New to SOM online - which league should I join

[chasenally]

Join the beginner league. It will be the best way to get your feet wet. The live draft is a bit difficult but that is your best bet right now. Then wait until the 09 set comes out. The 08 set has been around awhile and most vets know just what works in each park so start fresh with your second team. Post question on this forum and you can always get help, as you see with the response you have already received. After you draft your team post it here and the vets will help you. The park you pick is very important. If you pick a park with low hitting ratings it will help your pitchers but hurt your hitter and vice verses. This a great bunch of guys and gals and they always welcome "newbies" and help out whenever you ask. I have received much help even from players in my own division! Good luck and you will become hooked FAST. Mike

[fredpaii]

As a newbie I would use a $12.50 league as opposed to a $24.50. But definitely do not do a 2001 league yet. They don't have a waiver period after drafts and that would tear you up.

[boyer14]

As a relatively new player with experience only in the 2007 and 2008 sets I would also advise you to mix it up with the "big boys" once you learn the basics of the on-line game. In addition to reading the posts on these boards I think there is no better way to figure out what works best than studying teams put together by the experts. To do that you will need to get involved in leagues with the managers with the top win percentages. But you must be able to handle losing a few games and not get too worried about your "rating".

Study the teams that score the most runs and those that give up the fewest. You learn what has worked for those managers and can find players with the best value in certain ballparks. Add that to your individual preferences and ideas and you will be successful. The "big boys" I have learned from include J-Pav, Jeepdriver, the mahoots, The Germs, Jerlins, and Altec1969 among others. I have studied the teams they have assembled and come away with a number of new ideas to try myself.

[artie4121]

I agree Walden, . . . to a certain extent. But let's not forget that it is in the interest of the veterans to have new blood in their leagues so they can gain credits for winning against them. There's nothing [i:297aef68d7]wrong[/i:297aef68d7] with that, but let's just get it on the table. :wink:

And you ARE right that for a newbie to STAY within the comfort of just other newbies will not enable him to grow over the long run . . .

BUT,

I've had discussions with Jeff (JPav) on this, and Jeepdriver in leagues that I have been in with each of them, and someone who has no experience or very little, and can't devote a few hours a day to analysis of this game, box scores, league ratings, etc. will get VERY discouraged VERY fast if he jumps in against the elite right away. It becomes Gladiator School. You might "learn" the game, but you can lose an arm or leg out there. :)

Just as someone needs to learn what it feels like to [i:297aef68d7]lose[/i:297aef68d7] games and series and be under 500, they ALSO need to know what it feels like to win some games and series too. Maybe even finish near .500. :shock:

The dropout rate here at Sporting News SOM bears that out.

I respect you veterans who do share your knowledge, but I was so lost in my first team that even the sage advice of AeroDave didn't help me. Only my devotion to learning and TIME and some level of SUCCESS (and yes, Walden, some failure too) inspired me to [b:297aef68d7][i:297aef68d7]Stay[/i:297aef68d7][/b:297aef68d7].

Newbies need a place to learn without getting smoked by guys who have a 30 or 40 THOUSAND wins.

There ARE leagues that state "Under 200 pts" "Under 500 pts." and I respect those veterans who respect those and let the newbies test their wings.

THEN, after two or three such [i:297aef68d7]learning[/i:297aef68d7] teams, jump in with Luckyman, JPav, AeroDave, Walden, etc and test your wings. They are very generous in sharing their knowledge, and jeez, can they play this game.

But grow your wings a bit first so you don't crash and burn and leave discouraged.

This serves us ALL in the long run . . . afterall, one day I, too, may be one of those elite who can strut his stuff with the best of them and teach and inspire the newbies who want to join our rank of brothers.

[boyer14]

Artie makes many excellent points. Having success does provide motivation to play again.

I was hooked on Strat from the time I started playing my first league. So for me I suspect I would have continued playing regardless of the results of my teams. Everyone has to find the right level for their play. But to keep getting better at it I do think one should include challenging themselves against better and better players to find new ideas and strategies.

[artie4121]

Hey Walden,

I think the "Truth" lies in a blend of our positions.

I've only played six teams so far, and only one of them was a "Rookies" rated league, so I pretty much learned by getting asskickings by AeroDave, Jeepdriver, Broadwater and I'm currently in a league where the leader is [b:c6ed262039]JPav . . . who is in first place despite scoring 41 fewer runs than he has given up.[/b:c6ed262039] ???

So, I'm learning by burning. . . or getting burned, so on some level, I'm following your advice. :wink:

Good luck tonight in our series.

Artie

[chasenally]

I found JPav's Secret Formula post for you. It should be near the top now. This guy knows his stuff. Mike

[the splinter]

where is the link to the newbie thread...best ever public post on this site