印地安人隊在19日以小聯盟內野手Isaias Velasquez向坦帕灣光芒換來右投手Juan Salas，同時為了清出40人名單的空位，將前未來的三壘手Andy Marte踢出40人名單。
Velasquez略過，因為我不認識，20歲在短期1A打.711的2B/3B/SS，大概以後也不會有什麼機會看到他吧。
Salas今年30歲，在大聯盟只投過52.2局，投出42次三振，保送24人，似乎控球不大好。從Fangraphs上的資料看，這三年球速有掉一點點，不知道是不是誤差，去年6.1局中丟的速球平均是91mph，不過在3A的數字看起來很好看。他應該還是有機會搶牛棚的位置，只是機會可能不大，也不重要，如果算的沒錯的話，他還有1個option可以用。另外，他在2007年因為用禁藥被禁50場比賽。
Marte被踢出去是很正常的事情，他先發打不出好成績，坐在板凳也幾乎沒有用處，也不能option到小聯盟去。沒意外的話，現在球隊先發九人都已經確定，假設帶12個投手，那板凳上有四個位置，Jamey Carroll跟Kelly Shoppach一定進，另外David Dellucci跟Marte，就算你不想讓他們進去，也都不能隨便丟小聯盟，有需要的時候，先踢Marte出40人名單是意料中的事情。這樣板凳就空了一個位置可以給那些還有option的人輪流去坐。
不過目前看起來，也沒有其他什麼人更適合坐那裡，目前看起來比較有可能的是Josh Barfield，基本上這是換湯不換藥，Barfield也不是那種在板凳上能有什麼貢獻的球員。其他在40人名單中的球員，扣除捕手的話（不太可能帶3個捕手進入球季），還有Trevor Crowe跟Luis Valbuena。Crowe是比較合理的選擇，至少他防守比Dellucci有用，Valbuena應該還是會在3A先發，等機會在大聯盟站二壘。
40人名單外的球員有一票2B/3B/SS的球員，看不出來有必要為了多加一個工具人再踢一個40人名單裡的人出去。另外還有Jordan Brown、Michael Aubrey、Stephen Head、Beau Mills這票1B/OF，Mills只是上來熟悉一下大聯盟春訓的，最後還是會回小聯盟先發，另外幾個清一色都是左打，很不幸的Dellucci也是，這幾個人打的也不見得比Dellucci好到哪去，除非春訓打超好，應該也沒有理由讓他們進40人名單。
另外還有正式接手未來三壘手職稱的Wes Hodges、Michael Brantley、Matt LaPorta，都還不算是Major League ready，叫上去坐板凳也無濟於事。...
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2009年2月20日
2009年2月6日
[+/-] : [遊戲]2k sports - MLB Front Office Manager
去年11月，看到2k sports要在PC上出MLB Front Office Manager (以下簡稱FOM)的消息，原本是滿心期待，看看擁有大聯盟球員工會授權的2k sports，能不能搞出一套比Baseball Mogul (以下簡稱BM)、Out of the Park Baseball (以下簡稱ootp)，甚至比Football Manager (以下簡稱FM)更好玩的遊戲，不過玩了幾天之後的第一印象是非常失望，或許是期待太高的緣故。
FOM不僅有比賽畫面，而且是3D比賽畫面，不過對一款運動模擬經營遊戲來說，這個特色或許不是必要的，反而因為有3D比賽畫面，整個遊戲變的龐大無比，而且在我這台老舊的電腦上要跑比賽時在慢的很痛苦，即使是在遊戲選項中把所有特效調到最低（儘管可以調的沒幾項），跑起來依然不是很順暢。當然，這只是我的電腦問題，配備好一點的跑起來應該是很順暢。不過整體來說畫面並不突出，而且用ATI繪圖晶片的顯示卡可能會遇到問題。FM 2009也有3D比賽畫面，不過印象中是可以改成舊式的沙盤模式。
FOM最大的特色在於完整的Transaction事件與規則，這也是讓我最期待的。BM的設定相當陽春，而ootp我雖然沒玩過9或10，不過ootp 8的設定雖然比BM詳細，但也不夠完整。那FOM有多詳細呢？下面是遊戲第一年的事件列表：
Nov. 3 Free Agency period begins
Nov. 4 Arbitration period begins (3-5 years of MLB service)
Nov. 5 Arbitration period begins (6+ years of MLB service)
Nov. 6 Type A and Type B Free Agents announced
Nov. 7 Team Options must be exercised or declined by Nov. 15
Nov. 14 Last day to offer arbitration (6+ years of MLB service)
Nov. 15 Free Agents can sign with other teams
