If you want to go old school, you could create some past knuckleballers. How does a staff of R.A. Dickey, Tom Candiotti, Tim Wakefield and the Niekro brothers strike you?

Other than that you could search for any current (real life) minor leaguers who feature a knuckler that I might be forgetting about.

I'm about to start my franchise after I look through some of the rosters. I'll post my pitching staff once I scout em out.

[pirateraider]

Re: MLB 2K13: The Franchise Mode Thread

Picked the game up just now, started with the Astros.

Some minor moves I made were picking up Brian Schneider and Scott Rolen in free agency. They'll be the veteran guidance I need on this team. Rolen has been hitting well for me surprisingly.

I'm just going to let the young kids play for now, though closer to the deadline I plan on picking up Drew Stubbs.

[xcmart19]

Re: MLB 2K13: The Franchise Mode Thread

Was a pain to find knuckleballers, only found 3- Dickey, Hal Harden(Some triple A Guy), and "Dana Yabu" Which is Wakefield, considering he's 46 years old.
-Traded Altuve for Pedro Alvarez. I lol'd at this trade offer.
Pitching Rotation
1.Ubaldo Jimenez
2.Daisuke Matsuzaka
3.Tim Wakefield
4.Jamie Moyer
5.Hal Harden

I find this to be the most entertaining bunch i've had. Just simulated spring training and won like 8 games. Picked up Chien Ming Wang for the hell of it too. World Champs 2013. Then they will all have to retire

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: MLB 2K13: The Franchise Mode Thread

WOW! Talk about an inauspicious start to the regular season for my Astros 'chise. I was convinced my offense was getting a touch too powerful the last 2-3 games of Spring Training, so I nudged up the CPU pitch success slider from 75 to 80, thinking it would be a small tweak, but no.

It is a MAJOR!!! difference going from 75 to 80.

I went from scoring about 6 runs per game over my last 4 games of Spring Training to scoring a grand total of 2 runs in my opening 3-game series hosting Texas. Sure, Ogando and Darvish were pretty filthy, but man what a difference. I actually got outscored 27-2 during that series. Apparently, Texas isn't big enough for the both of us.

So, naturally after giving it 3 full games of getting my brains beat in to see if it was indeed the CPU pitcher success slider holding me back, I switched it back to 75 in time for my series hosting the A's. The good thing is if I go OC mashing now, I feel I can tinker with USER contact/power sliders a bit as long as I keep the CPU pitch success at 75. OR, I can raise the CPU pitch speed. But I am never moving the CPU pitch success slider from 75 ever again. It was news to me that it was such a HUGE effect.

After those 3 downer games (but informative about sliders..silver lining!), the A's jumped on me a bit in game 1 of the series going up 2-0 in the first inning off a Seth Smith 2-run HR. However, my offense actually came to life a bit in the 4th inning plating 2, and then Thomas Neal hit team HR #1 of the season...a 2-run shot that took advantage of the short porch in left field at Minute Maid Park (). I was leading 4-2.

Then the A's came roaring back to re-take the lead 5-4 in the 5th. As an aside, I have noticed the AI is a bit rubberband-ish in the sense that the CPU tries to strike immediately after getting behind. However, it's nothing majorly irritating..in fact, it's kind of fun and challenging to lock them down.

The game played to a stalemate until the bottom of the 9th when magic happened. Down 5-4, Oakland brings closer Grant Balfour in for the SV chance to face the 8-9-1 of my lineup. Batters 1 and 2 (Thomas Neal and Brendan Ryan) are set down on line-outs. Things are looking grim...

Then, Gerardo Parra comes up and proceeds to walk on 4 pitches. Tying run on base. Next, Jose Altuve comes up, gets ahead 2-1, and taps a grounder to SS, which looks like a pretty sure thing to end the game, BUT Jed Lowrie (the former Stro), ranging up the middle, fires a throw to 1B off the mark, taking Brandon Moss off the bag up the RF line. E6. Runners on 1st and 2nd, 2 out, bottom of the 9th.

Up comes Brett Wallace, who was one of my top hitters in ST. First pitch, Balfour grooves a 4-seam FB lower-half/inner-third of the plate; Wallace connects (lefties like low and in)...ball goes over the fence opposite field (once again taking full advantage of the Crawford box seats in left (). Walk-off 3-run shot to send the fans home happy with a 7-5 win.

