Any idea how to get a more even opponent when playing online? I’m a level 40 silver with a sub .500 online record (I’ll admit, I’m a casual player, rather than someone who is really good) but seem to always come up against opponents with .800+ records who are stupidly good - a few recent ones have been a level 93 gold, 23 diamond and 14 prestige!!!

Unsurprisingly, I lost convincingly, with most of my pitches (even those thrown deliberately miles outside the zone) getting smashed around the yard.

Any ideas how to make it more likely to find a realistic match? Boring for me getting destroyed and boring for the other guy who must feel like he’s facing batting practice.

Thank you!

@jrbufford1 said in Long Reliever Spot in the Pen - SP:

Tyler Alexander - your welcome

can only echo this. 93 rated, 60 stamina. Not particularly high velocity but he's a lefty so that is always useful for throwing guys off, especially if they've loaded their lineup with LH bats. plus it's a good way to get some Tiger innings for any grinds/dailies you're doing without having to use Newhouser all the time - slowest pitching motion around (except maybe Lefty Grove) and his control online is shocking!

@MarinerMatt01 said in Please Allow Guess Pitch in RS:

I know it’s going to be a fastball up and in. You’ve been spamming that pitch all game yet I still can’t get around it. While we are it, being back injuries for diving back to first, prevent that lead off BS. Seems like there is almost no recourse for this actions.

the only way you can know for sure what's coming is if you're an Astro. two bangs = fastball up and in!

@raesONE said in Can't Hit With Mantle:

I'm gonna say something totally opposite; if you don't like a guy or don't perform well with him, just go with someone else and don't tell yourself to keep giving him try after try just because he was that expensive to acquire or because his attributes across the board look so great.

At the end of the day, you not performing well with him will become a thing you're mentally aware of everytime he's up to the plate. It's much smarter to go with a guy you're more confident with, even though the attributes might not be as great.

As an example, Mike Piazza is by far the best hitting catcher in the game. On paper. In reality, I can't hit with him if my life would depend on it, while others do fine with him. His swing is just so slow it seems. So I could go on and on and keep trying to get it going. But I'd much rather play Posada behind the dish who is far worse when you look at the attributes, but his swing is quick and smooth and I absolutely demolish the baseball with him. So when he's up, I'm feeling good and confident instead of having to worry about his slow swing like I do with Piazza. That decision making will win me games down the line.

couldn't agree more. I get so convinced I 'have' to have an all 99 lineup, but more often than not this involves using guys I can't get good at bats from. 97 Jesse Winker has been a revelation in left field for me and knocks 99 Minoso to the bench. Likewise I'd take 97/98 Bellinger at 1B over 99 Ortiz.

I'm going for the whole lot currently. Some teams that I'd completely ignored until I started this in earnest meant I had some catching up to do (was at about 6% for the Blue Jays - apparently I don't use many of their players!!) but quite enjoying getting the collections done. Now at 48/60 Faces of the Franchise (all the 30 'base' ones, plus 18 of the sellable 97+ cards for the end of TA3). Making progress on the rest and enjoying having challenges to go for, e.g. pitch a certain number of innings with Future Star players or hit so many XBH with players from certain teams. That said, I couldn't even get out the first inning with Nick Lodolo (Reds) in my last Ranked Seasons game, so that one may take a bit longer to achieve!

Feels like it breaks up the game from using the same Trout, Mantle, Walker/Harper outfield each time tooby having to actually use the cards I've spent months of my life grinding to get, either for innings or for hits/XBH/RBIs etc. Finding a few hidden gems too that otherwise I'd overlook - Topps Now 94 Austin Hays (Baltimore) one of the most surprising picks thus far. Enjoying the game SO MUCH more as it feels like I'm working towards something, rather than just grinding for 300 stars to get another 99 player that I don't even want

I think 'Balanced' refers to the balance between contact and power. I've normally only seen it when a batter is up and you press R2 it'll say either 'Contact', 'Balanced' or 'Power'. Equally though, they may change depending on if it's a RHP or LHP on the mound, as they may have good balanced ratings against RHP but be power only against lefties, for example.

@Lornee56 said in What a start to the new ranked season:

I played a guy who bunted every batter, stole every pitch and then on pitchouts got in rundowns every time. After 3 innings of this and a 3-2 score, he left the game on unattended and allowed me to score 39 more runs for my all prestigeable lineup. It was like winning at every turn of the slot machine. 3 lineouts or I would still be playing. You never know when playing a douche, they could be a beautiful douche!

I had this recently too. Luckily I'd got a lineup with the older Correa, Hanley and Didi cards that I'm still trying to prestige. Gave a very welcome boost to their stats. Wherever he/she is, thank you.

can't be as bad as Finest Nick Anderson. The guy gets lit up every single time!

@arvcpa said in Ideas for new player attributes:

@jz2016cubs said in Ideas for new player attributes:

@Thierry007007 said in Ideas for new player attributes:

@SpudXpert27 said in Ideas for new player attributes:

@Jeviduty said in Ideas for new player attributes:

OP do you pick these topics out of a hat before you make these threads? Lol

I swear he has a journal that he writes these ideas down to save for later

Not at all. I think of something and I immediately make a post about it. That simple my guy.

I have thought of a bunch of ideas. I want to post them, but I never do...…….
If I did, I would have WAY more topics, and dumb ideas. lol

Post what you think is your dumbest idea RIGHT NOW.

thinking Finest Nick Anderson can come out of the bullpen and get me out of a bases loaded mess.

