Utility Players

scottrleo1 · 06-17-2008, 01:56 PM

This has been a complaint of all baseball games for me. I wonder if ootp9 will resolve this issue. It seems that very few (if any) utility players are created/developed by the AI. It would be nice to have a guy in the minors that could play 1st, left, and right, without forcing him to develop there. Or a player that can play all of the infield positions and maybe a corner outfield spot (ala a ryan freel) Any thoughts on how ootp handles this?

Kelric · 06-17-2008, 02:09 PM

OOTP does a fine job creating guys that are capable of being utility players. Just recently I was able to draft a guy who is not only a good catcher, but had 7 and 8s (out of 10s) for infield ratings as well. He just had to get experience at infield spots and now he's my super backup catcher.

As for whether the AI realizes that it should be developing utility players once it drafts guys that can handle the job in the field, I don't know. Never really followed that.

Who Killed Kenny? · 06-17-2008, 02:17 PM

I saw the AI move a catcher with excellent infield ratings to 1B and then later to SS. Its a weird progression but he was able to play those positions well, so no big deal IMHO.

teak88 · 06-17-2008, 02:51 PM

IRL, I think it's fair to say that utility players are never drafted. Everyone who is drafted is a star somewhere on draft day. (For perspective, last night I was watching the college WS, GA-Miami, and the announcers were going on about the number of top draft picks on the two teams; they then noted one guy, think the UGA 3B, and said how he "had hit his limit...wouldn't be playing anywhere next yr...but a real leader...blah, blah, blah"; as I recall the guy was hitting .320 w/ ~15 HRs for one of the top programs in the country)

So this guy is not good enough to be drafted; stands to reason that the utility infielder on some HS team in Oregon is not going to be drafted.

So, of course, what happens is that most of the 1000 guys/stars who sign every year begin to hit their limit. Because they are HS/college stars, ie great athletes, most of them can play multiple positions; some take advantage of this to get to the MLs as utility players, which they wouldn't be able to do as everyday players.

I think your question ought better be phrased: "Why doesn't the AI define players by skills (ie arm strength, range, etc) rather than by position - and allow us to decide where to take advantage of these skills. Then if you want to put A-Rod at 3B instead of SS, it works. Likewise, there are no RFs who can't also play LF, but most haven't the range to play CF. Similarly, all CFs can also play LF but a lot don't hit enough to take that position.

I know arm strength, etc is modelled in ootp8, but it seems to be over-ridden by the position that is "assigned" to a player. A 2B w/ a good arm and good range will still not make a good SS.

Erik W. · 06-17-2008, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teak88

So this guy is not good enough to be drafted; stands to reason that the utility infielder on some HS team in Oregon is not going to be drafted.

A MLB utility man was a star on his high school team 9 times out of 10, not a utility guy.

teak88 · 06-17-2008, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erik W.

A MLB utility man was a star on his high school team 9 times out of 10, not a utility guy.

I think that's what I said; and I'll raise you to 10 out of 10

Erik W. · 06-17-2008, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teak88

I think that's what I said; and I'll raise you to 10 out of 10

Sorry, not enough sleep. My reading comprehension is low today.

I thought you were saying utility players were found via means other than the draft.

06-17-2008, 01:56 PM	#1 (permalink)
scottrleo1 Minors (Single A) Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 57 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0x in 0 posts	Utility Players This has been a complaint of all baseball games for me. I wonder if ootp9 will resolve this issue. It seems that very few (if any) utility players are created/developed by the AI. It would be nice to have a guy in the minors that could play 1st, left, and right, without forcing him to develop there. Or a player that can play all of the infield positions and maybe a corner outfield spot (ala a ryan freel) Any thoughts on how ootp handles this?

06-17-2008, 02:09 PM	#2 (permalink)
Kelric Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Greater Boston Area Posts: 3,983 Thanks: 7 Thanked 46x in 36 posts	OOTP does a fine job creating guys that are capable of being utility players. Just recently I was able to draft a guy who is not only a good catcher, but had 7 and 8s (out of 10s) for infield ratings as well. He just had to get experience at infield spots and now he's my super backup catcher. As for whether the AI realizes that it should be developing utility players once it drafts guys that can handle the job in the field, I don't know. Never really followed that. __________________ Former Co-Commish and owner of the Boston Red Sox, 1783-1144, .609%, of the defunct Overlords Baseball League (1930-48). 17 Division wins, 9 ALCS wins, 5 World Series wins.

06-17-2008, 02:51 PM	#4 (permalink)
teak88 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 193 Thanks: 0 Thanked 5x in 2 posts	Real Life... IRL, I think it's fair to say that utility players are never drafted. Everyone who is drafted is a star somewhere on draft day. (For perspective, last night I was watching the college WS, GA-Miami, and the announcers were going on about the number of top draft picks on the two teams; they then noted one guy, think the UGA 3B, and said how he "had hit his limit...wouldn't be playing anywhere next yr...but a real leader...blah, blah, blah"; as I recall the guy was hitting .320 w/ ~15 HRs for one of the top programs in the country) So this guy is not good enough to be drafted; stands to reason that the utility infielder on some HS team in Oregon is not going to be drafted. So, of course, what happens is that most of the 1000 guys/stars who sign every year begin to hit their limit. Because they are HS/college stars, ie great athletes, most of them can play multiple positions; some take advantage of this to get to the MLs as utility players, which they wouldn't be able to do as everyday players. I think your question ought better be phrased: "Why doesn't the AI define players by skills (ie arm strength, range, etc) rather than by position - and allow us to decide where to take advantage of these skills. Then if you want to put A-Rod at 3B instead of SS, it works. Likewise, there are no RFs who can't also play LF, but most haven't the range to play CF. Similarly, all CFs can also play LF but a lot don't hit enough to take that position. I know arm strength, etc is modelled in ootp8, but it seems to be over-ridden by the position that is "assigned" to a player. A 2B w/ a good arm and good range will still not make a good SS.

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06-17-2008, 02:17 PM	#3 (permalink)
Who Killed Kenny? Major Leagues Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 391 Thanks: 29 Thanked 40x in 29 posts	I saw the AI move a catcher with excellent infield ratings to 1B and then later to SS. Its a weird progression but he was able to play those positions well, so no big deal IMHO.