If that wasn't enough, the very next game, I was locked in a pitchers duel between my surprise 5th starter Adam Wilk against Oakland ace Brett Anderson. Seems unfair, doesn't it? Anyway, I was actually leading 1-0 into the 7th (and one-hitting them for good measure) when Wilk began to tire and his pitch meter starts going nuts. Unfortunately relief can't put out the fire, and I head to the bottom of the 7th down 3-1. Nothing doing.

Heading back to the bottom of the 9th again down 2.

Again, Oakland brings in Grant Balfour. Again my offense clicks to life...

Carlos Pena greets Balfour with a solo shot to right (this one would have left any park). Down 1.

Chris Carter comes up and laces a single up the middle. Jason Castro walks on 7 pitches. 1st and 2nd, down 1, no outs. Thomas Neal, takes strike one and two missing on bunt attempts to move the runners. 0-2 count.

Good thing the bunt didn't work, because Neal proceeded to send a walkoff 3-run shot over the RF wall on a Grant Balfour FB up and outer-third of the plate. Astros 5, A's 3. Back-to-back games with walk-off HRs! This game is freaking awesome.

The only downside is the Astros budget is pretty tight, and I may have to pay for a psychiatrist for Grant Balfour after all of that emotional abuse (0 for 2 in SVs with a 54 ERA)....

5 games into the regular season. Astros are 2-3, 3rd place in the AL West.

[steelereign]

Was a pain to find knuckleballers, only found 3- Dickey, Hal Harden(Some triple A Guy), and "Dana Yabu" Which is Wakefield, considering he's 46 years old.
-Traded Altuve for Pedro Alvarez. I lol'd at this trade offer.
Pitching Rotation
1.Ubaldo Jimenez
2.Daisuke Matsuzaka
3.Tim Wakefield
4.Jamie Moyer
5.Hal Harden

I find this to be the most entertaining bunch i've had. Just simulated spring training and won like 8 games. Picked up Chien Ming Wang for the hell of it too. World Champs 2013. Then they will all have to retire

Good luck with that!

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[xcmart19]

Re: MLB 2K13: The Franchise Mode Thread

Game one against the Rangers was a surprising pitching duel. Ubaldo looked strong, going 7 1/3 giving up 2 unearned runs. Felt like I should have personally apologized to him after Tyler greene dropped a liner at short, then proceeded to throw the ball 5 rows deep. Next inning Greene drops a grounder up the middle, Then RIGHT after that, Nelson Cruz hits a flyball to JD Martinez in right, He moves towards it, Stops, Jogs to the marker, and the ball proceeds to go through his body for a triple. Other than those mishaps, this team is awful as expected (71 overall), have 3 rookies starting i believe. Pedro Alvarez and Chris Carter are my only hopes offensively, So I may look into Giambi, Thome, etc. It was really a fun game, Ubaldo looked strong with 9k's. All thanks to 2k thinking he guns 98-100 consistently

[MizzouRah]

Re: MLB 2K13: The Franchise Mode Thread

Man your squad is old! lol

I wouldn't want to play them in the playoffs with all that veteran savvy though. Would have to catch 'em on bingo night!

Miguel Olivo vs. Pierzynski, isn't Olivo a much better defensive catcher also?

The Mets have Trout? Poor real-life Mets fans...I am a Cubs fan and I still feel bad for them...

Yeah we are old.. lol.. the CPU does a good job of drafting, I was quite surprised.

I need to look at Olivo's defensive ratings, but he has 3 bombs this spring.

[MizzouRah]

Re: MLB 2K13: The Franchise Mode Thread

I might start up a new franchise with my Cardinals once the rosters are finalized.

[jwkennedy]

Re: MLB 2K13: The Franchise Mode Thread

I'm playing with the Orioles and I went to the World Series, but lost the first year. I traded Nolan Riemold for A.J Burnett and Russell Martin. Then I decided to do trade finder for Matt Wieters. I found that I could get Craig Kimbrel. So I traded Matt. I haven't lost in 2 weeks.