Dec. 8 40-man Roster locked for Rule 5 Draft
Dec. 11 Rule 5 Draft
Dec. 12 Last day to offer arbitration (3-5 years of MLB service)
Dec. 31 End of the year
Jan. 11 First day for teams to submit salary arbitration figures
Jan. 18 Last day for teams to submit salary arbitration figures
Feb. 1 Arbitration rulings announced
Mar. 4 Spring training begins
Apr. 4 Spring training ends
Apr. 5 Team must reduce their active rosters to 25
Apr. 6 MLB Opening Day
Apr. 7 Minor League Regular Season begins
May 31 Last day to allocate Scouting Budget
June 1 Prospects revealed
June 5 Amateur Draft
June 20 Minor League (SS/R) Regular Season begins
July 14 MLB All-Star Game
July 24 One week until Non-Waiver Trade Deadline
July 31 Non-Waiver Trade Deadline
Aug. 1 Trade Waiver period begins
Aug. 15 Last day to sign players selected in the Amateur Draft
Aug. 24 One week until Waiver Trade Deadline
Aug. 30 Last day to sign international prospects
Aug. 31 Waiver Trade Deadline
Sept. 1 Active Roster limit increased from 25-40
Sept. 6 Minor League Postseason begins
Sept. 29 Minor League Postseason ends
Oct. 5 MLB Regular Season ends
Oct. 5 Active players locked for the postseason
Oct. 6 AL and NL Division Series begins
Oct. 14 AL and NL Championship Series begins
Nov.1 Japanese Bidding Process begins
看這一場串的事件列表，該有的都有了，可以說「真的」能體驗一個GM的工作。遊戲設定從2008年球季結束後開始，球員名單也是2008年球季結束前的名單，有些人習慣了從球季開始時的玩法，也有人抱怨名單不是最新的，不過我倒是這樣的設定才最能反映真實的情況。
不過FOM的事件雖然詳細，但並非真實無誤。首先，某些日期實際上並非固定不變的，舉例來說，申請成為自由球員是在世界大賽結束後的第16天開始，而FOM似乎是固定在11月3日。
此外，FOM設定中，11月4日到12月12日之間是球隊給年資3-5年的球員薪資仲裁的期限，實際上根本沒有這項規則。根據真正的規則，12月12日是球員合約結束的日子，這一天球隊必須決定是否與還有控制權的球員（也就是年資不到6年的球員）續約，球員拿到合約後，如果具有薪資仲裁資格，且對球隊給的合約不滿意，那麼就可以在1月中申請薪資仲裁，這是由球員主動申請，而非球隊主動申請。
在FOM中，合約結束並非12月12日，而是在3月初，更奇怪的是，遊戲並不會自動續約，而是要一個一個續約，續約之後，球員要過幾天才會簽約，我第一次玩的時候因為沒有注意到，結果一堆球員在3月2日離隊成為自由球員。有趣的是，出於某種我到現在還搞不懂的原因，Ervin Santana也在同時出現在自由球員市場上。
而續約的手續也有點麻煩，必須要到payroll這個項目中一個一個找合約剩下0年的球員，雖然遊戲有排序功能，但是給一個球員合約後，回到原本的畫面時，又會變回未排序的情況，所有動作又要重來一次，實在是很煩。比較方便玩家的作法應該是遊戲主動列出需要續約的球員，讓玩家勾選哪些球員要non-tender，其他球員自動立即續約才對。這種麻煩的操作在FOM中比比皆是，難道是要藉此呈現GM的工作有多累嗎？
還有一個比較不符合真實規則的地方是規則五選秀，真正的規則五選秀中，具備候選規則的球員是按照第一次簽約的年齡跟簽約後經過幾年來決定。不過FOM裡沒有這樣的設定，而是單純的以23歲為標準，23歲以上的球員不在40人名單中就會被選，所以在規則五選秀中就出現了這樣的球員：
