[Kelric]

I can't imagine that a slow machine would change how the game runs in any way, aside from... well... being slow. I, too, have an old slow machine and everything runs fine statistically. That's not the problem.

In the second game, you have it tied to career totals. Was Fisher constantly good throughout his career, or was his peak really that much better than his down years? (I'm too lazy to look him up.)

I would imagine the differences you are seeing are merely because of the game settings you created being so different. A peak season is just that - the best a guy has ever or will ever perform. Career totals can paint a vastly different picture. Adrian Beltre, for example.

And for the coincidental homers, it's just a coincidence.

Ratings are the core of the game - they matter immensely. That said, players can fluctuate from season to season. A guy rated 10 out of 10 in all categories can be super human for his entire career but have one or two off years in there, simply because sometimes bad seasons happen.