Broken Bat - Help: Rebuilding time?

Forum >> Help >> Rebuilding time?

Post ID	Date & Time	Game Date	Function

#52339	08/18/2017 5:46:53 am
mjreichard Joined: 10/22/2016 Posts: 143 New Orleans Knights IV.5	I was in the same boat when I took over a team. I tried to work with anybody under 33. I had two years of .500 play, then won 99 games and the championship. However, moving up then to level IV killed me because all of those guys were old. We lost over 100 games. So, now I am in slow rebuilding mode too. My mistake was not slowly moving out 32-34 year old guys for younger players along the way. All of a sudden my whole roster was old and losing SI and I had few young replacements.

#52344	08/18/2017 6:35:47 am
newtman Joined: 11/02/2013 Posts: 3343 Inactive	At LL V and VI you really want to phase out anyone 30 or older in my opinion. The goal is to reach the higher league levels, and the last thing you want to do is arrive in a higher league with a roster in decline (players start declining in Broken Bat around 32).

#52347	08/18/2017 6:40:07 am
maiaz Joined: 08/16/2017 Posts: 3 Inactive	So do I try to get waivers? Max 26-27 Years old? Also, how much is the penalty for playing a good fielder in a position he is not familiar in?

#52352	08/18/2017 7:06:24 am
brentswagger Joined: 03/22/2016 Posts: 265 Lakeville Bears IV.2	I don't completely agree with the opinions of others. When I took over my team I climbed a couple divisions quickly but then went into rebuild mode and dropped to division V because I threw in all kinds of younger pickups and my minor league system still wasn't ready. I have now been competitive just missing promotion to IV by 1 game last season and currently in first place in what is a tight race this season. I didn't find much enjoyment in getting my butt handed to me while declining and it's tougher to climb your way back up. If I were to do it again I would continue to always try to improve my farm system. I would look for some of those good players in the 25-30 year old range to replace my over 30 guys. I wouldn't play an older player if it meant not getting at bats for someone with higher potential than the veteran but I wouldn't drop a good player just to get younger (maybe if wages were a concern). I would rather stay competitive in the years it takes to get your minors built up and you start seeing some of those guys coming onto your major league squad. I feel both a painful rebuild or a slow transition both take the same amount of time if you have a terrible farm system so I would rather at least be winning some games while I wait.

#52354	08/18/2017 7:19:11 am
Deuce Joined: 06/07/2016 Posts: 279 New London Rippers V.3	I tend to agree with brentswagger. I'm in the middle of a total rebuild too and just went through a season where i had to play all very young guys and lost over 100 games..not fun at all. You have a lot of good hitters who are old but don't have very high salaries. I'd keep the talented/cheap ones around and stay competitive and learn the finer points of managing. I'd focus heavily on very young talent(17-22 range) to stock the minor system with and of course still put claims on other good talent that don't have crazy salaries.

