Defense

[jimi892]

The biggest thing I would like to see is a defense revamping. Right now, if you have a stud center fielder and they have no experience in left or right, their rating there is terrible. That isn't logical. A gold glove center fielder could play a decent left even if they've never played there before.

I think player should have a floor rating at a position based on their range/throwing/error ability. As you get more experience at a position, it will increase more, but it shouldn't start off at zero like it does now.

[RchW]

Originally Posted by jimi892

The biggest thing I would like to see is a defense revamping. Right now, if you have a stud center fielder and they have no experience in left or right, their rating there is terrible. That isn't logical. A gold glove center fielder could play a decent left even if they've never played there before.

I think player should have a rating at all positions based on their range/throwing/error ability. As you get more experience at a position, it will increase more, but it shouldn't start off at zero like it does now.

The core defensive ratings produce performance far more than the position ratings do. If a player has the right combination of core defensive ratings, the position rating will rise rapidly. Use spring training, or, force start in the minors, to get players some innings at specific positions and you'll see what I mean.

Edit

CF IRL do have trouble in LF or RF especially with balls tailing away down the line. FWIW when I played (nothing but amateur low level stuff), I could never get as comfortable in LF as I could in RF or CF.

[endgame]

Also, scouting on or off? There are occasions when a scout does not perceive the ability to play another position with any confidence, even though it may well exist. It manifests itself in quick development at that position when played there, and for less time than it might for another player. RchW hints at this with his post above. Experience drives the rating and with some players, that experience doesn't take very long to translate into a rating at that position.