More on In-Game Managing Styles (Full Version)

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KG Erwin -> More on In-Game Managing Styles (1/31/2007 1:25:50 AM)

Ordinarily, the word "conservative" is not in my vocabulary, but I'm finding out that in my Pure-Sim play, I tend to play the percentages.

In reading over my descriptions of my draft-league team, I try to accentuate its strengths, which is reasonable enough. I try to play "real", which means not going out of my way to inflate stats against weak teams. However, unconsciously, I still do this, and I realize it.

I love my pitchers, but I will occasionally push them a bit to earn a complete game. I keep a close watch on pitch speed. The weird thing about this is that a guy's fastball may lose something in one inning, and in the next he's tossing heat.

I use the steal, the hit and run, and the sac bunt quite a bit.

On the defense, I never call for the "guard lines" alignment. I frankly see no use in it. "Outfield deep" : in the old-time parks, which were so quirky in their design, it's useful once in awhile. "Infield-in" : I only do this when I'm forced into it. It works on occasion, but it usually comes back to bite me.

Intentional walks : forget it.

Pitching around a batter: yes, absolutely. If it's Ted Williams or Babe Ruth or Barry Bonds or someone of similar stature, you don't give that guy anything to hit. If you luck out and strike out one of the big-lumber guys, it's a particular satisfaction.

So, am I a "typical" Pure-Sim manager, or do you guys have different philosophies?




Frozen Stiffer -> RE: More on In-Game Managing Styles (1/31/2007 3:19:55 AM)

I know, live and breathe exactly what you're saying, KG. I've got this fictional association that I started as a 2004 thing way back with PSB 2005. My team just finished its 100th game of the 2008 season, so it's been going strong for about 4 and 2/3rd seasons. The best part is, I've managed each and every game my team has played, and I could not agree with you more on how it sort of 'changes' how you play.

There are times when my pitcher makes a stupid pitch or there's an unfavorable result and I hear myself saying "You got yourself into it, you get yourself out of it"; I won't pull them. I'll make them EARN their way by WORKING to get out of the inning. I rarely pull my pitchers early, even when they get slammed in the beginning of a game, usually because a little voice in the back of my head is saying "Yes, but if you leave them in, each out will lower that suddenly swollen ERA". Managing games almost REQUIRES you to micromanage the details. I bunt more often than I would have thought, I use pinch runners, pinch hitters, defensive replacements- everything.

However, I too am a sucker for the stats. I will leave that pitcher in who's thrown 169 pitches just because it's the top of the 9th and if he gets these three outs and they don't score, he'll take the league for complete games.

Still, there's nothing like really living and enjoying each game- you really get "close" to your players and you begin to get a feel for them that just doesn't materialize when you sim in batches. For example, I have this one player who's hits well overall, but when there's runners in scoring position, when it's CLUTCH-TIME, he chokes. I find myself muttering, "typical..." as if it was almost EXPECTED of that player! You get attached to them, really. There's one guy, a pitcher that I nicknamed him "456", beause he's strong in the 1st-3rd innings and the 7th-9th, but he goes soft during the 4th, 5th and 6th. You wouldn't know that from simming.

On intentional walks? Never touched the stuff. That rots your brain, man. Just say NO.

So to answer your question, I woud say: "If you are, then so am I."

=o/

Hmmm... not much of an answer, was it...



akcranker -> RE: More on In-Game Managing Styles (2/20/2007 2:44:14 PM)

I play alot like you guy's.. I occasionally run a pure GM league just to see how many championships I can rack up or whatever but I really do prefer to manage every single game for the same reasons you guy's mention.  I love getting to know my players and trying to get them that extra hit to make a record or lead the league.  I also have had players where in a situation you know they will fail or succeed.  It makes the game so much more enjoyable.

Sadly I haven't played PS in quite a long time.  I need to reinstall it again soon and get back to "disappearing" for days on end.  My computer crashed several months ago so I just haven't reloaded everything yet.  Man you all got me itching to play again!!!

