Draft Day Deal Breakers

[Caulfield]

when drafting , do you have any deal breakers or red flags when it comes time to make your pick? I mean this can be anything from attributes to height (or lack of) to weight to age , or even superstition (never draft anybody from Wyoming) & everything in between . I even have a sort of deal breaker for free agent pitchers : I tend to shy away from righty relievers with only a 3 pitch mix . I'll take a lefty with 3 pitches but for righthanders I prefer 4 pitches

[moTIGS]

Deal breaker is a bit strong, because I’ll always overlook problem areas if a guy is otherwise good (trade bait if nothing else).

I really don’t like guys 23-25 years old. Normally I treat them like 18-year-olds and edit their ages after the fact (for my team and CPU teams, ignoring guys with potential below 75).

I pass on pitchers who have low H/9 and BB/9 but high K/9 and HR/9. Hits and walks matter so much more when simming games. If a pitcher doesn’t have at least a 50 on draft day in one of those two key areas, I won’t pick him unless it’s purely with the expectation of trading him.

High injury risk is something I rarely will draft. Exception being a starter I intend to make a reliever (using Armor’s stamina for durability editing rule) or a pure DH, where durability matters far less.

I also tend to shy away from players from Korea, Taiwan, Jamaica, Netherlands, etc., because if they ever make it to the show and decide they want a compatriot, it’s harder to find. Similarly, I sometimes give a slight edge to players from states like Oregon where there is no team, because they will never ask to play close to home (it’s based on state as far as I can tell). Ensures that morale factor remains neutral.

[Caulfield]

good stuff Tigs, I'd never taken into consideration compatriots before though I did know it existed

[MightyMaxxx13]

Quote: Originally Posted by moTIGS

I pass on pitchers who have low H/9 and BB/9 but high K/9 and HR/9. Hits and walks matter so much more when simming games. If a pitcher doesn’t have at least a 50 on draft day in one of those two key areas, I won’t pick him unless it’s purely with the expectation of trading him.

This for me as well. Pitchers with low BB/9 specifically tend to sim very poorly

[moTIGS]

Honestly, it’s barely worth considering.

If a player is happy with his role, likes his salary, you have good coaches, and he’s performing well, a compatriot/regional penalty for morale is irrelevant.

One other deal breaker I didn’t mention (but perhaps my most important): Players who aren’t good. If a guy’s current ratings look like he’ll start out in the 40s or low 50s overall, I basically consider him undraftable, regardless of his potential. By the time those guys are good enough to contribute (if they ever are), they might be 30. I’d rather not use a spot on my 90-man for a decade on a guy who might be good eventually.

I’d much rather draft a 68-overall guy with 78 potential than a 48-overall player with 98 potential. The latter’s only use for me is in a trade. The former might actually play.

[Caulfield]

Yeah trying to find a compatriot for an unusual country wouldn't be a deal breaker for me but if I'm trying to decide between 2 players where all else is equal it could now be a tie breaker for me

[BigOscar]

Most of the true "deal breakers" I edit tbh, so starters with stamina below 70, or position players with durability so low I suspect them of having some kind of bone disease. Same goes for Asians with terrible English first names! (Dave Kagawa from Japan etc)

I tend to avoid really low overall players and players who are glove first, as I think the progression system doesn't suit them (everyone improves hugely in fielding, so a great starting glove is a bit unnecessary and the bat will pretty much never catch up)

[moTIGS]

Quote: Originally Posted by BigOscar

Most of the true "deal breakers" I edit tbh, so starters with stamina below 70, or position players with durability so low I suspect them of having some kind of bone disease. Same goes for Asians with terrible English first names! (Dave Kagawa from Japan etc) I tend to avoid really low overall players and players who are glove first, as I think the progression system doesn't suit them (everyone improves hugely in fielding, so a great starting glove is a bit unnecessary and the bat will pretty much never catch up)

Both good ones.

Last year I had a Japanese reliever named Jerry Coppola. I was tempted to edit it every time I looked at my roster, but I never did.

I don’t avoid glove-first guys, but you’re right that they never seem to develop. Seems like prospects have to hit to progress at all. Any player I draft who can’t hit, I either assume he never will (if he’s a great defender with speed, I can use that on my bench sometimes) or stash him in A ball until his stats improve (where they get modest improvements across the board).