Power Pros Forum

What is the best team, assuming you enjoy playing and managing?

I chose the Rays, thinking that it would be fun because they were a project with a solid core of young players, and I also thought that being in the AL East, I was guaranteed of having a lot of tough games against the RedSox and the Yankees. I also wanted to stick with the AL becuase I have trouble bunting.

Anyway, I'm in my 2nd season with the rays and after losing less than 2% of the games I didn't sim, I am keeping it interesting by adjusting the game - making the opposing pitchers pitch on "expert" and reducing my batting help to 1, but at some point, I'll probably want to start over with a new team. I still don't think I'm ready to have the cpu bat in expert mode!

I was thinking that the Orioles and Royals would be fun projects. I know the game ranks the different teams in terms of offense, defense, and pitching, but what are your thoughts?

A little tip in terms of difficulty levels, is to leave CPU pitching on normal, but turn Lock-On batting off. It really makes the game harder than just putting the computer on expert.

ChiCubsFan is in 2013 with the Royals. You should look at his log. He turned the Royals into WS champs.

For the tip on turning the batting help off: thanks. I think I'll probably let the opponent hit on the higher level before turning my 1 to a 0 - striking out and popping out to the pitcher is real frustrating!

To the person noting the Royals blog: I read enough to see he's having fun with them, but a million posts describing each game is not a fun read for me!

I'm in 2011 with the Braves, a good middle of the road team to play with, the have some pieces there alreadly in Texiera, Smoltz, Hudson, Chipper, and many tradeable players as well such as Kelley Johnson, Mike Hampton, Mark Kotsay and Mike Gonzalez. As far as rebuilding projects go, Royals, Pirates, Orioles, Padres, Nationals, even the Giants are all good ideas. There are many teams to play with a build over the years, if you want to build but still have a chance of success from the start, go with a middle of the road team. If you want a longer but more satisfying route, go with a rebuilding project

I group the teams up as this

Rebuilding Projects (Low Road): Orioles, Rays, Royals, Nationals, Pirates

Low-Middle of the Road: Astros, Marlins (SUPER LOW SALARY), Rangers (They start off bad at the beginning), Padres, Giants

Middle of the Road: Braves, Diamondbacks, Reds, Blue Jays, Twins, Indians, A's, Rockies

Middle-High of the Road: White Sox (Salary Issue), Phillies, Brewers, Cubs (High Salary), Tigers (High Salary), Cardinals, Mariners,

High Road: Red Sox, Yankees, Angles, Mets, Dodgers

I've tried the Rays once or twice but the home park is too depressing. I prefer the crappy team / dynamic home field combo A roster with players to purge and holes to fill through the draft keeps things interesting over multiple seasons . . . provided I fight the urge to make those two or three trades and/or free agent signings that will turn any team into an instant WS contender. Plus, prospects rot on the reserve list when roster is loaded, which makes the draft insignificant.

Thank you. I initially resisted, but after winning consecutive games by more than 10 runs, i took your suggestion, but i move the CPU lvl to novice and set the pitch speed to slow. Much harder, and more satisfying so far.

In changing the setting, i also noticed there are other options for cpu pitching and hitting - i think one is called all star. Jave you tried those?

Yeah, I've tried it. And stick with it. At first, I had to set pitch speed to slow, but now I keep it on normal and put the CPU pitching on expert. You'll get the hang of it.

There's actually a fifth option called "Powerful." That's the one that the really hardcore players use.

I'm almost there. When me and the CPU both use the same lousy team in exhibition mode, I can beat it one out of three times on Powerful. When we both use the same good teams, it's about 1 in 5.

I win about 3 out of every 4 games with CPU hitting on expert, so I think it's time to move up. Most of my games are pretty low scoring, though, so I'll leave CPU pitching where it's at. I tend to put up numbers like 2 runs on 11 hits.

I use Powerful on both the Japanese and American games.

I may win only 3 out of 5 times, but it's fun to have a challenge.

Hmm...maybe I'll experiment with Powerful and put my hitting back to a +1 instead of normal? Its frustrating when I line up my bat to that slow change perfectly, but still hit a weak popup to the catcher!

My last game using my batting at normal and the CPU on slow novice pitching, normal fielding & base running, & expert hitting was very exciting - my Rays were playing the Twins in the world series. I was up 2-0 from a group of singles & a solo HR fr RF Hunter Pence, but in the 7th, LF P Burrell hit a 2 run HR off Jackson. Twins went up by 1 the next inning with 3 singles off Hammell, and they brought in their closer Francisco Rodriguez. HOLY COW IS THE INTIMIDATOR ABILITY IMPRESSIVE!!! All my b & c contacts got shrunk to, like e!!! I was still able to tie the game and we stayed tied until the 13th, when he got tired and I scored 3. In the bottom of the 13th, they scored twice off my closer, Heilman, but then we got that last out.

That "INTIMIDATOR" setting was amazing! I did a quick check and I think 1 of the guys w that ability (Randy Johnson) will be a free agent. I'm thinking of getting him and buying a technique book and maybe a trust ring (or something) like that for him to teach that to my pitchers, esp the ones who're advanced enough not to need other work and my rookies. I've read the tips on the board about saving when it gets close on those. Would I list RJ as also working on that?

Practicing with someone else really doesn't seem too worth it for abilities, it takes one and a half seasons to reach the best friendship level and all it does is double the speed of getting the ability, it doesn't even seem to slightly increase the chances of getting it.

Be aware that if Intimidator is anything like Gyroball it could take well over 500 reloads to successfully get it.

If you do want to practice as a group just have the guy teaching the ability be listed as the leader and the effect will work.

Ugh! Totally not interested in potentially reloading more than 4 or 5 times. Forget it!