順便一提，看到Mat Gamel不要以為FOM中有小聯盟球員的資料，雖然遊戲中有完整的小聯盟系統，但是只有2008年曾經在大聯盟出賽的球員才會出現，其他球員全部都是每次開檔隨機產生的假人，所以各位Tribe fan也不要想在遊戲中看到Adam Miller、Carlos Santana、Matt LaPorta、Nick Weglarz這些球員了。
此外，真正的規則五選秀分為MLB、3A、2A三階段，遊戲中為了方便，只有MLB階段，但是卻要選五輪。而規則五選秀的順序應該是按照戰績決定，但遊戲中卻是隨機產生，實驗了好幾次，每次的順序都不相同，但有趣的是，每次的狀元都是下圖的這名球員，這也是很不可思議的現象。
順帶一提，遊戲中的新人選秀也有簡化，簡化成25輪。
遊戲中雖然按照真實的情況分為Non-Waiver Trade Deadline跟Waiver Trade Deadline，Waiver也分為可撤銷與不可撤銷，但是到了8月，waiver list上沒有半個球員，在真實世界裡，8月時幾乎所有球員都會被放上waiver，或許這項設計只有在online的遊戲中才能真正展現其功能吧。
9月1日開始，大聯盟active roster從25人擴編為40人，所有人都能在大聯盟出賽。遊戲中雖然也有擴編的設定，9月1日開始可以在call up/send down的選項中把MLB補滿40人，但是這不代表40個人都能在大聯盟出賽。為什麼呢？
首先，如前所述，或許為了表現出GM的工作有多累，遊戲中莫名其妙的把大小聯盟球員間的移動分散到三個項目下進行，分別是call up/send down、extended roster、40-man roster。這樣的設定造成玩家非常大的麻煩，舉例來說，你在call up/send down中把Asdrubal Cabrera降到3A之後，還要一層一層按回主選單，再到extended roster中把Cabrera從3A的reserves裡面移到active roster裡。這不僅麻煩，而且不符合真實情況。
然後到了9月1日，雖然你在call up/send down中可以把大聯盟塞滿40人，但是extended roster中，大聯盟的active roster還是25人，其他15名球員都在reserves裡面，到了比賽中，還是一樣只有active roster裡面的25個球員能夠出賽。這種現象春訓時同樣存在，春訓時的active roster一樣只有25人。一個強調擬真的遊戲出現這種的錯誤，實在很不應該。
除了規則設定上的錯誤之外，許多人還抱怨AI不佳以及介面不友善，先談AI的部分，下面是在某次進度中，自由球員市場正式開始的第一天，市場上前幾名球員的名單：
CC Sabathia、Mark Teixeira、Manny Ramirez、Adam Dunn、Bobby Abreu、Pat Burrell、Mike Mussina、Raul Ibanez、A.J. Burnett、Derek Lowe全部都跟原球隊簽約。這不是特殊現象，重開了許多次檔，大部分情況都大同小異。
另外，上圖特別讓大家看的是Chipper Jones出現在自由球員市場上，這是什麼原因呢？Jones的合約有2009年11M的球隊選擇權，這在遊戲中也真實呈現，但是非常奇怪的，電腦GM並沒有選擇執行選擇權，而Jones要的是7年，平均每年24M的合約，勇士隊無法負擔這麼大筆的開銷，於是Jones選擇成為自由球員，這種事情100%發生，開了無數次檔，沒有一次Jones是留在勇士的，非常非常荒謬的AI。
這種荒謬的AI加上球隊毫無彈性可言的預算限制，到了球隊決定要不要給仲裁時，就會發生這樣的怪事：
第1張圖可以看到，釀酒人用6年，平均每年28M的合約簽下CC。第2張圖告訴你遊戲中3-5年薪資仲裁的特殊規則，不給仲裁就成為自由球員。接下來4張圖可以看到，喝醉的酒鬼無力負擔這些具備薪資仲裁資格的球員的薪水，只好忍痛將他們丟到FA，這些球員包括Prince Fielder、Rickie Weeks、Corey Hart。各位也可以看到，他們也沒有執行Mike Cameron的球隊選擇權，也就是說內野跑了一半，外野剩下Ryan Braun。這也不是某次模擬的特殊現象，釀酒人無論簽不簽Sabathia，好像總是會放掉幾個年輕球員，有時候還有J.J. Hardy，不知道邏輯何在。
另外，悲慘的勇士隊除了Chipper走人之外，連Kelly Johnson和Jeff Francoeur都留不住，而道奇在花重金留住Manny Ramirez、Casey Blake、Derek Lowe之後，也要和Russell Martin跟Andre Ethier說再見。雖然說每次模擬的結果不盡相同，但大致上差不到哪裡去。
繼12月12日在自由球員市場上看到這票球員，以及3月2日看到Santana之後，4月15日又是一個大驚喜。
各球隊違反常理的把這群球員放上waiver，我還沒有弄懂什麼原因。雖然claim了幾名球員，但是都被別隊撿走，也不知道是不是像真實的規則一樣，只要支付大聯盟底薪，但是出現這種情況，應該可以視為AI的一大敗筆。
