Just a couple of minor Showdown improvement suggestions

[ImDFC_PSN]

I love the concept of showdown, but there are a couple of things that aren't even gameplay related that can have a negative impact on a run that I think can be easily addressed

1. No pitcher only rounds
   This one seems obvious. Every time I start a draft, it seems like the first silver round is guaranteed to be a pitcher only round, which is where I (And I assume most others) take their bullpen arm. But sometimes the gold round is pitcher only, and it may be possible to have a pitcher only diamond round(in certain divisions) that can make you feel like you just wasted a thousand stubs. Sometimes that pitcher only round has 4 starters, which feels just as bad because instead of getting that Trevor May, Jose LeClerc, or Hector Neris you're getting a Rich Hill or Zach Wheeler. You should guarantee at least 1-2 position players, per round

2. No duplicate players
   During my runs, I've seen countless times where the diamond round would have a really good flashback card (FoTF Gallo for example), only to have the gold round be 3 pitchers and LS Gallo, which again feels like you're getting a raw deal. Similarly you get a good prospect card, then in the bronze round you get that prospect's LS card. Either showdown should let us use both of those Gallo cards, or it should pull the LS Gallo from circulation once the FoTF card is taken. Though it should not work in reverse. getting the LS Gallo should NOT remove the FoTF Gallo from the pool, as it is a clear upgrade.

3. Add the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Flashback/Legend cards to the pools
   Even if just to spice up the draft a little, give us a chance to use Rookie Eckersley or Rookie Andrew McCutchen, or Gold Aaron Judge and so on. there's a lot of fun cards to be had that we just can't use because of a seemingly arbitrary live series designation(When the CPU does not have to follow that rule). This one is less quality of life, and more of an 'added fun' suggestion though.

I figure absolutely none of this will be seen by a developer, but I can try nonetheless. Feel free to post other small suggestions to boost this great potential game mode

[Saberq269_PSN]

And you know they could bring back showdown sliders to normal.....Just a thought

[thepapadell_PSN]

Agreed 100%. I also love the concept of Showdown and I honestly think it has the potential to be the best mode in the game if it's tune just a little. I think the mode would really shine if all the new cards were added to the draft rotation and it would add so much replayability to the mode.

The entire point of Showdown is the final Boss battle, right? So why do we have to do ANY pitching moments during the run? I think it's a very strange design choice and that is what results in us being forced to take Pitchers. For me, it adds an unnecessary amount of time to the Showdown runs. If the final battle is 20 outs, score as much as possible to win then why am I pitching with dumpy pitchers in arbitrary moments that just play poorly given the cards being used? Maybe some people enjoy this aspect to it but I don't.

In addition, the moments with requirements saying "Don't make 9 outs" are just 3 inning games. If they condensed those offensive moments into just smaller versions of the Showdown format (x outs), then I think it would be even more enjoyable. I LOVE the old school HR Derby vibes with a set number of outs and just ripping as many swings as possible. It's really fun and a nice change of pace. If they made the offensive moments situation specific moments, while cutting out ALL pitching moments, and just made the larger ones with the Showdown format I think we'd be in great shape.

There's so much room for variations in how they could set up the offensive requirements in this mode that making us pitch just seems silly and like a way to make it take longer or more difficult. It really doesn't add to the fun factor, in my opinion.

Also agree on the duplicate players. If you can't use both players then they should be ripped from the card rotation as soon as you take a version of a card. Or, at the end, allow us to trade the cards in for something new. Take FotF Gallo in the diamond round and then get the gold? Take the Gold, then at the end give us a new rotation of diamonds to trade the Gallo in for. Something like that would go a long way in just making the mode more efficient and user friendly, as opposed to just not being able to use a card and losing out on the value of the draft.