#52367	08/18/2017 1:26:22 pm
amalric7 Joined: 01/20/2016 Posts: 2237 New York Lancers V.4	Honestly, everyone is right. Many new owners find themselves with total rebuilds but I've looked over Aurora previously, and you have a pretty good team (much like I did when I took over back in 2026, though your pitching and minors - I had two prospects total - are better). So wholesale changes aren't required here, IMO. You do need to get younger but the older guys look good (for the most part) and are cheap, so if they're still performing leave them be. You have a bunch of 26-27 year-olds in AAA that need promoted or cut. I'll give you a roster rundown:- C: Drake a great catcher, has it all bar power. Even at 34 he's still getting it done. You do need a catching prospect, and Arm (16+) is the most important defensive attribute. 1B: Saavedra and Huff (who is also a fine C) have this covered, though you'd like more Power. Hidalgo is a decent reserve bat who could also play OF (position eligibility isn't hugely important there; Saavedra could cover OF in emergencies too), but again lacks power. You might consider playing Mejia here or at DH: he has all the hit tools and is an outstanding fielder, plus he has more power than these guys and his 5 Range won't hurt you at 1B/DH. You can DH/OF the others in this case. See my OF comments too. 2B: You don't have a proper one but keep putting Carson out there. He doesn't have position eligibility but does have 157 games there (including minors) so might get to the small 2b within half a season if you're lucky. He has ideal fielding skills for the position (high Fielding and Range) and has a decent bat. 3B: Norris has had a good career but at 35 he's probably done, I'd cut. Tovar will always blow hot and cold with the low BC & PD. You could improve here. SS: Martin needed to be cut but Fontaine is only average at best, and would preferably be a backup at best. A good defensive SS is hugely important, ideally 15+ in Fielding, Range and Arm, or as close to it as you can get. OF: Bradley is a good on-base, defensive guy but doesn't hit enough, and Pagliarulo is a backup who is too much like everyone else and isn't as good. I'd probably cut both as soon as you need the roster space. Mejia as I said is a 1B/DH only but so is Martin, which means you have something of a roster crunch at 1B. The problem is they're all good but they're all old, while the 'worst' of them is also the youngest (Hidalgo, who is still decent). Robles also falls into this category but 12 Range is almost passable in the OF and gets him out of the logjam elsewhere. Craig can play anywhere in the OF (great Range), and Espositio should be your full-time CF but hasn't hit righties well so far. P: Kemp, Hill and Fowler have probably been past it for three seasons or so, but at least Hill is still cutting it (for now). Camacho is coming off two good seasons but isn't a good build and looks done. Vela and Couch aren't good but are holding their own for now. These guys all need replaced, which is easier said than done. The rest of your staff are good, and Juarez is a bonafide stud. Minors: Ideally you want 12+ potential (POT) players. Hitters who can hit (hit and/or power in their scouting report), pitchers who can pitch (an out pitch for fastball and/or breaking ball), and good fielding for the MI positions. AAA: Reid and Bentley are too old for the minors so need called up, they're not great but could replace some of the old guys until you find better replacements. Sommers spent too long in AA so could probably come up, but leaving him in AAA won't hurt him. Webb is okay but I doubt Shannon works out: low change of speed and movement and a lot of points in fielding for a 12 POT are all bad signs. D'Ignoto is behind in development so needs this season and next in AAA. Mills needs called up but is all fastball and nothing else, and doesn't have a high ceiling as an 11 POT: keep him if you're desperate, but otherwise cut. Ed Merrill might never hit for a high average but would make a decent 2B, so train him there on your minors page. John Merrill doesn't have a good build, I'd try him at 3B. Wilson has a reasonable bat and solid glove but his Range only fits 1B, so I'd move him there. Covington is another guy with an average bat but will make a decent backup 1B/OF. AA: Clawson needs promoted to AAA but there's not huge upside there. Raymond is okay. McKinney is your best prospect. Palmer is a 1B only but again, no pure hit report. Sheridan is an average backup OF, cut material. Norris is an instant cut. A: Baugh is a cut; your first draft pick was as bad as mine, and mine was in the first round! Overall you have a very solid team, no reason you can't contend this season. As was said previously, you need to get younger and you need some better prospects in your minors, but those things are a work in progress. Good luck!

#52377	08/18/2017 3:17:52 pm
newtman Joined: 11/02/2013 Posts: 3343 Inactive	I was in the same league as tetrahydroc for a couple of seasons, he ran a pretty decent ball club for over 15 seasons (he started before me). It wouldn't surprise me if amalric's assessment isn't dead on, my only hesitancy is that the natural temptation when keeping older players on is to take at bats away from younger prospects behind them who are in need of them. I promoted multiple times while starting 3-5 rookies, including as recently as 2 seasons ago from LL III to II. Don't blame young talent would be my message.

#52398	08/19/2017 2:32:56 am
maiaz Joined: 08/16/2017 Posts: 3 Inactive	Thank you all, you've been very helpful! I have two questions though: - How do I draft? I tried to get high potential guys, but between all of them the highest was the guy I chose, that had "Good potential". - If I find, let's say, a free agent 1B who has good defensive stats, could I pick him up to make him play in 2B? Or is it a bad idea? Edit: Like this guy http://brokenbat.org/player/112554 Updated Saturday, August 19 2017 @ 2:40:21 am PDT

#52399	08/19/2017 3:03:25 am
Deuce Joined: 06/07/2016 Posts: 279 New London Rippers V.3	2 things about that guy.. 1)he has the dreaded comment.."He will never be a decent hitter." 2) he's left handed so playing him anywhere other 1B or OF will incur a defensive penalty. His defense is good but he'll never hit well.

#52406	08/19/2017 7:37:40 am
newtman Joined: 11/02/2013 Posts: 3343 Inactive	Yeah, if that build were right-handed he would be fine for playing at SS. As he is left-handed with the never be a decent hitter message he is first cut material. I tried playing a MUCH better lefty at SS and it didn't work. Note the stats for 2030 while with my ball club, and the fact he had full SS eligibility at the time.