What do you like to do in Strat autoleagues?

what I think is my first team ever....

http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/501848

I dropped 7 players and won 99 games

I've tried several experimental teams--most all were experiences in frustration--I tried a high injury team, a LH hitting Progressive team that ended up in a division with two more progressive teams, A high average/good power 60M Fenway team that hit .300 avg & .500 slugging as a team but ended up under .500, a poor fielding/ good hitting team, a pitching/fielding team--most all were my worse teams with one exception.

I got tired of being bombed by power teams online-- so I went with a Coors team that had almost no pitching except 2 or 3 relievers in a "if you can't beat em', join em' " attitude. I went with cheap starting intentionally, only trying to find cheap starters that didn't give up a lot of BP HR's.

http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/1111043

This team actually helped me realize that the setup men were of most importance on most teams, unless most all your starters are top notch.

My best teams seem to always be---draft the best players you can get for the park you chose, draft weak positions high in the draft (usually 2B ,SS or C but this year 3B/OF seems weaker to me)-- and most always a bunch of waiver changes to compete within the division, or the league as a whole if you have a bad division/park matchup.

Avoid them like the plague.

Got SOOOOOO tired of playing with 8 coors fields or 10 Pac Bells, etc. That's why I limit myself to keepers and Jeep's theme leagues, if Strat would limit it to only one of each park, and/or make parks part of the draft, I might be tempted to come back to auto leagues, but otherwise, I'll pass.

I'm sorry Niners has such disdain for the 20xx auto-leagues most players play; I'm sure he would be a worthy opponent. I can say, after 13 years, I've only seen such extreme replication once or twice. Also, concern over multi-usage of the same stadium is over-blown. Many stadiums in MLB have similar dimensions; they just have different names. So, the re-appearance of the same-named stadium in the same league doesn't necessarily diminish the simulation. Also, in a league with 4-team divisions, with 80m salary caps, in one 12-team league, SOM online has already significantly deviated from MLB reality. So multi-usage of stadiums certainly doesn't spoil a perfect, or even near-perfect, simulation.

I. Strether wrote:

re-appearance of the same-named stadium in the same league doesn't necessarily diminish the simulation. Also, in a league with 4-team divisions, with 80m salary caps, in one 12-team league, SOM online has already significantly deviated from MLB reality. So multi-usage of stadiums certainly doesn't spoil a perfect, or even near-perfect, simulation.

Agreed! ............I think we should be able to create our own stadium dimensions! And I do not mind if more than one person uses a park! This is after all a fantasy or what if and everyone has their preferences. .... cheers.

I'm sorry Niners has such disdain for the 20xx auto-leagues most players play; I'm sure he would be a worthy opponent. I can say, after 13 years, I've only seen such extreme replication once or twice. Also, concern over multi-usage of the same stadium is over-blown. Many stadiums in MLB have similar dimensions; they just have different names. So, the re-appearance of the same-named stadium in the same league doesn't necessarily diminish the simulation. Also, in a league with 4-team divisions, with 80m salary caps, in one 12-team league, SOM online has already significantly deviated from MLB reality. So multi-usage of stadiums certainly doesn't spoil a perfect, or even near-perfect, simulation.

Perhaps it's changed since I gave up the autodraft, of course the other overriding factor is budget. Once I pay for my keepers and Jeeps themes I'm pretty tapped out on my Strat budget for the year, something had to give and given a choice between keepers where I get to build a team and try and keep it competitive year after year with 40 man rosters, prospects, live drafts every year, I'll take that over the chance that I get stuck in a multi same stadium league.

Nice idea Radaghast, but seeing as we can't get the super advanced outfield playing out of position chart into the game, don't think we're going to get he ability to make our own parks anytime soon.

I simply try to grab value wherever I can and win. Generally that involves at 3 platoons with extreme splits and my roster construction more or less mirrors the J-Pav way (thanks J-Pav!).

Lately I only play one autoleague a year because I don't buy as many credits anymore and I'm much more invested in the keeper leagues. The keeper leagues have increased my love of baseball because you are constantly monitoring the current year's performance of players while also tracking prospects across the board. I don't play fantasy baseball so when the Twins suck (which generally is the case) I have a reason to follow all other teams.