P.S... can't wait to check out PS CE :)



jimkehn -> RE: More on In-Game Managing Styles (2/21/2007 1:28:28 AM)

I don't manage many games. I let the AI manage, but rather, watch them. Well......I don't actually sit and watch the whole thing. This lets me do other things while PS is running in the background. Frozen Stiffer, I too am playing fictional. This is so much fun, as you don't hafta be disappointed when Todd Helton bats .282. But, even though I don't manage, I do know what you are talking about. I have some clutch hitters and some chokers.  Guys go thru streaks. Dominick Mcnair (relief pitcher) started the season pitching 20 some scoreless innings. Led the league in ERA for the longest time. He has been slumping and now has slipped to second in ERA. He is 20 and has a great future in the bigs. My 2nd baseman, Paul Price has led the league in SB for the last 4 years. This year, he turned 35 and has been caught more than he's stolen. I have now unchecked the steaol frequently box. But....I brought up a new guy....Andrew Casey... a young buck CF about 22 or 23. Speed 87. He is burning up the bases and batting in the .330's. It is late August and I brought him up early June. I think he's for real. Then you have the injury prone. James Riddell (Starting Pitcher) has a velocity of 100 and could routinely strike out 12 or 13 men in a complete game. Now, he is 33 and every season he spends more time injured. This season (my 6th) he has been injured more than he has played. ERA has slipped to the 4.60's, and strikeouts have slipped to about 7 or 8 per 9. Interesting.......all the nuances this game takes into account. I'm lovin it!!!!



KG Erwin -> RE: More on In-Game Managing Styles (2/21/2007 2:48:48 AM)

I'm glad for the responses, guys. Whether fictional or real, yeah, some of these virtual players actually seem to acquire "personalities". I'm finding myself having meetings with certain players in my "Locker" diary when they aren't performing well or seem to be "displeased" with their roles.

Also, I'm finding that I really dislike facing certain pitchers or batters from opposing teams, or dislike the "atmosphere" in certain ballparks. I know that seems odd, but when going to the weird bathtub-shaped Polo Grounds, I always feel a bit of trepidation. When you play out every game, the subconscious psychological effects do manifest themselves, whether you consciously realize it or not.

The immersion level of this game, or any other, is not fully understood. Part of my brain is compartmentalized into that world. The role-playing aspect is definitely there, and I believe it is a healthy escape from real-world stresses. I don't wanna get too deep into analyzing this, but I believe that a game that demands decision-making and rational thinking is good for you. Well, enough of my philosophizing. Let's play ball! [;)]



cdvalenta -> RE: More on In-Game Managing Styles (2/21/2007 4:29:39 AM)

I am glad to know that I am not the only one who thinks players develope personalities and feel certain players are "clutch". I am in my second season of my fictional association and have managed everygame. I really enjoy watching my players ups and downs.

As far as in game managing style - I play very aggressive. My team is built around a few speedsters so I do a lot of hit and runs and attempt a lot of stolen bases. For some reason I find it satisfying to get a guy on base, sacrifice him over to second, and have him score on a base hit. I just love manufacturing runs like that.




puresimmer -> RE: More on In-Game Managing Styles (2/21/2007 4:35:01 AM)

Inspiring thread. I am feeling a surge of PureSim development coming on :) Must be that Spring is in the air (at least here in South Carolina)



SirWolf1960 -> Inspiration is good! (2/21/2007 9:13:55 PM)

Glad to see you inspired again, Shaun. [:)]

While I am more of a GM player, it is cool to see the manager types enjoying the game as much as I do. I think that exactly what you had in mind as you developed this thing.

Steve



Frozen Stiffer -> RE: Inspiration is good! (2/21/2007 11:31:59 PM)

Nicknames.

I think that is an under-utilized tool that is appreciated most (if at all by anyone else) by game-by-game managers such as ourselves. When they were initially drafted, or when I take on a player, if they happen to have a nickname, I remove it. I know the nicknames are random and I have nothing against them. However, I personally like to give fitting nicknames, not random ones. For example...

Paul Marco is "Mr. Dependable"- he's always 'good', occasionally 'great', and when you REALLY need him to be, he becomes 'outstanding.

Lou "Spotlight" Krozicky earned that one because he's a great pinch hitter but a horrible daily player; i.e. he's only good when in the spotlight.

Then you have Bill "Sticky" Bryce; I've seen rocks who swing a bat better but this man has hands made of glue and pine sap; he's a top-notch fielder.

Vin "Iron Man" Copper, my star closer, earned his nick because of his actual name and because he'll pitch more than one inning if that's what it takes to make the save.

For me, players should EARN their nicknames, they're not just given to them. Granted, a handful may get one out of thin air or because of a play on their own name. However, most of mine have come from a personality they began to exhibit. More than once have I assigned a nickname, then swapped it out for one that was more fitting

That's just me. 



