I'm brand-new to the game, but the team I took over appears to have a future stud in the minors. I'm interested to hear any tip/suggestions on getting the most out of this player's talents:
Player Profile: Heiker Berra - Hardball Dynasty Baseball | WhatIfSports
He hasn't played in the field since being drafted as a DH, but his fielding ratings lead me to believe he COULD play C or RF (if the bat plays to his ratings). I'm in San Diego's Petco Park, is the size of the outfield a major factor in determining who should/shouldn't be in the field?
Also, this guy raked at AA last year, but for the best development opportunities would you give him a season to marinate at AAA and then call him up early the following season?

He should be in an ML lineup now...I'd call him up and put him at whichever of those three positions is currently your weakest offensively.

Yep, 4th year pro hitter. No point in keeping him in the minors. He's more or less done his development.

Like mentioned, once a guy has 4 years pro experience and needs to be protected from Rule 5, they are generally ready to be called up to the bigs.

Separately, minor league stats are essentially meaningless. Look at ratings, not minor league stats, on making decisions on prospects. Your guy is a stud so it doesn't really matter, but you'll see lots of average minor league players with big stats but will never be useful major league players.

I'd use most guys like this at DH, and in RF only if I couldn't find a better solution. But this particular guy I would catch, 100%, because:
1) His arm is for real, so he's at least got that part of the catcher defense covered
2) His stamina is 97. Catchers fatigue rapidly, so when you play your top bat at catcher he usually ends up sitting for 40 games or so. But this guy can catch 150 games, maybe more... too good to pass up the opportunity to do that.

In San Diego? Yeah he can catch. You give up a few points in ERA with the poor pitch calling, but the park helps your pitchers out enough to compensate.

How was this guy the 13th pick. wow

I always laugh when people look at minor league stats.

Posted by dschang on 9/28/2020 10:08:00 PM (view original):
How was this guy the 13th pick. wow

Guys that get sorted as DHs pre-draft always fall, even if they are in fact totally viable catchers. Which this guy is, by the way. His pitch calling is not ideal but having that bat in the lineup at the catcher spot is invaluable, and his arm, as mentioned is more than good enough. Don't put him in RF, the minus plays (even at an RF chance rate) will hurt you worse than his pitch calling. Give him 20 games in the minors to save that extra year of service time and from then on he should be your starting catcher.

Id most likely play him in rf as the starter and as a backup for the catcher.

Posted by brianp87 on 9/29/2020 10:10:00 AM (view original):
I always laugh when people look at minor league stats.

I definitely look at and consider minor league stats. Ratings without production is concerning.

Posted by GoldieGamma on 9/29/2020 12:26:00 PM (view original):

Posted by brianp87 on 9/29/2020 10:10:00 AM (view original):
I always laugh when people look at minor league stats.

I definitely look at and consider minor league stats. Ratings without production is concerning.

Well that's laughable. Sorry but true. Players always play to there ratings no matter what if set up properly. Stats in the minors are skewed by alot of variables so they mean NOTHING! I could put a stud at low a to inflate his ratings. Some owners run 0's at pitching. Most owners care less about there minors and let the sim run it. Some owners have no idea how to properly set up the settings for players. The list goes on and on.

Posted by brianp87 on 9/29/2020 12:35:00 PM (view original):

Posted by GoldieGamma on 9/29/2020 12:26:00 PM (view original):

Posted by brianp87 on 9/29/2020 10:10:00 AM (view original):
I always laugh when people look at minor league stats.

I definitely look at and consider minor league stats. Ratings without production is concerning.

Well that's laughable. Sorry but true. Players always play to there ratings no matter what if set up properly. Stats in the minors are skewed by alot of variables so they mean NOTHING! I could put a stud at low a to inflate his ratings. Some owners run 0's at pitching. Most owners care less about there minors and let the sim run it. Some owners have no idea how to properly set up the settings for players. The list goes on and on.

You can laugh all you want. 1. Player do not always play to their ratings. 2. "No matter what IF set up properly" is not no matter what. 3. Of course there are variances, you have to learn how to apply the proper context. Like you don't "put a stud at LoA" to compete against 20 year olds because the purpose is not to inflate stats, that's idiotic the purpose is to compare to your peers and to judge a players development.

Players always play to there ratings always. Sorry but it is the truth. Minor league stats mean nothing sorry but f the truth hurts put a bandaid on it.

Im not trying to make fun of you but let you know that looking at minor league stats is not the way to do it. It could also mislead others to believe this.