Player Value and Available Player List

[polydamas]

I haven't played OOTP for very long (only a few in game years), but this idea came to me after watching the trade deadline madness: player values.

I know what you are thinking, does he mean there ratings? No. Well, not really. Their rating is mostly static going up as they develop and down as they regress (I assume :P), but their value always shifts.

An example:

Jim Smith is a 2 star player, but he is hitting .343 with 28 home runs and 83 RBIs at the deadline (just for easy stat comparison reference), so in a normal league, he would be top 5 in those stat catagories. His value therefore is higher because of the way that he is playing.

Player Value Calculation

Age 1-5
Ability 1-10
Potential 1-10
Recent Performance 1-10
Market (explained later) 1-15

EI Ubaldo Jimenez

Age 4 (only 27)
Ability 9
Potential 10
Recent Performance 6 (5-3 in last 10 games)
Market 13

Value 42 of 50


Now, none of this really matters without the next feature: Available Player list.

Everybody knows that when a team realizes it's playoff hopes are crushed and it's near the deadline, they will think about trading some of their star players to a contender so that they can get something out of their season. So, the AI in this situation (out of playoff contention), should identify the most talented players on their roster and make them "available", like Pence or Jimenez.

This will move them to an available players screen, which consists of free agents and players that have been deemed available by their respective teams.

Now for how the available players ties into player value: the market.

The available players will be divided into two main lists: the list for their respective position and an overall list.

Each list will be rated out of five based on the talent.

Say you have one five star, one four star, and three three star pitchers available. The market would then be rated at 5 stars, meaning that it is really deep at talent. As you seen before, this goes into determining player value. Good market=less value for a player.

Market calculation
# of stars in top 5 available/ 5
# of stars starting at that position on all teams/ number of players starting

available>starting 5* market
available=starting 4* market
any worse would be variable (explained later)

Say their are 5 teams (with their starting 3B shown)

Dogs- Johnson 5*
Cats- Bell 2*
Bullets- Vincent 3*
Heathens- Thor 4*
Sharks- Hill 1*

and the top 5 free agents are

Johnson 5* (available through trade) [the dogs are in last]
Edson 3*
Griffin 1*
Ulando 1*
Maclon 1*

# of stars in top 5 available/ 5
11/5=2.2 (can't do math this late :P)
# of stars starting at that position on all teams/ number of players starting
15/5=3

So, the market is weak, because the average starter is better than the average player available. That means that Johnson's value will be really high, especially since he is the best guy available.

If the market was stacked say an average of 4, then Johnson's value would drop, because team's could go after one of the other players available and not have to spend as much to get him (especially with the market the way it is).


Sorry if that was a bunch of random rambling as it now seems to me lol


EDIT:

I was also thinking that value could change based on the team.

For instance, Carlos Beltran was more valuable to the Giants than other teams, because the Giants were struggling on offense. If your team is last in HRs then you will want a new bat. If you are struggling to keep your ERA low, then a good starting pitcher is what you will dream about at night. This should also inflate player values. I'll try to revise the calculations.

Age 1-5
Ability 1-15
Potential 1-15
Recent Performance 1-20
Market 1-25
Team need 1-20

Overall 1-100

Teams would calculate their own player's values differently

Ability 1-10
Potential 1-10
Contract 1-15
Team Performance 1-25
Market Value 1-15
On team positional value 1-25

Overall 1-100

So, (using Johnson as an example)

Johnson 3B
25 years old
1 year left on contract
hitting .343 with 28 home runs and 83 RBIs at the deadline
bad market
team is in last place
backup is 3*

Ability 9
Potential 10
Contract 3 (about to expire)
Team Performance 5
Market Value 4 (market sucks so tradeability is high)
On team positional value 15

Overall 46 of 100

To the Sharks

Johnson 3B
25 years old
hitting .343 with 28 home runs and 83 RBIs at the deadline
bad market
Sharks lack good hitters

Age 5
Ability 13
Potential 15
Recent Performance 18
Market 22
Team need 17

Overall value 90

So the Dogs will look for a trade because they aren't in contention, they have a good backup, and Johnson contract is about to run out. The Sharks want him, because he is good, available, and they need him in their lineup.

The Sharks value Johnson very highly, because he is playing well, he is a good player, and most importantly the market sucks. So, the Sharks will be willing to give up their top prospects to acquire him.

[polydamas]

WARNING: CALCULATIONS NOW OUTDATED

Just another quick example using Johnson again.

Johnson 3B
25 years old
hitting .343 with 28 home runs and 83 RBIs at the deadline
bad market

Age 5
Ability 9
Potential 10
Recent Performance 10
Market 13

Overall value 47

So, it's going to cost an arm and a leg to get this guy, but let's change a few variables.

Johnson 3B
25 years old
hitting .343 with 28 home runs and 83 RBIs at the deadline
great market

Age 5
Ability 9
Potential 10
Recent Performance 10
Market 5

Overall value 39

So now it costs a little bit to get him, but not as much as before. Let's change how he has been doing.

Johnson 3B
25 years old
hitting .213 with 12 home runs and 40 RBIs at the deadline
great market

Age 5
Ability 9
Potential 10
Recent Performance 3
Market 5

Overall value 32

Know it doesn't cost very much at all to get him. Let's reverse this comparison a bit by saying that the Bullets are looking to trade Vincent and Johnson is no longer available for trade.

Vincent 3B
23 years old
hitting .322 with 9 home runs and 72 RBIs at the deadline
terrible market

Age 5
Ability 6
Potential 7
Recent Performance 10
Market 14

Overall value 42

So, although Vincent is not a great player, the market sucks and Sharks desperately need an upgrade. With no one else to turn to, they choose to trade for Vincent who is on a tear lately and is a guy who they think can help propel them into the playoffs.

Johnson>>Vincent, but in the right market with the right performance Vincent can actually be as valuable as Johnson.

[polydamas]

The Bourn trade just made me think of this again lol.


I'll post some mock-ups of a players available list later today if anyone is interested.