Problems with player development?

[Nolove626]

Is it just me, or does anyone feel like player development regressed back to the old days? The last few years I feel like MLB the show really made improvements on the player development front, but this year something seems a little off. I have been running some test franchises until OSFM drops and it seems like players are hitting a wall at 25. I thought okay maybe they just tuned this for this years game, but honestly even my younger (18-24) B and A rated players are not getting better as quickly as they have in the past. Case and point Tyler Austin on the yankees 25 and A rated potential actually got worse in a few categories despite having a solid season. Robert Stephenson of the reds 24 and 88 potential improving only slightly. I am interested to see other people's houghts on this years development, and see if anyone else is noticing a slower development curve his year?

[Nolove626]

After doing some more research on this with some test franchises. Something is definitely off with the progression. I think this may be due to the fact that the performance based system weighs more heavily towards regression than progression. What I mean is that it almost feels like you are penalized harder for bad performance than you are rewarded for good performance. I could be wrong on this and may just be over thinking it, but it really seems as if players are just not getting better very quickly, but when they fall they fall off of a cliff.

[MattP598]

I agree. Also which activity you choose doesn't seem to make a difference. I've had Mallex Smith, A rating, 24 I think, working on stealing for 2 months and haven't seen one bump at all, yet his contact vs. Righties is +8.

[Nolove626]

Quote: Originally Posted by MattP598

I agree. Also which activity you choose doesn't seem to make a difference. I've had Mallex Smith, A rating, 24 I think, working on stealing for 2 months and haven't seen one bump at all, yet his contact vs. Righties is +8.

Yeah I've noticed this to. Training seems to have zero effect on development, and is all production based. My only problem with this is that none of the improvements in attributes are even remotely sustainable. I had mikail frack of the phillies with plus 4 contact against lefties, and the very next week he was minus 2. You mean to tell me he lost all ability to hit lefties in one week after crushing them all season? Seem wonky and going to make developing prospects with OSFM a random crap shoot.

[Nolove626]

After doing another test franchise and aimming five years intoned the future I have realized development isn't completely random, which is disappointing. I liked somewhat having control over developments of my prospects by choosing what I wanted them to focus on.

[Bosox1389]

This is the biggest issue for me in franchise as I run one with BOS and play every game but throughout the year I play a few other franchises where I manage and sim more so I can get into 10 seasons with a rebuild team.

I wasn't one to freak out over additions or lack their of, of franchise mode I just hoped they fix this issue because to me it ruins a franchise 8 years in when every MLB player is retiring at 34-35 after monster seasons yet there are D potential guys who are 38 who never sniffed MLB rated at 60 or less still in the league.

Their system needs a major overhaul in this area. However I did feel in '16 that training mattered so I wonder if there's a bug or issue with this years game.

In '16 I ran a DBACKS franchise and in year one I drafted a 20 yr old catcher with 78 potential and low 70s overall well he dominated the minors and potential grew into mid B range I brought him up in his first season and was my starter in his second season. He acquired 6 years service by 27. Only problem was he's 27 86 overall and 87 potential. And by the end of that season he was a 78 he fell off a cliff at age 27 regressed significantly in every category. Makes no sense. He's hitting his prime he should stay around 86 for 3-7 years after 27 maybe because he's a catcher it's more like 3-5 but then there should be a slight drop off. There's no reason for a 32 yr old perennial all star to drop over 20 points in one year.

This is one of many examples I had from last years game I hoped they had fixed. It seems like any cap players regress once they hit there 6 yr service time and are ready for free agents. It prevents long time MLB contributors. I want to be able to bring a young guy up at 21 if his play demands it and watch him develop for 9 years on my MLB team and keep him up there for 15 or so years not worry that in 5 he will start to regress

Anyway sorry for the long post/rant I just think if the only thing they fixed was this I'd be extremely happy with franchise for years to come


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[Nolove626]

From what I am seeing it probably is a bug. It seems as if training is stuck on auto even if you assign it to a certain category.

[zukes]

I haven't had a chance to dig into the game, nor the forums too much as I was on vacation, so I apologize if this has been or is being discussed elsewhere, but do players still rapidly decline in their later years during the season as a rule? I understand that this happens to some players, but look at David Ortiz last year. In the game he would lose ratings across the board to the point he was basically unusable by the end of the first season. In real life he had one of, if not the, season of his career.