Implementing a Better Spring Training in MLB: The Show

Feature Article

Submitted on: 03/13/2015 by Ben Vollmer

Every sports game is forced to tackle the same issue every year: how can you add a pre-season that feels both efficient and meaningful?

It is a complex issue because, while hardcore gamers are going to want spring training to feel as important as it is in real life, others simply want to simulate right through it and get on with the regular season. So accommodating both sides is the crux of the problem. Giving those who would normally simulate a reason to actually play through spring training seems like the most simple answer, so here are five ways MLB: The Show could more successfully implement spring training:

1. Treat it as a true tryout: This is one problem that is going to persist in sports gaming for as long as ratings exist. The Show tackles it the best, with hot and cold streaks often dictating a player's performance despite rankings. Still, it would be nice if player-ratings were a little more vague and slightly more flexible around spring training. Then, as spring training goes on, their ratings become more fixed and the picture of who your best options are becomes more clear. Depending on performance, the rating might be slightly higher or lower going into the regular season than when going into spring training.

2. Unique Presentation: Spring training should have a unique feel. The games are relaxed, broadcasts are much less formal, and fans react differently. This should be apparent in MLB: The Show.

3. Substitutions should be extremely frequent: This would require a major overhaul to CPU A.I., but it would be nice if teams were constantly replacing players on the field with new ones -- so as to get a look at everyone.

4. Create-A-Park: Would there ever be a better time to have a created ballpark than for spring training? Being able to use your own park for about a month every year would keep the game fresh and give more incentive to play some spring training games.

5. A time for "gems" and "busts": Having some kind of system where spring training opens the door for one "gem" and one "bust" every year would keep things interesting. This could be dictated by statistics over the course of spring training.

Have any spring training implementations you would like to share? Let's hear them!

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Member Comments

# 21 BA2929 @ 03/13/15 04:10 PM

I 100% agree with everything on the list outside of #1.

There'd have to be some sort of limit on MLB service time for the rating vagueness to settle down. 5+ years? Or do it by age so ratings stay basically the same from 28-32? I know what I'm getting with Alex Gordon as his ratings are basically what they are going to be for the rest of his career. Even if he hits .120 in the Spring that most likely won't affect his regular season.

There are just so many variables that happen in the spring that having everyone's ratings go up or down solely due to their ST stats would probably cause more issues than anything, imo.

I mean, Mike Moustakas would be a Hall of Famer by now if Spring actually meant that much to the regular season. Guy hits like .450 every year in spring then can't hit his way out of a sock most of the regular season.

Gems and busts sounds like a nice idea, but I'd personally only want it to affect guys not on my 40 man roster. That'd be cool. Having to make a tough 40 man roster decision due to a guy having a massive spring. But they'd first have to expand ST rosters for that to happen.

Anyway, nice bullet point list!

# 22 Ghost Of The Year @ 03/13/15 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rudoffs


	I think MLB should figure out a better way to implement Spring Training before The Show tries to tackle it.....

Attachment 93886
I don't want MLB to do anything to change ST. I'm afraid they'll want to make it ''meaningful'' like they've tried with the All-Star Game. Of course, it could be worse, MLB could have the NFL model of Pre-Season Exhibition games & Pro-Bowl.

# 23 HypoLuxa13 @ 03/13/15 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seafoamgreen


	Big thumbs up on more realistic subs and non-roster invitees. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I feel like I remember players accumulating service time during ST games (which would be inaccurate). Also correct me on this, but doesn't demoting a guy during ST also use an option when it shouldn't? I remember the first year I played The Show, I let the CPU auto-select my roster at the end of ST and half my players ended up lost to the waiver wire. And more recently, I remember getting out of options warning when trying to demote my AAAA guys who weren't on the 25-man. I didn't get a chance to play franchise in '14 much so maybe these are moot points or I'm misremembering!

A good description of "options":

Quote:


	How does "optioning" work? Generally, after 3 pro seasons, a player must be protected on a club�s 40-man roster or he becomes eligible for the Rule 5 draft. Once a player is added to a club�s 40-man roster, the club then 3 available option years during which they can place him on �optional assignment� to a minor league club. A player can be sent up and down as many times as the club so chooses within those three seasons. Once a player is �out of options�, he must clear �waivers� in order to be sent down again. - If a player is not sent to the minors during a year, an option is not used. - If a player is on the 40-man roster in spring training but optioned to the minors before the season is underway, an option is used. - If an assignment in the minors lasts 20 days, an option is not used.

# 24 seafoamgreen @ 03/13/15 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HypoLuxa13


	A good description of "options":

Thanks for that- I wonder how contracts for the generic minor leaguers generated when you start a franchise work, then. As in, are the number of option years they have left all generated randomly?

# 25 legacyme3 @ 03/13/15 04:35 PM

#1 would actually get me to pay attention to ST results, rather than simming past it each year just so I could get to games that mattered.

