I was just curious about what everyone thought was more difficult and/or enjoyable long term, taking over an existing franchise or utilizing a fantasy draft franchise. I've started one of each, a regular Cubs franchise and a fantasy draft Cubs franchise, each with the same settings and base rosters, and I get conflicting results.
The regular Cubs franchise is a lot more difficult initially but I get absolutely zero joy out of it. I'm a Cubs fan, although disillusioned in recent years, so playing with guys I have minimal control over and have grown to hate (Soriano
) is just not that fun.
The fantasy draft franchise is a whole lot more fun, I love picking MY guys and setting up the entire organization how I want it, down to the prospects I select and I can create a team as I like it. Speed, defense, pitching, power, whatever. The problem is, it seems WAY too easy to have a loaded team. I've done a few fantasy drafts and try and keep a young, prospect laden team but it seems like I end up with a great organization top to bottom while the CPU teams maybe have less so. I still lost plenty of games (I play them all and struggle at times), but it seems like the team is just a whole lot better and the CPU doesn't draft well.
My main fantasy draft ended up having a starting lineup of Trout, Kemp, Harper in the OF (backed up by Jennings). Wright, Aviles, Kipnis, Butler in the IF (backed by Andino and Moustakas). Avila and Ramos catching. Dan Hudson, Drabek, Norris, Duffy were my main starters and my 5th starter ended up being Jarrod Parker and then Alexei Ogando. Chapman and Jansen as key RP.
That is a fairly solid, albeit young MLB roster. But my minor leagues were insane (and I specifically drafted these guys over more established players). My AAA rotation was Bauer, Bundy, Parker (when Ogando went to the rotation), Taillon, Cole. My AA rotation featured Skaggs. That is 5 A potential prospects in the rotation.
My AAA hitters included Wil Myers (who I returned to catcher), Mike Moustakas (after I demoted him), Anthony Rizzo and Jurickson Profar. All A potential. My AA hitters included Alex Presley (a current MLB guy), Bubba Starling, Josh Vitters and Mat Gamel. My three levels of teams were filled with about 15 top 30 real life prospects and a few more that have been up a year or two.
I guess I'm not sure which I prefer. I don't want to feel like I totally fleece the CPU in the fantasy draft, but I'd like to get more joy out of playing the game that franchise mode doesn't offer.