Small Markets Get Better Prospects?

[takaplan]

I dont know, but I have my scouting set to 25th or 26th in the league and i am constantly getting great prospects. im a small market, and ive noticed most of the quality prospects are winding up in small markets, soemtimes with very low farm system expenses. some of the large markets, with farm systems in the top 10, are getting all F's and D's.

this is probably just a fluke, right?

tom

[Particleman]

It's proabably because small market teams finish with a poor record. What determines the quality of rookies is 2 things. farm spending and how poorly you finish.

[BBM]

That's no fluke, I had a colorado team that had get into the playoff in 10 straight years but still i have not got a rookie have any C in any department, but for those who cant get into the playoffs, keep getting BBBB propects. I guess it's because worser team get to draft earily.

[Schaefling]

My teams consistently make the playoffs. They are all also good market teams. I usually spend a lot on my farm systems and I have gotten some very good to excellent rookie pitchers. I rarely get good players with just a few notable exceptions.

The computer may be picking more players for teams who draft high because of poor records thereby letting some decent pitchers get through for teams that draft towards the end. Other computer baseball strategy games like Out of the Park baseball make computer teams focus on players over pitchers during the amateur draft. In any case, if this is happening it would explain the results I'm getting.

I just hope that all the money I spend on my farm systems is the reason I at least get some decent rookie pitchers. Otherwise Im probably spending more than I need to spend.

[Slugger222]

bias toward the small market teams as far as prospects goes. I have LA in NABL, and have not gotten a single prospect with an A other than in endurance or fielding/health. And no double A's. A bunch of B's and C's.

This despite finishing poorly, (15 and 4 games below .500) in the two seasons we have been playing.

Did I mention that I made sure that I was #1 in farm system both years?

But I have noticed that I seem to get more of them.

Personally, I'd rather have a single stud than three average Joe's.

[Particleman]

I find that the number of average joes I'm getting in general is increasing. I think they've changed rookie development so that they aren't studs right off the bat, and they're stats improve more over time, at least in terms of positional players that is. There seem to be a lot more pitchers that can perform right away than hitters.

[Schaefling]

I like the idea of bias in rookie development for small and medium markets although I do think if a team spends a lot on their farm systems they should get something for the money they spend.


If rookie players are now developing more over time that would also be good news. Now if only they would greatly reduce the number of D and F players. In my opinion, they should reserve an F rating for speed and possibly health on some players.

[drew]

I manage Oakland in the All-Star League and for the past two years I have had a decent record and have received absolutely amazing prospects. My first year, I got reliever Rafael Ponts who has had an ERA below 3 for his second season in a row. And now, to make up for Tim Hudson whom I lost to free agency, my nombre uno starter Cy Ium was drafted. And by the way, I don't think it's a coincidence that everyone has been saying there are compensatory draft picks. That's how my team survives!

[Particleman]

Well there's someone who's controlling KC in one of my leagues, he's dumping 120 pts into his farm system, plus he has had horrendous 100+ loss seasons the last few years, yet he continues to get some D & F prospects. I don't think Kansas City is a big market, so it's either compensetory what you are experiencing or coincidence.

Anyways, I think farm spending and such still has an effect, but I think rookies entering the league have been much more randomized, which I think is a great decision, as before there was no way that small markets could compete in terms of farm spending.

[Slugger222]

I know from posts from the JG and CD that there is a two, or three tier system for selecting the draft picks:

1: Team Record
2: Strength of Farm System
3: Trading between clubs in the lower farm systems.

The third part may be sending more picks to small market teams.

I know that as Los Angeles in NABL, I made sure that I was #1 in Farm system for all three years. I finished 5th, 4th, 2nd. I did not have a single quality prospect until my third year. And then I did have a couple.

I also have not seen too much improvement in the young guys who came in - at least according to the scouting reports. I did see at least one B+ turn into an A-, but that is about it.

[kohut]

Development is random...

I had a couple young guys 23 and 25 I signed as free agents... one went from a B- contact to A- the other went up to a A from a B-

Scouting gives you an accurate rating which is what their real skill is.

Farm drafts the players.

[Particleman]

On a side note, I think Clay has heard our cries about horrible hitters. Since the most recent update, I've noticed that I'm finally begining to see half decent hitters again (about 2 new rookie superstar hitters per season throughout the entire league, although they don't have the immediate impact in their rookie seasons they once did). Hopefully once all the dreadfully poor hitters from the past couple of seasons before this most recent update retire, we'll see scoring slowly climb back to normal levels. Is anyone else noticing slight improvement in rookie hitters or is it just my imagination.

[kohut]

Im not. In NABL the hitters are attrocious. Although I have developed 2 really good DH's that were projects.

The days of Juan Gonzalez swatting 79 HR's and 235 RBI's are long gone. Thats a good thing.

THe days of Frank Castillo going 45-0 over 3 seasons are long gone. Thats a good thing.

And the days of teams being absolutely dominant are long gone. No more 145-17 record.

Anyways, I think the hitting could be boosted some more.

BTW, If Clay reads this what happened to the
A - endurance
A - control
C - power
A - movement
pitcher.