The thing is, ST games don't matter whatsoever in the Show. Even if the presentation was improved, the games themselves mean pretty much nothing.

Having a risk/reward system where things are variant? I'm a-ok with anything that makes things more interesting.

# 26 bcruise @ 03/13/15 04:37 PM

I bet the real-life Rangers would have liked to be able to skip Spring Training...

# 27 redsox4evur @ 03/13/15 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcruise


	I bet the real-life Rangers would have liked to be able to skip Spring Training...

Same with the Jays.

# 28 CaseIH @ 03/13/15 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkra0512


	I'd like to see pitchers actually have to stretch out. Make their stamina attribute dynamic as Spring Training progresses. This could lead to players being sent to minor league camp later in the spring because innings are harder to come by. I can't remember, is the training portion of franchise open in Spring Training? If not, I'd love to have the option to have my pitchers throw bullpens, simulated games, and live batting practice...although that might be too much, but it would serve to help "stretch them out".

I like this idea. Im surprised with so many avid baseball fans we have around here that play this game, that a lot of them find Spring Training boring and just skip it.

IMO real die hard baseball fans love Spring Training,lol. I love this time of year watching Spring Training games, and enjoy playing them in MLBTS, but would love to see spring have some type of impact in the game.

Out of all the sports exhibition game, Spring Training is actually a great time for fans as well as a lot of players enjoy it. Unlike the NFL and NBA pre seasons, personally I cant stand pre season football, and dont watch it unless there is no baseball on, but with MLB TV and MILB TV I always have baseball, thank God for that,lol.

# 29 spoofrice11 @ 03/13/15 06:23 PM

It takes long enough to get thru seasons on Baseball (& Basketball).
So I'm not interested in them making spring training and preseason games different. I will still simulate to the games that matter.

# 30 My993C2 @ 03/13/15 06:27 PM

Spring Training does matter to me. I use it to evaluate who will be my starters, who will be my subs on the 25-man squad and if a sub what are their strengths and weaknesses. Obviously when a starter gets tired or hurt, then a sub must step in and you can only hope they help and not hurt the team. But in a regular season game, I want to know which of my positional subs can be subbed into the game in a defensive role knowing they likely will not mess up and which ones have a tendency to be a defensive liability. Of course over an entire season I can observe this as well, we don't just rely on Spring Training. But I still like to know when my season begins which subs I have a lot of confidence in and which subs I will use only when my bench is getting thin. A player's Overall Rating does not tell me everything I need to know.

I am all for SCEA improving on Spring Training. But I also understand why people sim through the games and those who sim through the games should not be punished in terms of their player development. They just might not know everything they need to know about their team until about 1-2 months into the regular season.

# 31 jkra0512 @ 03/13/15 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaseIH


	I like this idea. Im surprised with so many avid baseball fans we have around here that play this game, that a lot of them find Spring Training boring and just skip it. IMO real die hard baseball fans love Spring Training,lol. I love this time of year watching Spring Training games, and enjoy playing them in MLBTS, but would love to see spring have some type of impact in the game. Out of all the sports exhibition game, Spring Training is actually a great time for fans as well as a lot of players enjoy it. Unlike the NFL and NBA pre seasons, personally I cant stand pre season football, and dont watch it unless there is no baseball on, but with MLB TV and MILB TV I always have baseball, thank God for that,lol.

I hear ya!

I'd love to see the option to also help mold a pitcher's repertoire. For instance, you always hear about pitchers working on a certain type of pitch during Spring Training or the coaching staff even asking younger pitchers to work on a certain type of pitch. I would like to see dynamic fluctuations and development in these pitches.

Being a Yankees fan, one example I can think of is when they traded for Brandon McCarthy last season and he said the D-Backs told him to stop using his cutter, but after he signed with the Yankees they told him to start using it again and it appears to have helped.

That's kind of an extreme example, and it happened during the season, but that'd be kind of cool to see. Maybe it's built into the team's philosophy, where the Yankees covet leftys and pitchers with a good a curveball and/or changeup. Seeing these develop over the course of ST could bring some life to the first month of the season...

# 32 Knight165 @ 03/13/15 10:12 PM

One thing getting lost on those who say they don't need to work on ST ...to concentrate on other things.

ST in real life has some pretty big implications on teams in terms of roster moves....emerging players....in some cases a player not making the team and sometimes landing elsewhere to perhaps play a part in different teams success.

You guys are focusing on how YOU play out ST.

However you seem to be neglecting that the logic that might be instituted in adding position battles...improving the logic on how teams pick players making the big team...etc are going to play a large part on the CPU teams.
Even if you sim spring training in your franchise.

