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Would financials not still be beneficial in a reserve clause league? The reserve clause let players become free agents if they held out for a year. Frankly, I would like to see players have different kinds of agents (adding no trade clauses, MLB contract vs. minor league contract, options, etc). Shoot, puresim could just take all of the cool stuff from Bill Beane front office baseball!

ORIGINAL: GoldenGreek

Would financials not still be beneficial in a reserve clause league? The reserve clause let players become free agents if they held out for a year. Frankly, I would like to see players have different kinds of agents (adding no trade clauses, MLB contract vs. minor league contract, options, etc). Shoot, puresim could just take all of the cool stuff from Bill Beane front office baseball!

One thing I'd like to see in the reserve clause era is something I'll call "limited financials". This means that the clubs each have a treasury that can be used to buy players from other teams, which was a common practice. In this fashion, teams like the Athletics can hold periodic "fire sales", which Connie Mack did indeed hold several times in his long career. Of course, this would require that each player have a minimum "cash value", but the money would NOT go into the player's pocket, as he was basically a commodity.

Introducing this concept would definitely illustrate how the owners once held sway over their "commodities". It would also illustrate how Branch Rickey's concept of the farm system was revolutionary, in that he could stockpile players, sell or trade them off, and then sign others. This was how he turned the Cardinals, and later the Dodgers, into perennial contenders.

I wonder if it would be beneficial to have the option for larger minor league systems with full team rosters and a set schedule for each team, etc. Then you could set minor league ballparks and truly see how a player might look in a minor league system. PS doesn't have a rookie ball or short season, nor does it have a fall league. I am guessing this is not a 1.85 update request, but just something to ponder as a future thought to build into the system.

If you'd like to see how that works, download the ootp demo.  I think it works for some who want all that micromanagement and it doesn't work for others.  When I play ootp, I use only AAA with a high school feeder league.  Any more is just too much for my brain to take in.

I agree with rich12545. PureSim doesn't overwhelm the player with micromanagement and minutiae, and I'd prefer to keep it that way. Wearing the hats of both GM and game-by-game dugout manager provides enough responsibility to keep me from getting bored.

ORIGINAL: puresimmer

Let's light this thread up, because I am going to next focus on nothing but making the AI more challenging. Especially in real player associations where human players currently have too much of an advantage.

Shaun,

Before I get to my question, I need to explain my logic. To determine how the AI GM ranks players, I did the following:
1. I offered my best player to the other team, and he offered anyone on his roster in return. Counting down his list in order shows me how he ranks his own players.
2. I offered to trade for his #40 player, and he would accept 35 of my players in return (he won't accept fictional players). Counting down my list in order shows me how he ranks my players.

Given those assumptions and using the new "tougher" AI GM in 1.84 BETA 2 and beyond, should I be able to trade my #7 and #10 rated players in a 2-for-1 to get another team's #2 player? I asking to see if that is how you intended the logic to work, or is that still a lopsided trade in favor of the human in your opinion? I am not being critical of the AI here. I am just trying to understand if you "fixed" it this way on purpose, or if it is still one of the issues that you haven't or couldn't address?

In case more information is helpful...

his #2 is 22 with potential of 16 (developing)
my #7 is 34 with potential of 1 (past peak)
my #10 is 29 with potential of 1 (past peak) but on his list of desired positions

Anyone else that wants to weigh in, please feel free. My opinion is that the AI is still unable to handle a multi-player trade without getting robbed, and I am avoiding this deal for reasons of competitive balance.

I think that baseball is a game of numbers, where over time, things "average out". While I am only now playing my first season, I know that my brother, who got me into this, has played the seasons 2001-2007, and just as I do, plays as the Cardinals. Early in the time frame , just as with the real life team, he was winning between 95-110 games, then, just as in real life, the 2006 version slipped, and the 2007 version tanked with injuries...so it was either a purely lucky coincidence to match real life, or very good simulation.The AI does have some issues, especially as I posted in a different topic about the Righty/Lefty matchups, but overall, judging from his experience in 7 + seasons, and mine in about 1/3 of a season, things should even out it seems to me.
By the way..a great community here, you all are very knowledgeable, thank you.