各位還可以注意到第1張圖中，Jon Lieber的overall是75，這又是這個遊戲相當大的一個謎。首先，遊戲中的評分採用的是20-80 scale，在這個系統中，一般50代表大聯盟平均，60就算是優秀，70是非常優秀，80是超人等級，一般球探不會給人80分。
ok，我不是小看Lieber，但是看到他是75的時候，你就知道這個分數有很大的問題。再看看下面兩張圖：
上面的是2008年12月31日的打線，下面是2009年1月1日的打線。13個人當中，只有Cabrera從45升到50，其他人或多或少都有降，又以Grady Sizemore最可憐，從80降到60，無論重新開檔模擬幾次都一樣。根據其他人的經驗，其他球隊也有類似的情形。另外看看下面這名老將，12月31日的overall是50，過了一天之後變成75。
這種情況有幾個可能性，首先，可能是遊戲的球員成長系統太差，能力會出現不規則變化。這是最糟糕的情況，如果真的是這樣的話，這個遊戲根本不值得玩。不可否認，這是我第一次看到時的想法，也讓我非常失望（我承認我看到Sizemore從80變成60的時候真的氣到不行），但是在多模擬了幾次之後，發現高數值不一定有好成績，低數值成績也不見得爛，舉例來說，overall降到45的Victor Martinez，在幾次模擬中都還是打出OPS+ 120到140的成績，所以又有了其他的想法。
第二個想法就是，這可能是GM能力差異造成的。FOM有類似RPG遊戲的GM成長系統，玩家有7項能力，只要在遊戲中達成某些條件，如贏10場比賽、5連勝、贏1場季後賽等等，就可以獲得多寡不同的經驗值，累積到一定程度後就會升級，每次升級都會有點數分配可以分配到各項能力中。其中有一項能力是player development，能力的說明是：Provide you with more information about a player's career progression。
在遊戲一開始創造GM的時候，可以選擇5種不同起始類型。各類型player development的能力直一開始在3-5之間（全滿20），或許這個設定就像BM中在scouting投資多少一樣，越高的話看到的球員數值越準確。不過這也不太可能，因為在fantasy mode裡面沒有GM成長系統的設定，但是還是會有過年之後數值變化很多的情形出現。
還有一個可能性就是，每次過年的時候，系統會根據球員成績重新評分。不過這也很奇怪，Lieber跟Maddux的成績似乎不太可能重新評分之後變成75。總之，這個數值變換的原因是什麼真的是個謎，目前也沒有看到官方的說明。不過這種現象只有出現在第一年，之後幾年的變化還算正常。
介面不友善的部分，首先，這個遊戲號稱可以使用鍵盤、滑鼠跟搖桿進行遊戲。不過我一開始花了很久的時間摸索到底要怎麼操作，主要的原因在於，雖然號稱支援搖桿，但是似乎只支援xbox 360的控制器，我的普通羅技搖桿根本不能用，這樣就算了，就算用滑鼠點，有些功能居然也點不到，弄了好久才發現，到遊戲目錄裡面把padmap.txt這個檔案刪掉，滑鼠才能正常操作。
另外，這個遊戲雖然同時出xbox、ps3跟pc版，但是pc版完全採用遊樂器的介面，於是當你要執行什麼動作的時候，就要用滑鼠一層一層點下去，然後再一層一層點回去，也沒有辦法同時顯示好幾個視窗，好吧，是根本沒有視窗。介面的規劃也很糟糕，例如上面提到的，一個大小聯盟升降的工作要分別在兩個不同的功能下進行，實在是非常麻煩的一件事情。
此外，各種球員列表也做的很差，舉例來說，上面的自由球員畫面最多顯示8人，偏偏遊戲不支援滑鼠中鍵滾輪，要往下看就要用點箭頭，而且按一下只會跳一行，一直按著的話不會動，要找個人常常會點到手痠。各種列表雖然有filter的功能，但是幾乎沒什麼用：
如圖所示，選項非常少，而且不管怎麼選都是一大堆人。position的部分也很奇怪，多守位的球員，永遠只會顯示在主要守位的項目裡面。球員列表上面顯示的資訊也是莫名其妙，例如上面的自由球員市場居然還有league、team、salary這種完全空白的東西，不知道是出於什麼邏輯，要看球員資料就要一個一個點進去看，而且因為不能同時顯示多個球員的資料視窗，所以還要自行準備筆記本記錄以免忘記，當個GM真是累。
當你要給球員合約的時候，滑鼠左鍵點一下只會跳一次就變成大問題，因為點一下 是100K，持續按著還是只有100K，所以想要多給球員1M就要點10下。據說點很快的話一次會跳200K，點更快的話一次會跳500K，但是我玩個遊戲沒必要跟自己的手指過不去吧。另外，這個遊戲只有在一開始創造GM輸入姓名的時候可以用鍵盤打字，在遊戲中無法打球員姓名找人，也不能打數字給金額。
關於簽自由球員也有一點要抱怨的，當你給了合約之後，球員要考慮就算了，但是玩家完全不會知道球員要考慮什麼，是金額太低？還是合約長度有問題？還是想要什麼其他的條款，通通不知道，只有最後簽約了才通知，更慘的是，跟別人簽約才通知。
除了AI和介面之外，遊戲的模擬引擎似乎也有問題。模擬過幾個球季之後，發現常常出現奇怪的成績，例如常常出現60+的全壘打，聯盟中也有非常多ERA低於2的先發投手這種怪成績，或許是因為球員打的再爛電腦也不會換人的緣故吧，整個聯盟水準落差很大，此外，遊戲中的投手似乎每個都是控球高手，整個聯盟的保送數和上壘率都偏低，平均OPS也因此比正常情況低。