M.K.
Knight165

# 33 CaseIH @ 03/13/15 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkra0512


	I hear ya! I'd love to see the option to also help mold a pitcher's repertoire. For instance, you always hear about pitchers working on a certain type of pitch during Spring Training or the coaching staff even asking younger pitchers to work on a certain type of pitch. I would like to see dynamic fluctuations and development in these pitches. Being a Yankees fan, one example I can think of is when they traded for Brandon McCarthy last season and he said the D-Backs told him to stop using his cutter, but after he signed with the Yankees they told him to start using it again and it appears to have helped. That's kind of an extreme example, and it happened during the season, but that'd be kind of cool to see. Maybe it's built into the team's philosophy, where the Yankees covet leftys and pitchers with a good a curveball and/or changeup. Seeing these develop over the course of ST could bring some life to the first month of the season...

Yeah, stuff like that could really make Spring Training very interesting. Glad Im not the only who enjoys Spring games both IRL and in MLBTS, now I can tell my wife Im not that weird,lol, she thinks why do you get so excited for Spring Training when the games don't count, typical woman.

I do think its is something that for the people who want to skip Spring that they shouldn't be penalized for not wanting to play it. Maybe have it to where they can set what a player needs to work on before they skip and it will simulate it for them.

Spring Training is definitely something that the devs need to work, unlike other sports, Spring Training is very important for teams.

# 34 sydrogerdavid @ 03/13/15 10:18 PM

I agree with pretty much everything posted.

Non-roster invitees
Split Squads
Minor League Camp
Dynamic ratings for spring
Different commentary

Etc...

# 35 redsox4evur @ 03/13/15 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knight165


	One thing getting lost on those who say they don't need to work on ST ...to concentrate on other things. ST in real life has some pretty big implications on teams in terms of roster moves....emerging players....in some cases a player not making the team and sometimes landing elsewhere to perhaps play a part in different teams success. You guys are focusing on how YOU play out ST. However you seem to be neglecting that the logic that might be instituted in adding position battles...improving the logic on how teams pick players making the big team...etc are going to play a large part on the CPU teams. Even if you sim spring training in your franchise. M.K. Knight165

Knight once again hits the nail on the head. Teams will use ST to make moves for injured players or guys who have regained value after a bad or lost season due to injuries. Two guys that I can think of the top off of my head are Allen Craig and Cliff Lee (if he didn't get injured again). The Giants could target a guy like Craig because of Pence's injury.

# 36 BDKiiing @ 03/13/15 10:28 PM

It all starts with non-roster invites.

# 37 OhioCub @ 03/13/15 10:54 PM

First, forget NRI's, for spring training instead of just letting us use the 40-man roster, make it to where we can use the entire 90 player organization roster if we so choose. Watch any spring game and a player will pop up who's not on the 40 man and not on the list of NRI's. Roster rules are pretty much relaxed in the spring games so The Show should reflect that, it gives us a chance to get used to using some of our prospects. I also think this may be easier for the devs to accomplish rather than having a set number of NRI's per team.

Second, as far as the try-outs thing goes. Here's a solution I came up with. Instead of being able to see the ratings continually change in the game instead keep that under the hood from opening day until the end of the offseason. Once you hit spring training for the next year, each day the updated ratings gradually start to update until the end of spring training when you get to see each player's fully updated ratings for the new season. In other words, all VISIBLE progression takes place during spring training only (even though it's continually happening under the hood).

# 38 Cubfan @ 03/13/15 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OhioCub


	First, forget NRI's, for spring training instead of just letting us use the 40-man roster, make it to where we can use the entire 90 player organization roster if we so choose. Watch any spring game and a player will pop up who's not on the 40 man and not on the list of NRI's. Roster rules are pretty much relaxed in the spring games so The Show should reflect that, it gives us a chance to get used to using some of our prospects. I also think this may be easier for the devs to accomplish rather than having a set number of NRI's per team. Second, as far as the try-outs thing goes. Here's a solution I came up with. Instead of being able to see the ratings continually change in the game instead keep that under the hood from opening day until the end of the offseason. Once you hit spring training for the next year, each day the updated ratings gradually start to update until the end of spring training when you get to see each player's fully updated ratings for the new season. In other words, all VISIBLE progression takes place during spring training only (even though it's continually happening under the hood).

The problem is that to be part of the PA the players have to play one mlb game. Unless that rule gets changed we are stuck with a bunch of fake players.

# 39 OhioCub @ 03/13/15 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cubfan


	The problem is that to be part of the PA the players have to play one mlb game. Unless that rule gets changed we are stuck with a bunch of fake players.

I'm fine with that as long as we have the great people here still putting out OSFM. If you don't wait for OSFM then you're gonna be stuck with fake players eventually anyway.

# 40 BenGerman @ 03/14/15 12:49 PM

Thanks for the kind words, everyone.

Yeah, I was glad to hear the team talk about more frequent subbing. I think, if that works as promised, is a really neat feature that probably isn't that easy to re-implement. So kudos to SCEA.

I bet next year is the year we see some of this stuff. It's likely that most developers will have moved on from the past-gen consoles, so true optimization can really begin. Wasn't it around '09 when the game really started to hit its stride on the PS3?

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