Community Forum

It’s been a few years since I had training on manual. At that time it did seem like those specific attributes increased by maybe 1 each year more than other attributes. This worked good for players that could hit but lacking on fielding, arm accuracy, reaction, etc. However when I realized all the cpu teams were using auto for training, I stopped so as not to have an unfair advantage. As for player lock, I believe that would work, since the results the player is putting out affect CON, PWR, DISP, etc.

The only thing I discovered is that more often, but not always, CF and pull side OF will play slightly deeper, even when supposedly playing straight up when the batter is a pure pull hitter. I don’t think you can see this from game mode, as I had to go back to the player card edit to see each hitter’s tendencies. I’m guessing that there are certain attributes that the pitchers has that are affecting it to.

Also, I have a spreadsheet where I’ve tried to refine formulas based attributes and outcomes. From that I can say the player card is accurate.

Good job picking up on this. Defensive position usually based on game situation, however I have seen infield NORMAL when it should have been IN with runner on 3B and less than 2 outs. I’ll keep eye on this as I play my next game. As for a response from SDS, this probably falls into the “figure it out yourself” category, just as they don’t provide us the exact specifics on how the attributes factor into RNG to determine outcome of each pitch/AB. I’ve alerted SDS to 3 issues with 24 and 25 these last two years, received a response and all 3 fixed in version updates.

Main items to fix:

1)Scouting and Draft: this has been a huge improvement to the game the last few years, however I notice the other teams don't maximize the $300,000 to get the best scouts they can like I do. To make it fair, I use 30 team control and try to improve 1 scout for each team annually, thus I don't get to maximize scouting for my own team. The bigger issue is that teams don't scout logically during the season, so if I put effort into scouting for my team, I get about 5 times the amount of information as the other teams, thus leading to much better drafts annually for my team. My team gets such a better farm system after a few years that playing the game isn't the challenge it should be. To make counteract this, I autoscout so I don't gain the information advantage, however this reduces my enjoyment of the game because I don't get to scout. Also, teams aren't drafting logically. For example, a team with the 2nd overall pick drafts a player that they have scouted as the 66th best player in the draft.

2. Waivers: the game has improved over the years by increasing the number of players claimed off waivers. However this is not true at the most important time of the year...when spring training ends and teams are finalizing their 26 man active rosters. I see players that are mid 70s to mid 80s OVR that should logically be claimed by the lower end teams. I never have to worry about trying to pass anybody through waivers at this time because I know they won't be claimed. This is taking away what should be a tough decision point when acting as the GM for my team.

3. Free Agent Signings: while the game logically lowers FA contract demands the last few weeks before spring training starts, it is not logical that those contract demands go back to the original higher amounts after spring training starts. In addition, it is not logical that those unsigned free agent contract demands remain high as the season moves along. The reality is those demands should keep coming down. Maybe not for all free agents, but likely for most of them.

4. Rebuilding Teams: Once the season reaches July and Current Roster Strategies are re-set for each team, those teams that are rebuilding should put all pending free agents on the trade block, or at least all pending free agents that are over a certain age and thus maybe not likely to be re-signed. In addition, teams that are rebuilding should be requesting players in trade that can help next year's team or beyond. Too many times rebuilding teams are requesting players that are on expiring contracts in trade returns.

5. Lineup logic: In general lineup logic is good. The issue I see is teams playing a bad defender in the field but have a great defender at the same position serving as the DH.

Other items I notice in the game that could be corrected or improved:
1)Free Agents: After the December 2nd deadline to offer contracts, I always see a few young players that are "A" or "B" potential that were not offered contracts by their existing teams. These players are non 40 man, non rule-5 players, non high dollar salary players, so their release isn't realistic. Most of the time, these players are catchers.

2)Roster: If my team is in the playoffs but has an injured player coming off the 60 day IL and my 40 man roster is already at 40, the game doesn't allow me to choose which player to release to stay at 40.

3)Roster: Sometimes draftees that I drafted and signed prior to the August 1st deadline the year before don't show up on my roster the next year. Instead they are in the free agent pool. Probably happens once every 3 years.

4)Roster: When a player suffers a long-term (6+ month) injury at the end of a season or playoffs, it should carry over to the next season.

5)Awards selections: game isn't good at selecting award winners. My catcher won a gold glove while only playing 180 innings at the position, spending the rest of the year at DH. Player won World Series MVP going 2 for 5 (0 runs, 0 rbi) across a couple of games, while other players had lower batting average but had many runs and rbi that led to the victories.

6)Free Agents: When signing some free agents that would be considered on the fringe of being good enough for the MLB roster, sometimes it adds them to the 40 man and sometimes it doesn't. It would be nice if that was made clear when signing the player.

7)Bunting: In manager mode, if I ask a player to bunt, it always tries to bunt, even if the pitch is ridiculously outside of the strike zone. Even for players that don't have high bunt attributes, this doesn't seem reasonable. Maybe for suicide squeeze situations, but not every bunt attempt.

8)Things that could make the game more enjoyable:
-non roster invitees available for spring training
-allowing for base runners to get more than a standard lead in manager mode
-no trade clauses for contracts
-front or back loaded contracts, but more choice than what the game allowed previously
-GM, owner & manager personality traits that affect how a team functions. For example, some owners spend freely and some pinch pennies. Some GMs make a lot of trades. Some managers play their starters every day, while some platoon bench players in a few days per week. This would greatly enrich the storyline of the game.
-Players drafted and signed this year should immediately be allowed to join the major or minor league teams.

I use manager mode also. I sim regular season and manage playoff games. In the playoff games, I don’t notice high foul ball rates. The most I notice is any count that goes 3-1 always goes to 3-2 because the batter always fouls off the pitch.

I haven’t encountered this issue with the players automatically added to 40 man and I’ve gone through 15 offseasons. I’ve had 2 issues that were new to MLBTS25, submitted tickets and both were resolved. I do agree that it would be nice if it were clear whether the FA being signed is getting a major or minor league deal. Usually when I’m signing unranked FA, I’m signing players that have never been in the majors because I’d rather pay 60k for a seat filler rather than 780k.

Most of my prospects grow 3-5 OVR annually. Sometimes as low as 1 but I’ve had one grow 8 in one season. Make sure they’re in lineup everyday.

I’m 6 seasons in. Lots of injuries all around. I vary the injury slider between 5 & 6.

I agree the club options and backload/frontloading would be nice to have back. Not sure what you mean about not signing lower level players. Anybody outside of top 150 FAs can be signed immediately in offseason.I agree trade logic still needs work, so until that is corrected it would be nice to have a commissioner mode that would require approval on all trades.

If the minor league stats remained visible after each season, we could update player ratings on our own for those breakout candidates.

Traded player’s salaries are being moved to the new team in whole rather than pro-rated for the amount of time spent with each team. This wasn’t an issue in MLBTS24 and prior. Already reported to SDS so hopefully fixed on future patch.

Actually in real life you don’t know how much other teams are bidding, so I wish the game had a toggle to hide this information.