Anyone using one of the top contenders in franchise mode and how do you go about it?

[geisterhome]

Hey guys, I get the feeling that most people on here (at least those not using their hometown team every year) are looking for some kind of challenge in franchise mode, like either a complete rebuild, blow up a team totally, make it to the WS with a fringe contender, or develop a young talented team.

Going with one of the big time favorites appear to be a less popular thing to do around here. For me only the Cardinals, Dodgers, Nationals and Tigers belong to that category this year.
Are their some of you who are doing a serious franchise with one of those teams and what motivates you to do so? Some might consider it boring since those team are pretty much set up and there is not much for you to leave your footprint.

[HozAndMoose]

Quote: Originally Posted by geisterhome

Hey guys, I get the feeling that most people on here (at least those not using their hometown team every year) are looking for some kind of challenge in franchise mode, like either a complete rebuild, blow up a team totally, make it to the WS with a fringe contender, or develop a young talented team. Going with one of the big time favorites appear to be a less popular thing to do around here. For me only the Cardinals, Dodgers, Nationals, Tigers and Royals belong to that category this year. Are their some of you who are doing a serious franchise with one of those teams and what motivates you to do so? Some might consider it boring since those team are pretty much set up and there is not much for you to leave your footprint.

Fixed that for you.

Ive done it in the past. It was just nice to win with a team right away for once after so many years having to build up KC.

[Bullit]

My local teams are the Nationals and The Orioles. So I am doing a franchise with both this year.

I never used to use my favorite team because it was kind of overdose with watching them everyday then playing with them everyday as well. I usually did like what it seems the majority do and play with another team. But not this year and with the addition of year to year saves, now that we know how they work, it definitely is very enjoyable to be playing with me team.

With the Nationals I actually traded away some of the older players and man let me tell you it was really liberating. It truly feels like my team now. Storing up some payroll since I have 3 Aces coming up for free agency at the same time. I am also thinking of trading away Fister or Gio, maybe go after a young hungry Ace to take their place. Definitely want to keep Zimmerman (both of them) and Harper, who is tearing it up for me even more than real life. Already traded Werth and a Prospect to Philly and picked up Revere. Since I picked him up a month ago he is hitting .429 with a dozen or so stolen bases. I am sitting 10 games up starting September and my team is healthy and rolling. If I keep playing like this (knock on wood) I am making a very serious run at the World Series.

[geisterhome]

Quote: Originally Posted by HozAndMoose

Fixed that for you. Ive done it in the past. It was just nice to win with a team right away for once after so many years having to build up KC.

Lol, you might be right. Just with all their SP rated in the 70 in the game I decided not to put them on the list. Another case could be made for the Mariners.

Quote: Originally Posted by Bullit

My local teams are the Nationals and The Orioles. So I am doing a franchise with both this year. I never used to use my favorite team because it was kind of overdose with watching them everyday then playing with them everyday as well. I usually did like what it seems the majority do and play with another team. But not this year and with the addition of year to year saves, now that we know how they work, it definitely is very enjoyable to be playing with me team. With the Nationals I actually traded away some of the older players and man let me tell you it was really liberating. It truly feels like my team now. Storing up some payroll since I have 3 Aces coming up for free agency at the same time. I am also thinking of trading away Fister or Gio, maybe go after a young hungry Ace to take their place. Definitely want to keep Zimmerman (both of them) and Harper, who is tearing it up for me even more than real life. Already traded Werth and a Prospect to Philly and picked up Revere. Since I picked him up a month ago he is hitting .429 with a dozen or so stolen bases. I am sitting 10 games up starting September and my team is healthy and rolling. If I keep playing like this (knock on wood) I am making a very serious run at the World Series.

Interesting read! I actually did the random franchise team pick like a user suggested in another thread and ended up getting the Dodgers lol. So I'm wondering what to make out of it since I NEVER used a team which is just that good before in The Show.

