What settings keep fakes out of historical?

[Arlie Latham]

Smedlap was a bum. His curve didn't curve and his fastball hadn't gained speed since his pony league days. No wonder the Tigers did so poorly that year.

[StyxNCa]

Originally Posted by Le Grande Orange

Minor leagues were not intended to be used for historical leagues. That's what the reserve roster is for - it operates as a de facto minor league where your extra or marginal major league players can go, and they will develop there just as if they were playing in a minor league. This method guarantees only actual major leaguers will ever play in your major leagues.

If you insist on having a minor leagues with your historical league, it can be done in such a way as to greatly limit the number of fictional players who might make it to the majors. Tiger Fan, in one of the blogs as well as in a number of posts on the forums, has outlined ways to do this and the settings involved. Trying running a couple of searches to see if you his posts on the subject, or try posting in the OOTPBB 2006: Historical Simulations forum.

The only problem with the reserve roster in historical replays is the only transactions that show are when you add a player to the active roster. The player being sent from the active roster isn't shown in transactions, either major transactions or all transactions. It just looks like you keep putting people on the active roster without making any room on it for them.

[The Wolf]

Originally Posted by spark240

If you can live with a baseball history in which, say, Chapman isn't killed, Ruth stays in Boston, Williams doesn't go to war, and Robinson's career ends with an injury in his second season...well, then, is it really such a big deal if Smedlap gets to pitch thirty games for the Tigers?

Smedlap is a problem because while having non-historical things happening to real people in the game is okay because you're replaying what might have been, having purely imaginary people in the game is not okay because they never were. It's the same kind of difference that there is in fiction between alternative history and fantasy.

[swampdragon]

Originally Posted by The Wolf

Smedlap is a problem because while having non-historical things happening to real people in the game is okay because you're replaying what might have been, having purely imaginary people in the game is not okay because they never were. It's the same kind of difference that there is in fiction between alternative history and fantasy.

Since there's no minor league database, the fictional players represent the huge number of players, many of them very talented, who never got to the majors. It's actually more realistic to have them in the game than not.

[LeafsFan2005NC]

Originally Posted by redsox45

3. No minor league database exists. Find a complete, authentic, all inclusive minor league database that spans the entire history of baseball, at all levels, AND convince the developer to give it to the gaming community and everyone's wishes will be granted. I don't see that happening though.

I believe one does exist. The problem is, it's creators have decided that money is more important and want to charge for public records. They may argue that they've spent thousands of man-hours pouring over records to create their database, but then you look at Retrosheet whose members perform the same tasks and release their findings for free.

[RchW]

Originally Posted by The Wolf

Smedlap is a problem because while having non-historical things happening to real people in the game is okay because you're replaying what might have been, having purely imaginary people in the game is not okay because they never were. It's the same kind of difference that there is in fiction between alternative history and fantasy.

Of course they were. There were hundreds of players who never made it for some reason or other. A knee injury, their mother died, they turned down a contract because they were needed on the farm. Again this is a matter of individual preference but I like a small fictional component to historical leagues.

Alternative history is fantasy beause it never happened.

[The Wolf]

I see your point, but the appearance of purely fictional players in historical sims does creep some historical simmers out. It's a good thing this game is so customizable.