I'm hoping to get a little help in the best way to construct my team that plays in Seattle (favors pitchers). I've read a lot of historical post on this forum, but I feel like I've read a lot of contracting advice.

I've read it would be best to play to your strengths and build a strong pitching staff and Defense. While on offense focusing on EYE and SPEED. Does this mean I don't need to worry as much about vR and vL? What is the lowest rating that I could get by with?

Other advice I've read said to get some Power (again less focus on vR and vL) and just try to get 1 homer a game and win a lot of 2-1, 1-0 games.

I want to hear some different opinions on how I should go about constructing my team and where there might be an opportunity to get a cheap player than won't perform as well in other ballparks. How critical of a role can defense play?

What ratings should I focus on for my players?

Any advice would be helpful!

Defense and pitching works anywhere.

You can try to Target speed, but when you do that, you limit the full potential of what should be everybody's goal - get the best players. If you focus on speed, you may pass on that 950 Ops catcher/1b that can't run so you can get a 850 ops LF/1b with speed. Remember if you have too many guys under 150 (speed + baserunning), they will run themselves into too many outs. So if you focus on speed you need to make sure to have a bunch of 150+ guys. The guys that will kill you on the basepaths are the guys that are 85 - 135 (baserunning + speed). The system will have them running into outs when you have high baserunning settings. However, in my worlds, the guys with plus speed and baserunning cost a bit more than a replacement player. Also, your speed guys don't add much value if they don't get on base.

Most Worlds that I'm in have more quality depth position players than pitching so if your building a team around your stadium, I would go with a pitchers park. Also, look at the makeup of the team that is successful in the division. If the most successful team in the division has a bunch of power his lineup, maybe you play in a Homerun suppressing park like OKC. If he has a bunch of on base and speed guys, go with a pitchers park that suppresses hits, but not homeruns.

Thanks, that's the first I've read of the 150 speed+base-running number. Much appreciated. So it sounds like Power hitters can still hit it out of a pitcher's park. Is there a magic number for power?

I am not sure what the magic number is, but Stadiums like OKC and Tacoma will definitely suppress homeruns. Seattle will to a certain extent, but nowhere near OKC and Tacoma. You can add Burlington in there as well. I would still target defense and best offense possible. Going for speed is tough because of what I mentioned in my earlier reply. However, I have seen teams do it. It just takes a lot of patience waiting for the right guy.

What I can tell you is that even in OKC (-4 in both LF and RF for home runs), my power hitters have still slugged well. If they were in Seattle, they would have done better. I play in pitcher's parks because quality pitching is hard to find in most worlds. Any guy that has over 90 power and above 70 batter's eye still has the potential to hit 40-50 home runs. Even in a pitcher's park. If you really want to take advantage of a park, you should try parks that have large disparities between LF and RF (i.e. Honolulu or Wichita). You can add guys that have pull power to RF and they will still hit homeruns.

I chose OKC because I know that the guy in my division loads his lineup with power hitters. He is a really good owner with a 560 winning percentage so I need every advantage I can get. In OKC, good hitters can still feast, the homeruns are super suppressed and the doubles are bit suppressed as well.

The best thing you can do is look at what consistent successful people do. What type of players they have and go from there. There is no reinventing the wheel.

Posted by brianp87 on 6/18/2019 7:41:00 PM (view original):
The best thing you can do is look at what consistent successful people do. What type of players they have and go from there. There is no reinventing the wheel.

Agreed.

I have typically built my teams around pitching and defense. I'm in Toledo and have found that if I am in the top 3 of the league stats for pitching and defense.....I probably need a league average offense to contend. Like brianp said....look at the teams in your league that consistently make the playoffs and see what their team looks like. It's difficult in this game to focus on two attributes and say I need to key on these. If you focus on speed and eye and have .250 BA, hit 150 HR, score 700 runs, your offense isn't good enough even with good pitching/defense. Speed/eye with elite 90+ contact can be effective with lower splits. Speed/eye with 60 contact and low splits isn't helping you offensively.

Players will play to there ratings so there is no guess work. Look at players stats then there ratings. See what ratings produce and get the guys that will help you succeed.