I've usually been an avid DD player, and whenever I've done Franchise I've picked a team, traded the whole farm to win in Year 1 then got bored, or turned money off and just bought the best players. As a Red Sox fan I thought I'd actually do it properly, and see what our GM is working with... an over-priced payroll of aging veterans, with a handful of good prospects but not much else to shout about.

I've thoroughly enjoyed playing around with front/back loading contracts to give myself some financial wiggle room, and getting guys like Eovaldi, JD Martinez and Pedroia off the roster has helped me actually go after some decent players too. Lots and lots of trading (made AJ Preller look pedestrian) has also helped, always trying to max out the 'value' I get from a trade even with mid level B or C rated players knowing I can spin them on for someone I actually want afterwards.

Now in the 2022 offseason having won the World Series in 2020 and 2022, and losing in the ALDS in 2021. Now with a 90+ potential prospect in every position behind an 85+ starter, I couldn't be happier with how the roster is shaping up. Managed to get Bellinger off the trading block (!!) from the Dodgers, albeit had to cough up Max Muncy (who I'd traded for the year before), Benintendi and a top infield prospect to do it, Eloy Jimenez in exchange for Teoscar Hernandez (90 rated at the time) and two years of Chris Sale, and then got Yelich in free agency to create a star studded team.

Have been lucky with a couple of trades I've been offered, I think. Orioles sent me Adley Rutschman for a 22 year old relief prospect, which I doubt would happen in real life given he was the first overall pick, but enjoying properly scouting players and actually trying to make sensible short and long term decisions, rather than just buying the best team and force trading Mike Trout for Jackie Bradley Jr. like I have in the past!

Couldn't agree more. The second worst 99 reliever, behind Nick Anderson's "Finest" card...

I've usually been an avid DD player, and whenever I've done Franchise I've picked a team, traded the whole farm to win in Year 1 then got bored, or turned money off and just bought the best players. As a Red Sox fan I thought I'd actually do it properly, and see what our GM is working with... an over-priced payroll of aging veterans, with a handful of good prospects but not much else to shout about.

I've thoroughly enjoyed playing around with front/back loading contracts to give myself some financial wiggle room, and getting guys like Eovaldi, JD Martinez and Pedroia off the roster has helped me actually go after some decent players too. Lots and lots of trading (made AJ Preller look pedestrian) has also helped, always trying to max out the 'value' I get from a trade even with mid level B or C rated players knowing I can spin them on for someone I actually want afterwards.

Now in the 2022 offseason having won the World Series in 2020 and 2022, and losing in the ALDS in 2021. Now with a 90+ potential prospect in every position behind an 85+ starter, I couldn't be happier with how the roster is shaping up. Managed to get Bellinger off the trading block (!!) from the Dodgers, albeit had to cough up Max Muncy (who I'd traded for the year before), Benintendi and a top infield prospect to do it, Eloy Jimenez in exchange for Teoscar Hernandez (90 rated at the time) and two years of Chris Sale, and then got Yelich in free agency to create a star studded team.

Have been lucky with a couple of trades I've been offered, I think. Orioles sent me Adley Rutschman for a 22 year old relief prospect, which I doubt would happen in real life given he was the first overall pick, but enjoying properly scouting players and actually trying to make sensible short and long term decisions, rather than just buying the best team and force trading Mike Trout for Jackie Bradley Jr. like I have in the past!

the problem with being a UK player is these packs/bundles usually drop in the afternoon/evening US time while we're asleep - woke up this morning to Sell Now my Ortiz for 21,000. Hardly as exciting as the 200,000 he would have been worth before the packs dropped!

@TheGoaler said in The Cleveland Baseball Team....:

'Rockers' sounds cool, until your pitchers get rocked!

Doubt they'd go with it given Colorado's name. Can't imagine the Rockers playing the Rockies!

I've only started to dabble with him recently as I try to prestige him. Find him very mixed. Last start was 5.2 scoreless, 9 Ks. Start before he didn't get out the third inning, so definitely not 'reliable' in that regard!

As above.... MVP Joe Morgan.

123 C and 107 P vs righties, 92 speed and great defense. What's not to love?

@arvcpa said in Ideas for new player attributes:

@jz2016cubs said in Ideas for new player attributes:

@Thierry007007 said in Ideas for new player attributes:

@SpudXpert27 said in Ideas for new player attributes:

@Jeviduty said in Ideas for new player attributes:

OP do you pick these topics out of a hat before you make these threads? Lol

I swear he has a journal that he writes these ideas down to save for later

Not at all. I think of something and I immediately make a post about it. That simple my guy.

I have thought of a bunch of ideas. I want to post them, but I never do...…….
If I did, I would have WAY more topics, and dumb ideas. lol

Post what you think is your dumbest idea RIGHT NOW.

thinking Finest Nick Anderson can come out of the bullpen and get me out of a bases loaded mess.

Agreed. I think Lou Brock's 1974 season is the most impressive. 118 stolen bases in his age 35 season! Did get caught 33 times but we won't dwell on that part...

the same reason on the Duvy x3 moment with Adam Duvall that sometimes you come to the plate and he's 0-3 despite having already hit two home runs in the real game prior to that at bat!

Whenever I'm trying to get holds, I use the guy I want the hold with as my third pitcher to ensure that he's not going to be in line for the win instead of the hold. For instance, if I take a 1-0 lead in the 1st inning, I'd go:

1st inning - Starter
2nd inning - entering with the lead - Reliever 1 (gets the win) gets two outs. Intentionally walk the third guy, then bring in Reliever 2 (enters in a hold situation - only needs one out to complete the inning and register the hold).