如果用模擬的話（不管是每場比賽sim還是直接advance the league都差不多），電腦幾乎不會用代打、代手、代跑，先發球員只要不受傷，沒有安排platoon，往往就是打滿162場。投手的調度也一樣，排在LR（long relief）的投手局數破百很正常，與一般認知不同，而CL、SU、MR (middle relief)往往也都是近百局，SR (short relief)幾乎不會上場，而如果有2個投手安排同一個角色，電腦也不會幫他們分配上場時間，只會讓其中一個一直投到死。
如果不用模擬，而是選擇每場比賽都manage的話，雖然可以得到比較準確的結果，也可以自己分配上場時間，但是manage模式卻有一些奇怪的bug，知名度最大的一個就是，先發投手只要投完5局，不管離開比賽時戰況是怎樣，最後都要承擔勝敗責任。此外，某些人碰到代打或牛棚第1人無法使用的情況。而先發投手的體力計量表也是騙人的，所有先發投手在投完4局之後就會全黑，一般的認知會以為已經沒體力了，但實際上還能繼續投下去，幸好遊戲中有紀錄用球數，至少可以以球數做換人的參考。
一般真實的棒球比賽中，二遊是處理最多球的防守球員，不過FOM顛覆了這項傳統，三壘手的助殺最多，三壘手的RF也因此比真實的情況高許多，無論是manage或是sim都一樣，所以有一個防守好的三壘手或許比防守好的游擊手更重要。
關於數據部分，還有一些莫名其妙的bug，例如雖然有hold這項數據，但是完全沒有統計到。另外遊戲雖然有設計可以按照左右投排出不同的先發陣容，但是球員資料中完全沒有對左右投的差別，而在統計數據中，雖然可以選擇看對左投或右投的成績，但是又出現bug，顯示出來的竟然是該打者左打或右打時的成績，所以也無從看數字決定要不要platoon。，而可以排序查的數據似乎新球季開始就會清掉上個球季的數據，要查的話只能一個球員一個球員看，但是球員得獎記錄在球員資料又看不到，要到另一個獎項的專區看才有，缺乏完整的百科功能有點可惜。
這裡稍微介紹一下遊戲中的球探功能。選秀部分分為選秀和國際自由球員兩大區，每年6月薪人選秀前要決定球探預算花在哪些地方，另外根據累計近3年的投資，對每個區域的瞭解又會增加。花了錢才能找到新秀，有找到的新秀在選秀會上才會顯示潛力。每一年的預算有限，我玩的都是50M，不知道後期會不會更多。由於不可能每個區域都投資，所以必須要有計畫。
日本的情況比較不同，要投資一定要一次砸30M。之後11月1日就會收到日本球員入札的通知（跟真實情況不一樣，不砸錢的話就根本不會通知你）。日本幾乎每年都有優秀的即戰力，往往是來了之後第一年就會拿獎的球員，當然，還是要透過競標程序，與其他球隊競爭。
最後提個有趣的東西
很明顯的是學FM的媒體功能，連問答的字句都差不多。
整體來說，這個遊戲有成為好遊戲的架構，但是卻被一堆bug、以及奇怪的AI搞壞了，介面直接移植遊樂器版本，沒有針對電腦的優勢作修改也讓人頭大。如果遊戲公司有出patch，改掉大部分的bug的話，那麼我會建議有興趣的人買來玩一下。AI的問題或許可以藉由找滿30個玩家組線上聯盟稍微解決。而雖然遊戲規則較複雜，不熟悉的人或許比較難上手，但是遊戲難度並不高，只要你有耐心應付難用又複雜的介面（相信我，你不會想把小聯盟交給電腦管），隨隨便便也能進季後賽。
最後的最後，這套遊戲找了Billy Beane當顧問，進遊戲的主畫面背景就會看到Beane慈祥(?)的笑容，遊戲中還會不定期寄信來給玩家提示，不知道是不是真的他自己說的話。以下是一些豆爺的忠告：
Free Agency
The free agency period is upon us. A player is eligible for free agency if his contract has expired and he has at least 6 years of Major League service.
Teams has until Nov. 15 to negotiate with their potential free agents. If the two sides fail to come to an agreement, the player has the opportunity to make a deal with any of the other 20 MLB teams.
Salary Arbitration for Free Agents
By Nov. 15, each MLB team must decide whether to offer salary arbitration to their players that have filed for free agency. Offering arbitration enables team to receive compensatory picks in the following Amateur Draft if a free agent judged to be among the top 40% of his position signs with another team. Teams not offering arbitration may continue to negotiate with their players but do not receive compensation if they sign elsewhere.