Fouts -> RE: Inspiration is good! (2/22/2007 1:31:51 PM)

I enjoy managing all my games.  I started a 12 team fictional league, that I want to take through expansion. 

One thing that bothers me with Puresim is that the AI teams don't use their 5th start very much.  By the end of the season, their #1's have 42 starts while mine have 32 (154 games).  Really too much work for me to figure out if my starters are rested enough to skip the #5.  Maybe I'm missing something where I can set this easily.



jimkehn -> RE: Inspiration is good! (2/22/2007 3:48:03 PM)

I dunno Fouts....I usually just skip my 5th starter....unless it is one of those gruelling 12 days in row stretches...then I might start the 5th in rotation.

Coming down the home stretch in my 6th season fictional. My pitching is going in the toilette. Don't think I'll finish first this year.  8^(

Unless we have a sudden surge like two seasons ago. With two weeks left I was like 5 games behind, and everyone on the team got a hot streak at once. It also so happened that the three teams ahead of me were on my schedule. Clinced the pennant on the last day of the season. Man, that was exciting.



Frozen Stiffer -> RE: Inspiration is good! (2/22/2007 8:30:49 PM)

My team must be a freak of nature, then. I use my 5th starter the entire season and even into the playoffs. Perhaps I'm just fortunate, but I have 5 great starters and actually, a 6th great starter that got demoted to a long-reliever/spot starter. I didn't intend to stockpile that much quality pitching, but things just worked out in my favor due to a well-orchestrated trade that helped me get rid of a surprisingly large number of left fielders.






KG Erwin -> RE: Inspiration is good! (2/24/2007 10:59:30 PM)

OK, for you guys who use historical ballparks, the effects of playing in them are profound. In my late 40s league, I'm finding that the decisive hits are doubles (frequently happen) and triples ( sometimes). The home run and the stolen base, while dramatic from the fan point-of-view, don't matter that much in the strategic sense.

In playing PS from a manager's point of view, I'm getting a much different sense of "what it takes to win a game" than an average fan in the grandstands. Is this a good thing? Absolutely.

However, does the Pure-Sim in-game managing experience mirror what happens in real life? I'd like to think that it does, but I have no way of verifying it.




JReb -> RE: More on In-Game Managing Styles (3/2/2007 3:12:21 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: KG Erwin

I love my pitchers, but I will occasionally push them a bit to earn a complete game. I keep a close watch on pitch speed. The weird thing about this is that a guy's fastball may lose something in one inning, and in the next he's tossing heat.

I use the steal, the hit and run, and the sac bunt quite a bit.

On the defense, I never call for the "guard lines" alignment. I frankly see no use in it. "Outfield deep" : in the old-time parks, which were so quirky in their design, it's useful once in awhile. "Infield-in" : I only do this when I'm forced into it. It works on occasion, but it usually comes back to bite me.

Intentional walks : forget it.

Pitching around a batter: yes, absolutely. If it's Ted Williams or Babe Ruth or Barry Bonds or someone of similar stature, you don't give that guy anything to hit. If you luck out and strike out one of the big-lumber guys, it's a particular satisfaction.

So, am I a "typical" Pure-Sim manager, or do you guys have different philosophies?




I use endurance as a loose rule of thumb for pith count, and I mean real loose! For instance, a 75 means that after about 6 innings I look at pitch count and how well the pitcher is doing. If things are going good, he throws #75 in the 7th and I start closely monitoring.

I use the steal, the hit and run, and the sac bunt quite a bit. DITTO

Outfield deep occasionally, usually when paranoia sets in!

Intentional walk one time in 2 seasons. Protecting 1 run lead in 9th against opposing team leader in HR and RBIs.

Sometimes pitch around but mostly depends on pitcher. Let the high paid studs square off one on one. Thats what the fans pay to see. You know, those voices you hear when playing the game.[;)]




KG Erwin -> RE: More on In-Game Managing Styles (3/2/2007 3:24:43 AM)

That's one of the things I love about this game. You start to develop (or so I'd like to think) a manager's intuition. Once in awhile, you just have this urge to do something unexpected. When it works, you get a sense of pride, or just thank your lucky stars your hunch played out.

When it doesn't , you may feel like a jerk and wonder "why in the heck did I do that?".

Some guys wonder why we click through every at-bat. The above should partially explain it. [;)]



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