Has 2006 killed off the "Old Guard"??

[ROBERTVOZZA]

Over on the Bullpen could be an entire subject of its own...

I used to really get into it with some people who had entirely different views, but at some point I realised that it was a tremendous waste of everyone's energy - including emotions - because when discussing such delicate issues as Politics and Religion, basically one's belief system, whatever it may be, you are treading on ground where you will NEVER change the other person's opinions of what is very deeply rooted in THEIR life experience and value systems dating back to childhood.

So why bother? i find I get along just fine with people hat have differing opinions than mine as long as we don't talk politics, religion or values...

But if we stick to baseball, I find I get along pretty well with everyone. But it really gets personally brutal over on that forum. So I do my best to stay away.

Just more comments from the peanut gallery. :roll: :wink:

[J-Pav]

[b:98f24c8f60]Rob:[/b:98f24c8f60]

Have you read the [i:98f24c8f60]TSN Terrorism/Emoticons[/i:98f24c8f60] threads over there? This is the stuff that makes you lose faith in humanity. Disturbing is the only word I can think of.

[J-Pav]

Sad, too.

[ROBERTVOZZA]

And hardly any words...I think some people have way too much time on their hands.... :roll:

[JKolak]

Well I am part of the old guard fading into the twilight. I think TSN has done an exceptional job of improving the game since its inception 4 years ago with the 2001 card set. The pricing model has removed virtually old of the great discrepancies it produced in 2001 with the loss of Mateo, Feliz and Escobar killer .50M cards etc.

Reality is the fact that I do not have the time that I once did to play this game. While my interest has not faded, my performance has measureably. However, I think that that is all well and good because competition, hopefully friendly, is what this game must/should be all about on every level.

The managers have gotten better while the quality of players in the card sets overall has diminished. Yeah, I'll keep playing. On the other hand, I don't have the time for the posting I once did.

[Coffeeholic]

[quote:3142ef2427="J-Pav"]

That's correct and I agree. To me "extra edge" equates with skill. Less skill is required, hence, the gap is not as wide. In a separate post, I would spend the time to argue that the single greatest example of SOM skill (in the past) was the draft priority. The more you played, the better you understood who to take where and your winning pct would benefit somewhat proportionately. You can argue the underpriced value of a 2003 Feliz card all you want, but EVERYONE already knew he was a bargain. It wasn't an old guard "card analyzer's super secret pick." What everyone [i:3142ef2427]didn't[/i:3142ef2427] know was how low could you go with him on the draft card and expect to get him. Against me, you better have him higher than third. Most managers wouldn't allow themselves to do that, and I often got him with a number two or three pick (Dubose was often #1 by the way). So I would forfeit a high pick for a two dollar guy and get away with it, because that choice [i:3142ef2427]disproportionately[/i:3142ef2427] benefitted my team, relative to the pack. An even [i:3142ef2427]more skillful[/i:3142ef2427] manager might even take him #1.

[/quote:3142ef2427]

I found this to post in particular helped me to define my lack of enthusiasm for, and success in, the '06 game (and for that matter, '05 as well).

I am definetly in the group of managers who find their enjoyment of this game to be in the building of our teams in the draft and pre-season. Once the season starts, my teams are on "auto-pilot" (except for setting my "per game starters" and adjusting my line-up for injuries). I seldom look at the scores of my games and only once in a blue moon will I examine the boxscores. In the past, once the season started, I basically ignored this team and moved on to the building of my next team. Typically this meant that I had between 12-16 teams going at once.

I'll be the first to admit that my successes (and enjoyment) in the older games came from correctly identifying cards which were undervalued (and perhaps this only meant in relation to my team, park and or divisional and league foes) and by knowing where to place these undervalued players on my draft card. Add a nice draft result to an occasional pick up of a dropped "gem" off the waiver wire and I was a happy camper.

I respect the arguement that success in the '05 and '06 games which feature more accurate pricing comes from expertise in micro-managing your teams. Undoubtedly the top managers can find the smallest of bargains in players, and, coupled with astute "series by series" management, can pick up those few extra wins which will transform a team from 81-83 wins to 88-90 or so wins. Trouble is, this "micro-managing" isn't what I (and other "auto-pilot" managers) look for or enjoy about this game.

No sour grapes here! I respect that many prefer the more acccurate pricing structure and the subtle rule changes which have eliminated many of the "game engine" manipulations which experienced (or skillful?) managers used. I just do not/will not get the same satisfaction from micro managing my accurately priced team to 88 wins that I got from getting those $.50 mil reverse SP's to pitch like $2 mil SP's or from getting my 3 man, $6 mil bullpen to pitch as effectively as other teams 5 man $11 mil bullpen, etc, etc. so that my $80 mil team played like $90 - $95 mil while others only had $80 mil on the field!

Hence, I'll play out my commitments in the '06 season (I'll probably have less than 15 teams total for the year... as opposed to 50+ teams in seasons past) and have basically resigned myself to fielding .500% teams in these leagues.



And that's where this "old guard" has gone! :cry:

[emart]

I started with SOM online back with the 2001 season, and have played every game that has been released since, with the exception of the 80's game. I have noticed an evolution in both the online game and in the SOM community as the years have passed.

Personally, I don't enjoy the game as much as I used to, but I still play. My enjoyment comes primarily from the strategy involved in selecting, drafting, and building a team, though I will monitor teams throughout a season and will try to make meaningful changes if a team is struggling.

I miss the cast of familiar names and the rivalries that developed in the earlier years, even in the autoleagues. Since I don't see many familiar names on the boards, and since my success rate has declined in 05-06 (so I'm no longer comfortable offering advice to others), I'm not on the boards much any more. I also miss the in-depth discussions of the past, which I rarely see anymore - this post excepted.

Since I enjoy the challenge of building teams, I preferred the earlier games because a manager had more different strategies to choose from. At times, I would pursue guys like Feliz or Santos, or I would take the opposite strategy and leave those guys for others. I could build successful teams with different approaches, and it felt like there were more layers of strategy in drafting and team building.

In today's games (05 and 06), the pricing is so accurate and the rules so tight that I think it evens the playing field considerably. I think it is easier for the novice player to have a successful team - as long as they have 80 mil worth of players, and since the rules dictate roster requirements, nobody can go completely wrong.

I think pricing has gone too far this year with emphasis on OB and defense, as others have said. Bay, Roberts, Giles (RF), Helton all come to mind. I also think that the player pools in 05 and 06 have lost the depth of prior years.

I still enjoy (am addicted to) this game, and I'm enjoying seeing some of the senior players come up to post on this thread.

[exwallman]

It is really good to see some of the old names. I think if TSN would consider some little changes they could easily spark some interest again in the game.

* Start the season in February before real baseball and 5x5 fantasy baseball kicks in.
* Lower the price from $24.95 to like $14.95 or even $19.95.
* Don't overprice superstars make them more in line with other linear pricing. Everybody would like to have them once in awhile.
* Bring Strato football back.

[Jerlins]

Have to agree with Coffee and Emart. The fun is in building the teams and anything else involved in preseason. Rarely if ever I find myself adjusting lineups once the season begins, and 90% of my teams I have a 4 man rotation for the main purpose of not having to micromanage my staff.