Sat Feb 02, 2013 12:00 am
If I am trying to duplicate how I play the board game I am right there with you danielz. Though if it is going to be that simple then drop the aggressive or whatever label and just let me specify a number. Challenge if chances are this number or higher.
A couple problems though. Sometimes when playing board game I would vary what number I was comfortable challenging at depending on score and other circumstances. Sometimes just based on a hunch. Another factor is HAL is in theory not trying to duplicate how I would play the game but how it might unfold in real life. Such a simple mechanism like challenge whenever chances are 1-16 or better would never allow the simulation to duplicate OF assists. And though I will admit I am not sure just how that is done the contribution an OFer makes with assists needs to be part of that players portfolio.
It is similar to the stolen base scenario except there is no jump involved. Almost every team regardless of catcher or the arm of the catcher has about the same opponents stolen base rate. The arm rating mostly only impacts how many people steal. I am not sure how I would implement a better system. But I think somehow part of the impact of starting Napoli or Pierzynski behind the plate should be the fact 80% of runners are going to be safe and part of the benefit of having a Rodriguez, Yadier, or Bench behind the plate should be a higher percent of runners thrown out.
In a similar manner the OF throwing should involve more than just how often he gets challenged but how accurate he is with throwing people out. I hesitate to say a lot about what I perceive as a weakness in the game because quite honestly I do not have any good ideas for a better way to handle it.