A player who has been offered arbitration must accept or reject no later than Dec. 7. If the player accepts the offer, he returns his team's 40-man roster. If the player rejects the offer, he may continue to negotiate with any MLB team.
Having a Plan
It's important to have both a short- and a long-term plan for your franchise. You need to come up with a plan and then have the discipline to stick with it. There is nothing more frustrating for your fans than constant changes of directions.
You always need to be able to evaluate your roster honestly. If you don't think you can make the postseason with your current personnel, then it is time to start making changes. Either add players that can help you now to make a postseason run, or look to acquire prospects and build for the future.
The GM Job
The workload of General Manager never really eases up. During the season, the GM deals with a multitude of issues: constant appraisal of both Major League and Minor Leauge rosters, trades, working the waiver wire, signing international prospects, and the Amteur Draft.
The offseason is equally hectic. Free agency, salary arbitration, the Rule 5 Draft - there's a lot to deal with. To be a top GM, you've got to constantly aware of everything that's going on with other Major League teams as well as your own.
The GM Job #2
A General Manager has dual responsibilities - both baseball and financial decisions are in his hand. Every roster decision you make need to take into account the team's payroll. This is especially important when you're runing a small-market team.
When acquiring players, you not only have to understand what this will do for your team on the field, but how it affects your financial picture going forward. You can never separate the two sides of the job.
The GM Job #3
Probably the best advice I can give you is to not set a timetable on yourself. Some GMs are in a hurry to get to make their way to a bigger and more prestigious market, and sometimes they aren't concentrating on their current job.
