Valuing Potential, Stats or Both?

[KG Erwin]

Right now, I have four players with a POT of 100. They are Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr, Elbie Fletcher and Johnny VanderMeer. Stats-wise, none of these guys are having outstanding years, but I'm looking forward to the future.

There is a delicate balancing act to be played, especially when it comes to declining vets who suddenly have career years. I suppose it is obvious that these vets now have their greatest value in the trade market. One regrets parting with them, but that's the way the business is run. I parted with a couple of very good but aging pitchers, but that's how I'm getting guys like Williams and Doerr.

That is one of many things I love about PS: tough and sometimes painful decisions must be made, for the "benefit of the team". At times, trading off a fan favorite makes one feel like a jerk, but it must be done.

[Max 86]

I know how you feel. I had Ernie Banks at 37 yrs old having a career year and I almost retired him before that season started! He is one of my 3 horses that carried my team to championships over a 14 year period. Eddie Mathews and Willie Mays being the other two. I finally retired Ernie and Eddie but Willie had a couple of years left and retired him at the ripe old age of 39. Gotta luv the old guys that can still pop 30HRs and 100+ RBIs. The funny thing is that I had Matty Alou and Willie Davis waiting in the wings to take over for Mays but he just wouldn't quit. Now, Alou is one of the best hitters in the league, just on another team.[:D]

On the potential front, I had Stevbe Carlton sitting in the minors for the first four or five years because he just couldn't get it together in the Bigs, even though he had all the potential in the world. But finally he made it and is now one of the mainstays in the rotation.

I guess my thing is, and we have talked about this in the past, if a player is with me for over 10 seasons I usually force retire him because I just can't let him go to another team. Its that emotional attachment thing that this game brings out like no other I have ever played.

[KG Erwin]

Thanks for replying, Max. I believe that many PS players get the emotional attachment that makes the game seem so "real". As for me, though, I'd just as soon trade off a veteran player rather than force-retire him.

However, an interesting idea (perhaps something for DDSBB) would be to suffer an "approval rating" drop when a popular player gets traded off. Of course, to do such a thing would require each player to have a "fan base rating (FBR) or fan base value (FBV)", which would be very subjective. This would have to somehow affect the player's performance, depending on the venue and his "FBR". Think Manny Ramirez, for example, or Barry Bonds. Another example is Tony Pena: when the Pirates traded him to the Cardinals, the Pirates' ownership most definitely lost some approval points.

[Max 86]

Fan Based Rating is a neat idea.  How do you see it affecting the game? Manager Rating at end of season or some other new Franchise/Owner rating?
 
Right now in the real world-Houston, I would say the FBR is pretty darn LOW.  This owner has got to be one of the most tigh-fisted SOBs around.
 
Maybe add a "Money Spent on Free Agents" rating too.