MLB 11 The Show "Franchise/Season" Progress Thread

[N51_rob]

Quote: Originally Posted by Legionnaire

Can one of you franchise guys steer me towards some help with franchise mode? Specifically how best to handle scouting the incoming guys for the amateur draft? I feel like I must be missing something, because I always end up having to make picks blindly, not knowing what guys' potential is supposed to be. I know my guys are scouting SOME players, but I feel like they're not scouting the entire pool of players. I've tried leaving the scouts to do their own thing. I've tried instructing them each to focus on the positions they specialize in. I've tried instructing them to focus on my positions of need. I feel like I've tried plenty of things, and all the drafts I've had (in this year or any other year's Show) end the same way... with me blindly picking a bunch of awful, useless players with low potential ratings. Because the scouting reports aren't filled in thoroughly enough to let me know what guy's potential is. Is this normal, or am I neglecting to do something to instruct my scouts? Do I have to manually go through and tell them 1-by-1 to scout every single player? By the way, I apologize if this isn't the correct place to ask this. Or if it's been answered somewhere else. On a board full of sports games, it's impossible to find the answer I'm looking for using the search tools when I'm asking about something as generic as "scouting." I got back a million search results, and nothing seemed relevant to my actual question. I figured I could ask here since this is where a bunch of franchise players are.

In my experience potential is one of the last things the scout unlocks. That takes 5 or 6 weeks. What I do is identify where I will be picking in the 1st round. Using the Orioles the past few years means I am usually in the Top 5. Then I ID needs. (SP, 2B, SS, 3B) Since I know that right off the bat I will be able to address one of these I focus on the highest rated guys at those positions though the entire country. When I get the full reports on those guys 6 weeks or so later. I ID late round guys for my scouts to focus on. I wont get full reports on those later guys but I look for things that I like in a player. The blurbs about average, power, or fielding and go off that for example. I still pick a little blind in the later rounds but I have a pretty good Idea for the 1st and possible 2nd round.

[haiuguyz]

While we're on the topic of scouting, do players progress if they don't enter the draft? Like if I have a 16-year-old SP who is supposed to be a stud, if he enters the draft 2 years later (when The Show will let him), will he be better than from two years before that?

[cardsleadtheway]

Quote: Originally Posted by Legionnaire

Can one of you franchise guys steer me towards some help with franchise mode? Specifically how best to handle scouting the incoming guys for the amateur draft? I feel like I must be missing something, because I always end up having to make picks blindly, not knowing what guys' potential is supposed to be. I know my guys are scouting SOME players, but I feel like they're not scouting the entire pool of players. I've tried leaving the scouts to do their own thing. I've tried instructing them each to focus on the positions they specialize in. I've tried instructing them to focus on my positions of need. I feel like I've tried plenty of things, and all the drafts I've had (in this year or any other year's Show) end the same way... with me blindly picking a bunch of awful, useless players with low potential ratings. Because the scouting reports aren't filled in thoroughly enough to let me know what guy's potential is. Is this normal, or am I neglecting to do something to instruct my scouts? Do I have to manually go through and tell them 1-by-1 to scout every single player? By the way, I apologize if this isn't the correct place to ask this. Or if it's been answered somewhere else. On a board full of sports games, it's impossible to find the answer I'm looking for using the search tools when I'm asking about something as generic as "scouting." I got back a million search results, and nothing seemed relevant to my actual question. I figured I could ask here since this is where a bunch of franchise players are.

There are some really detailed threads here on scouting, but they can be hard to find. Search function helps, but not always. Anyway, what I have found is that you want to hire the most expensive scouts so that you can scout the most amount of people. You scout the player until you reveal the potential only. All other attributes are readily available on the player's card come draft day. The potential scouting report may be the first revealed, the last, or anywhere between. It is all random.

How you know what the potential is comes from looking at any player card from any player in baseball that has less than 4 years of service time. It will resemble the last line on the current players' scouting cards and will be something like "a stud", "sure thing", "loaded with potential", etc. You don't need to know what each means, you just need to reveal it. Come draft day, you will be able to see the letter grade on the card.

Once you have revealed a player's potential, move on to another player. When the draft comes, try to grab up an A or B potential player that you have scouted. If you see a player that does not have a scouting report, but is rated highly, he will always be a D or an F. So don't draft him unless he is 22+, rated highly, and a positional need. Otherwise, skip over him and go for someone you have scouted with at least a C potential.

[haiuguyz]

How do you get to the scouting card on draft day? Square?

[h2oPr00f]

I was able to get some revenge on the Phillies in the 2nd game in the series, I teed off on Joe Blanton. There was a 14mph wind blowing out to left field. unsurprisingly, the game was a slugfest.

Reyes and Brown both hit 2 HRs and im pretty sure the batboy went deep as well.

9-5 was the final score as my bullpen continues to get killed. Izzy on verge of waiver wire.

I am now 4-1, Halladay vs Johan next

[gcoons22]

Sorry if this has been discussed but how do most of you play out your Franchise? Do you try and play all 162 games? I hate the thought of simming my team's games but don't have the time to play 162. I've considered season mode and playing 82 games or less. Just curious.....

[cardsleadtheway]

Quote: Originally Posted by gcoons22

Sorry if this has been discussed but how do most of you play out your Franchise? Do you try and play all 162 games? I hate the thought of simming my team's games but don't have the time to play 162. I've considered season mode and playing 82 games or less. Just curious.....

I have always been a 162 guy plus spring training and playoffs (if lucky). I just started a one game a series approach and love it. I will end up playing about a third of the games, but still enough to have some influence as well as having a lot of fun. I can then get through multiple seasons to see how my draft picks turn out, which is the most enjoyable part of playing a dynasty for me.

[franch1se]

I'm up 4 games at the All Star Break. I'm the Padres, Giants are in 2nd. Beginning a 4 game series now. Last game before the break though Ludwick broke his ankle and is out 2-3 months. Crap. Game 1 after the break is Latos (12-1) vs BUMgarner (10-0). Also, proud to say, Heath Bell at the break has 26 saves with a 0.00 ERA. I went a whole half without giving up a run with him as did the CPU. I play 1 game a series so its pretty amazing he still has a perfect ERA.

[jeremym480]

Quote: Originally Posted by gcoons22

Sorry if this has been discussed but how do most of you play out your Franchise? Do you try and play all 162 games? I hate the thought of simming my team's games but don't have the time to play 162. I've considered season mode and playing 82 games or less. Just curious.....

I play the first ten games of the season (really 11, keep reading). Then playing one and "sim" five. That way I can play with each of the starting pitchers about once a month. One thing I must note is I don't actually "sim" the games. I start them up normally then Fast Forward to the 7th inning. If it's a close game then I intervene from there. If not, then I FF a half inning at a time and join in as I see fit. This way I get a hand in the outcome of most all of the games.

[franch1se]

Quote: Originally Posted by jeremym480

I play the first ten games of the season (really 11, keep reading). Then playing one and "sim" five. That way I can play with each of the starting pitchers about once a month. One thing I must note is I don't actually "sim" the games. I start them up normally then Fast Forward to the 7th inning. If it's a close game then I intervene from there. If not, then I FF a half inning at a time and join in as I see fit. This way I get a hand in the outcome of most all of the games.

When I play, I play everything as long as the game is tied. When I take the lead I pitch only, when I fall behind I bat only.