question for the veterans

I just started playing last year so I'm still a little green here but is it even possible to win with Pitching / smaller ball teams (20xx). I've looked back at my past teams (9 teams) and see the same pattern...hit the most hrs , win the most games. I'm looking at my current team which I felt good about when compared to the other teams in my league. By real MLB stats best ERA & whip, best OBP & avg., 4th in SLG. Fielding: C&CF 1, SS&2B 2, All others 3 should be good? Result: not winning. So I look at what the top teams are and guess what: most HRs. Is there some trick I'm missing so that I can compete or is this just a game of bash the ball?

I’ve had the same thoughts about wins simply correlating with home runs, so I did this:

https://365.strat-o-matic.com/team/1501449

89 wins, missed playoffs, but set a personal best in HR.

However, most of my 2017 rings were won like this:

https://365.strat-o-matic.com/team/1498253

Pitching and defense in a pitchers park. 89 wins and a ring (10th in home runs).

Since around 2015, the game has become correspondingly more difficult each year: Better, more experienced managers, deeper player pools, the interactions of the selected ballparks, revisions to HAL’s logic, etc etc. It’s pretty hard to understand how difficult and complex this game has become, when the outward appearance is that it looks so easy to play. Be prepared to pay a bit of tuition before you turn the corner.

First off thanks for responding. Your second team looks reminiscent of mine. Pitchers park, Solid pitching, good OBP, Some power etc... So maybe there's still hope. As far as your first example....I looked up the league and guess what: Top 4 winning teams included top 3 HR hitting teams. Still seeing the correlation. Do you have any tips on how to grind out with a pitchers team?

What do I know but I would suggest...

(1) Get as good of starting pitching as you can. Also focus on getting pitchers who dont allow hits.
(2) Get as good of a defense as you can
(3) High-average guys on offense who have good non bp power (doubles and base homeruns)
(4) Dont go too one-sided for home park (e.g getting starters who allow too many BP homeruns, not having anyone with 7 or 8 BP homeruns) so you can compete on the road
(5) Consider getting arms in the outfield and a 1 or 2 catcher to hinder base advancement and consider getting some 16 or 17 speed guys on offense...

Here is one team. What a show-off...

https://365.strat-o-matic.com/team/1505078



So starve the other side of hits and maximize your hit totals, maintain power by not relying on BP based power, allow your park to knock down the power of homerun teams, make it more difficult for runners to advance and having fast guys while can advance (more necessary when you're not hitting a ton of hrs) and remember to keep a team that can compete in a power park. Whew!

Do you have any tips on how to grind out with a pitchers team?

1. There are no absolutes. You can do everything right and still lose.
2. The boards are full of help on this - Freeman’s post above is solid.
3. I’m still trying to figure a lot of this out still myself!

Thanks again. I've pretty much have done what freeman suggested except for pitching. I have 2 great starters, 1 solid starter and 4 solid SP/RP I can rotate and/or spot start depending on opponent plus a decent closer and 1 each RH/LH specialist. I'm hopeful this will work especially with endurance lacking in the current set.

Thanks for all the advice. After a grueling season my team turned itself around and I'll be heading to the playoffs next week....

Yes, absolutely!

I am sorry, nothing personal, but I am not fond of Freeman's advice at all.... I am sure he wins that way, but that is far from the only way... Listen to Jay..... Also, I think some of the things he mentioned are overvalued and overpriced, and also not necessary to win... Like arm strength in the outfield, that is absolutely NOT NECESSARY to win.

Well, anything that one person says IS necessary to win some other owner will show a team that has won without it. There are so many ways for success in this game that no one answer is the only way to win.