Community Forum

Hi MLB The Show Development Team,
I am writing to share some feedback regarding CPU roster logic in Franchise Mode, which currently feels a bit unrealistic.
During the regular season, CPU-controlled teams frequently and aggressively sign Free Agent catchers. While they occasionally sign players at other positions during the offseason, their mid-season signings are heavily biased toward catchers.
In one extreme case, I watched a CPU team sign, release, re-sign, and release the exact same catcher about seven times in a single season.
This behavior is highly unrealistic. I would love to see an adjustment to the CPU logic so that teams manage their rosters more realistically and consider signing Free Agents at other positions during the season when needed.
Thank you for your time and for continuously improving the game!

I would like to suggest a new feature to enhance the realism of the game: Self-hit foul balls (hitting the ball off one’s own body).

1. Concept and Realism
   In real-life baseball, hitting a foul ball off one's own foot or shin is a common occurrence and a significant risk factor for injuries. Currently, this element is missing from the game's injury logic.

2. Implementation Ideas
   • Trigger Mechanism: When a user swings with specific timing (e.g., "Very Late" or "Very Early" on an inside pitch), a dedicated animation should play showing the ball hitting the batter's leg.
   • Injury Probability: There should be a calculated probability that this event leads to an injury, potentially resulting in the player being removed from the game.

3. Realistic Substitution Timing
   To further increase immersion, I suggest implementing varied injury timelines:
   • Immediate Exit: The player is injured and removed instantly.
   • Delayed Exit: The player manages to finish the current at-bat (perhaps with a temporary attribute penalty), but is substituted out during the next defensive transition due to worsening pain/swelling.

Integrating these mechanics would add a new layer of strategy and realism to the simulation experience of MLB The Show.

I am a dedicated fan of MLB The Show and spend much of my time playing Franchise Mode. To make this mode even more immersive and realistic, I would like to propose two specific features for future installments:

1. Implementation of Multi-season Injuries
   Currently, all player injuries are reset at the start of the off-season. However, in real-life MLB, serious injuries (like Tommy John surgery) often carry over into the following year.

• Request: Please allow injuries sustained late in the season to impact the player's availability for the following season.

• Impact: This would force GMs to consider the depth of their roster and make "rehab assignments" and "early-season replacements" a more strategic part of the game.

2. Team-Specific Front Office Philosophies (Market Size & AI Logic)
   The current AI tends to prioritize signing high-overall players regardless of the team’s real-world identity. Seeing a small-market team like the Rays sign a superstar to a massive FA contract (e.g., Tarik Skubal) breaks the immersion.

• Request: Implement "Team DNA" or "Organizational Philosophy" parameters that dictate how AI GMs behave.
• Big Market (Dodgers/Yankees): Aggressively pursue top-tier FAs.
• Small/Mid Market (Rays/Marlins): Prioritize scouting, player development, and trading stars for prospects before they hit expensive arbitration years.

• Impact: This would ensure that player movement feels authentic to the business side of Major League Baseball.

I believe these additions would elevate the Franchise Mode to a true GM simulation experience. Thank you for your hard work and for considering my feedback.