Does spring training matter? Topic

Im relatively new to thru game, so id be interested to hear what the vets have to say. the last few seasons, I've been resting all my my major league players the entirety of spring training. I've seen no ill effects from this. is there any good reason to play your major league players; risking injury and depleting stamina?
9/21/2012 9:53 PM
I find ST to be really boring and have been campaigning for it to be shortened, or made more relevant, for a while.

In my experience though, there are no ill effects from resting your fully developed ML players most (if not all) of ST. I give my ML vets very, very little playing time in ST.

ST does, however, give you the chance to get your prospects extra playing time (and therefore, theoretically, extra development) with your ML level coaches. That is the only useful thing I'm aware of regarding ST, getting your prospects a little extra field time to develop with what are, hopefully, your organization's best coaches.
9/22/2012 1:52 PM
Good point mongoose.
9/22/2012 3:31 PM
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I play prospects only.  I fill out my ST roster with AAA - AA minor leaguers and ST-invite-only free agents.
10/2/2012 8:05 PM
I'm pretty sure that if you don't play older ML players at all they risk a slight ratings drop. I've always played my ML players in 4-5 games rather than risk it. I have had a season long injury in ST, so I'm may very well be taking needless risks.


10/3/2012 2:51 AM
I try to get my ML players 10 or so at bats and 5 innings or so. Though it depends from time to time because I only add real prospects or close to real prospects on my spring training club. I also worry about the possible ratings drop.

I also have gotten a rating increase on a prospect that didn't play at all in ST, assuming he was on the team. 
10/3/2012 9:23 AM
If you are going to play your ML players in ST, do it early, in case they get injured.
10/3/2012 10:06 AM

I experimented with this for several seasons awhile back.

Prospects who play develop more than prospects who don't or aren't invited.   In my experience, about 50% more(3 v 2 in points).   Hard to tell if that's because of playing time or just basic development.    But they always seemed to develop more.

Older players, those already in decline, take big hits if they don't play.    Not sure if it was a "natural" drop or the lack of PT contributed.  I didn't do it twice because of the big hits.

I noticed nothing with players in their prime.   No increase/decrease in ratings.

10/3/2012 11:50 AM
I've started to split ST into a mini-season....the first half for the youths/prospects and then the second half to the "starters" with early replacement settings when winning/losing.

Big problem I have is this season...taking place right now, is I have a young second basement having a great camp, but is it just that.
I'll likely still send him down for his first year in AAA and if excels then likely he'll be playing in the show next season.
10/3/2012 1:31 PM
Don't put any stock in ST stats.  As you can see, everyone has a different way of playing it. 

And I'd reverse the way I play it if I were you.  See shobob's post about injury.   If it's early, you can react.  If it's late, it's harder to sort out.
10/3/2012 1:35 PM
In the FAQ section on Spring Training it states that there is no "rust factor" built into the engine, so my guess is that if older players decline, it's natural regression.
10/4/2012 8:14 AM
No sure I'd consider is a "rust factor". 

Much like younger players progress in ST better with playing time, it makes sense that older player regress quicker without it. 
10/4/2012 8:26 AM
Posted by cebola on 10/4/2012 8:14:00 AM (view original):
In the FAQ section on Spring Training it states that there is no "rust factor" built into the engine, so my guess is that if older players decline, it's natural regression.
Players dropping and having their ratings stay down isn't a 'rust factor" - that just means guys won't play below their ratings just because they didn't play in ST.  I'm pretty sure I remember CS saying at one point that veterans do run the risk of extra decline if they don't play.
10/4/2012 8:37 AM
"No rust factor" means, when I don't play my 28 year old, he won't be rusty when the regular season starts.  I don't see a reason to play these guys in spring training. Yet I always do at least a little, for fear there's something I'm missing...
10/4/2012 9:18 AM
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