Expansion - I just want it to happen . . .

[CHCfan]

No bells or whistles, no fancy draft, I don't even care if the new teams get the "right" expansion players, especially since all my imported rookies go into a draft anyway. In my historical league (started w/ TF's 1901 quickstart) I am approaching the time in MLB history where they began to add franchises. I plan on taking over a team in the early 21st century after an alternate MLB history has occured.

So basically, by 2006 I want 30 teams (with real life team names/cities/etc). I am not a historical perfectionist though, I don't care if it's messy 1960-1998, I just want a believable 100 years of stats and a stable league alignment.

If you haven't read this whole post, that's fine, here's the only important sentence : What's the easiest way to add a team, disregarding realistic, careful expansion?

Thanks.

[Tiger Fan]

There is just one way to add a team - from the edit league structure screen - so I assume by add a team you mean populate it with players. If so, here is a quick method I used:


After I created my new expansion teams I would (in commissioner mode) go to the free agent pool and assign all the free agents to the expansion teams. I had free agency turned off so there were only a couple of dozen free agents in there at any time if I recall correctly but that gave the expansion teams a base of players.

Next I went to every team in the league and manually moved 2 or 3 minor leaguers (or reserve roster if not playing with minor leagues) to each of the expansion teams. This can be done very quickly in commissioner mode simply by going to the player editor page and changing his team to your expansion club.

I think the whole process took about 15 minutes for each year of expansion.

[CHCfan]

Originally Posted by Tiger Fan

There is just one way to add a team - from the edit league structure screen - so I assume by add a team you mean populate it with players. If so, here is a quick method I used:

After I created my new expansion teams I would (in commissioner mode) go to the free agent pool and assign all the free agents to the expansion teams. I had free agency turned off so there were only a couple of dozen free agents in there at any time if I recall correctly but that gave the expansion teams a base of players.

Next I went to every team in the league and manually moved 2 or 3 minor leaguers (or reserve roster if not playing with minor leagues) to each of the expansion teams. This can be done very quickly in commissioner mode simply by going to the player editor page and changing his team to your expansion club.

I think the whole process took about 15 minutes for each year of expansion.

Cool, thanks, TF. That sounds like what I'm looking for.

[rdklein]

Originally Posted by CHCfan

Cool, thanks, TF. That sounds like what I'm looking for.

First time I saw that pic in your sig...

dude, thats friggin hilarious. gj

[Jeremy Weimer]

I'm just about to 1961 so this will come in handy for me as well.

[CHCfan]

On a related topic, is there an easier way to assign players to a team than to offer them all contracts and wait a few days?

[BadluckinOOTP]

Originally Posted by CHCfan

On a related topic, is there an easier way to assign players to a team than to offer them all contracts and wait a few days?

If you're in commissioner mode, go to the edit tab, and where it says the team they play for, click the down arrow, and the list of all the teams will come up and assign them where you'd like.

[CHCfan]

Originally Posted by BadluckinOOTP

If you're in commissioner mode, go to the edit tab, and where it says the team they play for, click the down arrow, and the list of all the teams will come up and assign them where you'd like.

Ah, I never would have thought to try the edit tab. Thanks a bunch.

[Tiger Fan]

sorry I wasn't clear. By player editor I meant the edit tab.

[Swimmer]

When I expand, I always add the team a year early, but don't schedule any games for them. So, for the 1960 season, I go ahead and add the Angels and the new Senators, but I don't click the generate schedule button.

That way, the teams exist, but sit out the year. They participate in the winter meetings and the ammy draft. At the beginning of 1961, I generate a schedule that includes the new teams. Then I add the Mets and the Colt .45s, but don't schedule them for the 1961 season, and the process repeats. Generally, the teams can fill their own rosters through free agency and the ammy draft.

[BadluckinOOTP]

Originally Posted by Swimmer

When I expand, I always add the team a year early, but don't schedule any games for them. So, for the 1960 season, I go ahead and add the Angels and the new Senators, but I don't click the generate schedule button.

That way, the teams exist, but sit out the year. They participate in the winter meetings and the ammy draft. At the beginning of 1961, I generate a schedule that includes the new teams. Then I add the Mets and the Colt .45s, but don't schedule them for the 1961 season, and the process repeats. Generally, the teams can fill their own rosters through free agency and the ammy draft.

I tried that as well, but it bothered me having a team 0-0 on my standings screen. To each their own though, I suppose.

[CHCfan]

Originally Posted by Swimmer

When I expand, I always add the team a year early, but don't schedule any games for them. So, for the 1960 season, I go ahead and add the Angels and the new Senators, but I don't click the generate schedule button.

That way, the teams exist, but sit out the year. They participate in the winter meetings and the ammy draft. At the beginning of 1961, I generate a schedule that includes the new teams. Then I add the Mets and the Colt .45s, but don't schedule them for the 1961 season, and the process repeats. Generally, the teams can fill their own rosters through free agency and the ammy draft.

Funny, that's what I actually did. On accident, though . Since I was simming years at a time, I didn't really mind the 0-0 records in tha standings. I like this method.

[Swimmer]

Originally Posted by BadluckinOOTP

I tried that as well, but it bothered me having a team 0-0 on my standings screen. To each their own though, I suppose.

It would bother me less if the 0-0 records sorted to the bottom of the standings like they're supposed to, rather than sitting in the middle of the standings for some weird reason.

[BadluckinOOTP]

Originally Posted by Swimmer

It would bother me less if the 0-0 records sorted to the bottom of the standings like they're supposed to, rather than sitting in the middle of the standings for some weird reason.

Yeah, that would help. And I'd also be afraid if in 1998 i added the D'Backs or the Devil Rays, and that season the division was really bad, and their .500 record (at 0-0) won them the division.

[Dr. P.R. Park III]

Originally Posted by Swimmer

When I expand, I always add the team a year early, but don't schedule any games for them. So, for the 1960 season, I go ahead and add the Angels and the new Senators, but I don't click the generate schedule button.

That way, the teams exist, but sit out the year. They participate in the winter meetings and the ammy draft. At the beginning of 1961, I generate a schedule that includes the new teams. Then I add the Mets and the Colt .45s, but don't schedule them for the 1961 season, and the process repeats. Generally, the teams can fill their own rosters through free agency and the ammy draft.

I did this, and for some reason, my game still schedules games for my expansion teams, even though I don't physically click on the generate schedule button. Is there an option I perhaps have checked in the set up that is allowing this? Thanks

[andymac]

Originally Posted by Dr. P.R. Park III

I did this, and for some reason, my game still schedules games for my expansion teams, even though I don't physically click on the generate schedule button. Is there an option I perhaps have checked in the set up that is allowing this? Thanks

It probably depends on when you add the team. You want to add the teams after the game generates the schedule for the season.