Has OOTP Influenced Your View OF MLB?

[Zephyrs]

I just finished reading a nice piece over at Let's Go Tribe on the reasons not to promote Indians top prospect Francisco Lindor right now. I thought the points where right on the money. Then I read the comments and found myself frustrated by the opinion that service time shouldn't be a consideration when promoting a young prospect. I have been playing OOTP since Season Ticket Baseball and I am sure this great computer game has strongly influenced how I view the actions of MLB. Has it done the same for you?

[roncollins]

Sure. The sim makes you think about the business aspects, as well as pulls at your heartstrings as you see guys fading and you have to decide when to pull the plug.

[Jason]

I find it makes me look at the game in a more robotic, chess like action.

[Mike Dunn]

OOTP made me better understand the nuances of the front office side of the game.. and it made me far more interested in following the front office side of MLB. I'm almost more interested in how the RL GMs do (or don't do) than in the standings.

[Arroyos]

OOTP has made me appreciate the telephone in new ways.

I am amazed by how easily and quickly MLB GMs can pick up the phone and secure a trade at the last minute--witness the frenzy of trading before the deadline this past week. I wish I could do that.

My SS-A team has 6 catchers and 1 outfielder. I'd like to pull off a couple trades. Can I just pick up the phone? No, I have to post my wishes on the forum and hope and wait for someone to read them and respond. I'd like to hire Dave Dombrowskito make my last minute phone call deals. Think he's available?

I was in Tampa this past week and took my mom and her wheelchair to the Tampa-Milwaukee ballgame. David Price pitched. When the game was over, as we waited for the crowds to clear, I checked MLB online and learned that Price had just pitched his last game for the Rays and was on his way to join the Tigers. Good news for us Tiger fans. And another coup for Dombrowski.

We should be able to make trades during a game like those old boys used to do in the now defunct MLB. Doncha think?

[Jason]

Bill, we need a SS-A catcher. PM me.

[John]

I find it makes me look at the game in a more robotic, chess like action.

OOTP made me better understand the nuances of the front office side of the game.. and it made me far more interested in following the front office side of MLB. I'm almost more interested in how the RL GMs do (or don't do) than in the standings.

It's funny ... both of these points are true for me. OOTP absolutely has made me look at baseball in a more cold, clinical manner. I feel I understand the inner mechanisms of the game of baseball far more clearly thanks to my exposure to OOTP. To some degree, that robs some mystique from the game.

I recall Jaret Wright meteoric ascension to the majors and Rookie of the Year contention in 1997, and how excited I felt to be watching this future ace blossom in the middle of a pennant run for Cleveland. Of course, Mr. Wright ended up being nothing special at all. If I were looking at him now, with the knowledge I have gained through playing OOTP, I would probably think, "This guy walked a batter every other inning in the minors. He had a nice rookie season and he was only 21, but I know from playing OOTP how hard it is for a pitcher to master his control if he hasn't already by age 22-23. I probably should trade Wright while his stock is high." Or I would think, "Sure, he'll probably be great, but then the Indians will have to trade him in five years because they won't be able to afford him when he's ready for free agency." These thoughts aren't nearly as fun as thinking, "Wow, this guy is the greatest! I can't wait to watch him for another 15 seasons!"

On the flip side, understanding the nuances of the game makes me appreciate it all the more when I see GMs make clever moves. I watch Billy Beane and Dave Dombrowski acquire arguably the best pitchers on the trade market using not prospects as bait but established major leaguers who, while quality players, are expandable for one reason or another and don't mortgage the teams' futures. That's clever. That's working a new angle, exploiting an inefficiency. And because of my experience with OOTP, I can appreciate that kind of cleverness so much more than in the past, when I probably would have been mad about a favorite player leaving the team.

[Cole]

OOTP has made me appreciate the telephone in new ways.

I am amazed by how easily and quickly MLB GMs can pick up the phone and secure a trade at the last minute--witness the frenzy of trading before the deadline this past week. I wish I could do that.

My SS-A team has 6 catchers and 1 outfielder. I'd like to pull off a couple trades. Can I just pick up the phone? No, I have to post my wishes on the forum and hope and wait for someone to read them and respond. I'd like to hire Dave Dombrowskito make my last minute phone call deals. Think he's available?

I was in Tampa this past week and took my mom and her wheelchair to the Tampa-Milwaukee ballgame. David Price pitched. When the game was over, as we waited for the crowds to clear, I checked MLB online and learned that Price had just pitched his last game for the Rays and was on his way to join the Tigers. Good news for us Tiger fans. And another coup for Dombrowski.

We should be able to make trades during a game like those old boys used to do in the now defunct MLB. Doncha think?

Interesting thought.. Maybe I'm naive, but I'd almost like to think that while deals may be finalized on the phone in the MLB, that a lot of discussions regarding trades take place via text, or online in some capacity...

I have always wondered if there's some sort of super secret online portal where GM's can post their trade blocks online or what not in real life.. Truthfully, there should be, you would think ... Or is there just an email list where GM's send out "Player X is available, hit me up!"

I'd be really curious to see how real life MLB trades transpire and how all GM's in the league become aware of the availability of a player.

As for the question at hand, I'd say OOTP has made me have a much more fundamental knowledge of sabremetrics and different other statistics with which you can judge players and their value.

[roncollins]

For me, understanding the inner workings of things better always helps me see its beauty better. For others, they prefer the mystery remain more impenetrable.

[Apollos]

Certainly OOTP has given me a much more fundamental understanding of some of the intricacies of the business of baseball. The more wonky rules, like 40 man rosters, DFA's, waivers, etc are all clearer having invested significant hours into the game.

That said, one of the curious things I find OOTP makes me do is judge players on an OOTP ratings scale (usually 1-10, in line with PEBA norms). I find that I'm re-evaluating Ryan Zimmerman's ratings on a semi-monthly basis nowadays.

[Denny]

For me, understanding the inner workings of things better always helps me see its beauty better. For others, they prefer the mystery remain more impenetrable.

Very true! For me the combination of OOTP and learning more about sabermetrics--really, sports analytics in general--has revolutionized how I see and think about the game.

As a byproduct, it's kind of ruined talking about sports with the average person, the kind who judges hitters by how many RBIs they have. I don't know if that's good or bad.

[Apollos]

As a byproduct, it's kind of ruined talking about sports with the average person, the kind who judges hitters by how many RBIs they have. I don't know if that's good or bad.

I would agree with that. It makes me feel like sort of a sports snob, but we are what we are, I suppose...

On a related front, I read Scorecasting several years ago and really enjoyed it. The authors did a great job researching the subjects in the book and anyone who enjoys advanced analytics would be advised to give this a quick read. Think Freakanomics meets sports.