Support basically told me a few years ago in a ticket response that the LIVE engine is based on a very old version of the sim engine.  So it's not identical to the sim engine; that of course is true.  That said, I very much doubt that they LIVE engine would be different in exhibitions vs. league games.  Making that the case would just be a bunch of extra work with no discernible benefit.  As unresponsive and unhelpful as they can be, I don't think the WIS developers are in the business of trying to confuse and mislead the customers.  Outside any discussion of the next update timetable, anyway...

sounds like  you've looked into it.  I'll still be curious. 

As a person who has coded for a video game company, and a company that has different versions of the same game, I wouldn't be surprised in the least is sparky ran on different AI(sub routines)as regular sim players. As it is, no one knows, so any research should be done with actual players.

The same players who complain about the squeeze being an unrealistic play use unrealistic tactics such as playing the IF in defensively with 4 run leads and using hit and run every time a base runner gets to first base. Don't manipulate the buttons or strategies which feel give you the greatest chance to win only to turn around and criticize others for doing the same.

Now with that being said I will go back to playing the game I paid for in the manner which gives the most enjoyment. And I'm sure the one time I might consider using a squeeze every few games or so will still leave me playing the game a lot closer than the way it's actually meant to be played than the rest of you who complain.

To me it's not a question of it being unrealistic, it's a question of there not being a counter-strategy. 

It's obviously unrealistic that someone who went 20 for 20 stealing bases can steal 100+ bases, but you can counter someone drafting base stealers by drafting great throwing catchers. The same way you can counter excessive hitting and running by drafting strikeout pitchers and great throwing catchers.

On the flip side, there's nothing you can do to counter someone squeezing every single time they get a runner on third with fewer than two outs in a tie game in the bottom of the ninth. You can draft the best pitching and defense possible and the squeeze is still going to be the correct play for the opponent from a win probability perspective, almost no matter who's batting and who's pitching.

I hear what you're saying about realism, which is why I don't get outraged if someone squeezes in an obvious situation like the pitcher batting with runners on first and third. But the problem is it's impossible to create and enforce a rule on what's a realistic situation and what isn't. So you've got to either allow it or ban it, and if you allow it you get knuckleheads pulling stuff like pinch hitting 200k guys for .400 hitters when the game's tied in the bottom of the ninth (which I saw a couple months ago).

 

Most guys do it in that (not me) in that scenario to stay out of a dp when pitcher is hitting..Admin needs to (and said to them many times) have an option to move the runner on 1st and hold the man on 3rd when inf is in (like real life). If its done to me I don't carry on, or say stuff since it is only a game and you can spend your 12.95 as you wish,I just do it in return to those who use it as fair game

I might not mind banning it if the infield is in...it's not fair to play back and be forced into hitting into double plays.  and like I said I'm not so sure it does work every time.  my numbers make me think not, but most importantly those who thinks it's always working vs them are not seeing missed squeeze when they see pop up, strike out, line out as results of an attempted squeeze.  it does not list it as a bunt to the opponent.  All they think is it works every time.  I know it doesn't from my own experience.  And yes, infield in is a strategy to slow it down.    I haven't squeezed in years because I don't know how someone is going to react.   It hasnt been worth the fight, but I really hate wasting my $12.95 to lay down and hit into double plays for no logical reason.

  I gay-rone-tee major leaguers would bring infield in or risk getting burned by a squeeze.  and yes they still squeeze in mlb, about .09% of total plate appearances in real life (around once every 12 games?)(it is not unrealistic to do it).  it is highly successful in real life, but not for pitchers to score the run. 

In MLB,the vast majority of attempts at a squeeze will come when the defense is not paying attention (beyond simply not bringing the infield in). We don't have the ability to look onto a field, see that the 3B is not thinking bunt, and signal for a squeeze. I agree that RL teams will almost always guard against a squeeze, but they can do it by having the CIF take one or two steps in, to show the offense that they're guarding against the bunt. A good bunter might still be asked to squeeze, but David Ortiz and Adam Dunn aren't going to try it.

I believe the same is true on Hold's effect. People get steamed when a speedster is thrown out when the defense does not use Hold. Leaving Hold off is not the same as fielder's indifference, and I long ago realized that Hold has little or no effect on steals, but does affect taking extra bases and double plays. That's why Sparky ALWAYS uses Hold with a runner at 2nd (to reduce the scoring chances on a single), but not always with a runner at first. Similarly on bunts, not bringing the infield in is different from playing it deep (which we do not have the ability to do) and inviting a bunt.

But to me, the biggest issue is the completely unrealistic certainty that the runner at third will go home on a bunt, regardless of H&R of IF IN. It is a programming flaw that takes away the ability to bunt to avoid a 1st-and-3rd DP without the run scoring. Too bad support didn't fix it while there they still had programmers. In short, they forgot to program in a safety squeeze.

that would have helped josh

Stop back and its still the same.

"it's still the saaame...baby baby still the same.  Some things never change..."  

As very nice pointed out a few posts ago, I'm one of those guys who frequently bunts when a pitcher (or very weak hitter) is hitting with the strategic goal of advancing a runner or avoiding a DP. I don't recall ever bunting (myself or someone else) with the abilities of a hitter like Ruth, Bonds, Aaron. Rose, Cobb, Williams or Musial at the plate ... 

Love the chat only response is how good the Pitchers seem to be at bunting when they squeeze...seems the pitchers are able to successfully lay a bunt down in any situation whether it leads to a run or advancing a runner with a higher percentage then they do in RL...when I watch a game on TV only a handful of can even make contact. ;)