If I'm going up against an A+ catcher, do I have to reduce the base stealing setting for each individual player or can I set base running aggressiveness to infrequent or rare in the managerial settings? (A+ catcher's arm)

Yes, for each individual player.  That's one reason I stay away from speedy players whenever possible -- too much micro-managing.  I'd rather draft slugs, set them on 0 for base stealing, and be done with it.

Thanks, crazystengel!

Crazystengel certainly knows more than I do, and unlike him I tend to like a few guys with speed.  When going up against an A+ catcher, first check his historical data to see how effective he really is.  Some of the A+ catchers are very good, and some are not so good.  You'll see some guys who only have an average of 50-60 SB against them, and
a high caught SB%.  A number of the A+ catchers, however, still let up a number of stolen bases -- certainly not as many as a D catcher.

Instead of adjusting each player, I have just been adjusting my team base-stealing setting if I think the catcher may cut down too may base runners.  I figure that there is an interaction between the team setting and the player setting.  Since we don't know how the programming is written, this is a guess, but it would seem that if you have your base stealing set to aggressive rather than average, this would produce more situations In which SpArKy decides to steal taking each player's setting.  So, if you reduce to average, you will reduce the probability that SpArKy decides to steal for all players, even for those set to the most aggressive level. Those guys will still be aggressive, but within the range of the average setting.  I am assuming this from other SIM games I have played.

Base running aggressiveness has zero impact on how often your team will steal bases.  That setting controls how frequently a team attemps to stretch a single into a double, a double into a triple or score from second on a single. 

If I'm concerned about playing against an A+ arm, I adjust the individual player settings. I'll occassionally go to the draft center and look at the catcher's actual CS% and take a peek at his performance history if I'm not sure.   Agree with what house of bayne says

Posted by houseofbayne on 9/9/2013 1:20:00 AM (view original):
Base running aggressiveness has zero impact on how often your team will steal bases.  That setting controls how frequently a team attemps to stretch a single into a double, a double into a triple or score from second on a single. 

See, I told you I was a novice.  I didn't realize its effect was limited to base running alone, and thought it was a more general managerial strategy.  Thanks for the info.

Players do try to run less often against A+ arms so I usually don't worry about it unless it's the playoffs.

Posted by houseofbayne on 9/9/2013 1:20:00 AM (view original):
Base running aggressiveness has zero impact on how often your team will steal bases.  That setting controls how frequently a team attemps to stretch a single into a double, a double into a triple or score from second on a single. 

I never knew this. Thanks.