[ShowTyme15]

I'm a Dodgers fan and I never use them. I like a challenge (as if this game isn't challenging enough). The last time I used the Dodgers was MLB 2k7. This year I'll be running a Rangers Franchise and try and build that team up. Of course I'll be without Profar and Darvish as I will manually injure them along will every other teams out for season injuries. They have some pieces I could trade and some pieces to build with. My plan is to see where I am at by the All Star Break and go from there. Should be exciting and challenging at the same time.

[Bullit]

In my opinion in can be just as difficult to keep a top team good. As your team gets older you really have to have your prospects in place to be ready to take over. As the Dodgers a lot of their core is getting older. You really need to scout out and develop for a few years down the road. You never know when the injuries will start to pile up. Suppose something happens to Kershaw? Who do you have to come up and take his place for an extended period of time. Suppose you just have a run of bad luck and the powers that be drop your payroll, then what are you going to do.

There are just as many factors to keeping a big budget team good as making a low budget team good. Look at the real life Yankees and Red Sox or the Phillies. All three of them are about two or three injuries away from a dumpster fire. Not as much this year for NY or Boston but they are certainly not in their usual form right now.

When I feel like starting a random franchise, I do something I have never seen on OS. I start a RTTS and enter the draft. Whatever team I get drafted to that is the team I play in franchise. Then I edit one of the players to be my guy from the RTTS game and play him in the minors with the player lock feature. Well not this year, since it is still broken to the best of my knowledge. So that way I kind of have the best of both worlds. A random frachise, but now I also have some personal interest in the minor league system and that really helps me become completely vested in the franchise.

[dvazquez190]

Quote: Originally Posted by geisterhome

Lol, you might be right. Just with all their SP rated in the 70 in the game I decided not to put them on the list. Another case could be made for the Mariners. Interesting read! I actually did the random franchise team pick like a user suggested in another thread and ended up getting the Dodgers lol. So I'm wondering what to make out of it since I NEVER used a team which is just that good before in The Show.

I've done both. Started a Franchise with a bad team in a bad market and i've started one with a great team in a great market. I think it boils down to what you want to do with that Franchise. Normally when you start with a bad team and you're looking to rebuild you do a lot of simulating. Once you're comfortable with your changes and you've gotten a good influx of young talent then you tend to play with the franchise. When you start with a good team you play right away and look to win ASAP.

The most challenging part (for me) of playing with a team that's good from the start is to NOT make any moves. It's very easy to make moves that make the team better. The problem is a lot of time they don't make sense when trying to be fair. If you decide to play with a good team, play with that team. Don't choose who you want to play with and try and move others to put you in a better position for the future when you're trying to win now. It kills some of the realism.

[rjackson]

Quote: Originally Posted by Bullit

In my opinion in can be just as difficult to keep a top team good. As your team gets older you really have to have your prospects in place to be ready to take over. As the Dodgers a lot of their core is getting older. You really need to scout out and develop for a few years down the road. You never know when the injuries will start to pile up. Suppose something happens to Kershaw? Who do you have to come up and take his place for an extended period of time. Suppose you just have a run of bad luck and the powers that be drop your payroll, then what are you going to do. There are just as many factors to keeping a big budget team good as making a low budget team good. Look at the real life Yankees and Red Sox or the Phillies. All three of them are about two or three injuries away from a dumpster fire. Not as much this year for NY or Boston but they are certainly not in their usual form right now. When I feel like starting a random franchise, I do something I have never seen on OS. I start a RTTS and enter the draft. Whatever team I get drafted to that is the team I play in franchise. Then I edit one of the players to be my guy from the RTTS game and play him in the minors with the player lock feature. Well not this year, since it is still broken to the best of my knowledge. So that way I kind of have the best of both worlds. A random frachise, but now I also have some personal interest in the minor league system and that really helps me become completely vested in the franchise.

Good points and I don't like to sim so I shouldn't feel guilty about taking a good team. I really like the RTTS idea but I'll keep doing drafts until I come down to one of the few teams I am considering playing with. I've got to ask, though, what is broken on the player lock?