If you're good at your job and have a real passion for it, your profile will rise, probably quicker than you think. When people look beyond the job they currently have, it's usually a mistake. I think that in any job, whether it's in baseball or engineering or teaching, the cream rises to the top. If you work hard and enjoy what you're doing, you'll eventually be rewarded for it.
Gaps In The Marketplace
The best way to stay ahead of the other teams in the League is to be open to new ideas and to exploit gaps in the marketplace. By gaps in the marketplace, I mean finding players with skills that other teams undervalue, whether it's the ability to get on base or defensive efficiency.
Finding these gaps can be very difficult, as your fellow GMs are smart and will be trying to do the same thing, so you need to stay alert and always be on the lookout for value.
Disabled Lists
If any of your players gets injured and will be sidelined for a significant period of time, it's best to place him on either 15-day or 60-day disabled list to obtain roster space necessary to replace him.
Placing an injured player on the 15-day disabled list frees up a spot on your 25-man roster, but the player remains on your 40-man roster. When a player is placed on the 15-day DL, he can't play for at least 15 consecutive days. Similarly, placing a player on the 60-day DL opens up a spot on your 40-man roster, but he is ineligible to return for at least 60 days. Players on the 15-day DL may be shifted to the 60-day DL at any time, but not vice versa.
Disabled Lists #2
Another tough thing about operating a small-market team is knowing when to place players on the DL. Because small-market team lacks resources, it's difficult for them to find quality replacements for injured players. When a big-market team runs into injuries, they have the budget to find other good players while their regulars are on the DL.
So if you run into similar problems, just do the best with what you have, and remember that dealing with injuries is never easy.
Options
Once a player turns 23, He must be protected on the MLB team's 40-man roster, or he becomes eligible for the Rule 5 Draft. Once added to the 40-man roster, his team has 3 "options" on him.
When a player is on an MLB team's 40-man roster, but not their 25-man roster, he is on an "optional assignment" to the Minor League. A player on an optional assignment may be sent up or down multiple times during the season. Once a player has been on an optional assignment for 3 seasons, he's out of option, and if his MLB team wants to sent him down to the Minors, he'll first have to clear waivers.
Waiting for Young Player to Mature
Remember to stay patient with your young players. Most prospects, even highly-regarded ones, need several years to mature into solid Major Leaguers. In the first few years of a player's career, there are a lot of ups and downs, some good games and some bad games. Be careful not to give up on emerging talent too soon. Sticking with a young player demands patience, but can ultimately pay dividends for your franchise.
Morale
Questions regarding team morale and chemistry are often brought up by media, but how valid are they? The best way to ensure good team morale is to simply to win games. It's easy to say after the fact that chemistry and character led to a victory, but in my experience it's usually talent that wins games, and good team chemistry and morale result form those victories, not the other way around.
Fans in Small Markets
It's tough for a small market to handle years and years of losing. Understand that attendance is usually tied to winning. You want to do everything in your power to minimize any dip in your performance from year to year. Because when you put together a number of consecutive losing seasons, it may take years to recover your fan base.
Do your best to put together an entertaining product without sacrificing your team's long-term prospects. It's a difficult taks.
Big Name Players and Attendance
If your attendance is dipping, signing a big name free agent may not be the answer. most people don't go to ballgames on a regular basis to see individuals - people go to ballgames to see a team. you could try to fill your roster with high-profile players well beyond their prime, but any attendance boost might be temporary at best. The best way to consistently increase your attendance is to simply win games, so sign players that you believe will help you win and that will keep the fans attending your games.
Big Name Players and Attendance #2
Dealing with attendance in a small market is always tough. There's no question that running a team in a small market presents many challenges.
One of the main reasons is small-market teams usually have to endure plenty of roster turnover, sometimes resulting in the erosion of fan loyalty to the ballclub. The only thing you can do is to put the best product on the field that you can, and to err on the side of making good business decisions. Hopefully, the result of these decisions will be a consistant winner.
Don't be Afraid to Trade Players
Wheeling and dealing is a reality in this business, and the trade deadline can be the most exciting time to be a GM. During your career, you'll make your fair share of mistakes, no question, but don't let it paralyze you. It's an imperfect science, but if you do your research and trust your process, you'll have a lot more successes than failures.
Evaluating Your Team
It's time to look at the standings and determine if you are going to be a buyer or a seller. Is your team good enough to make the postseason? If not, then you need to decide if your team requires only minor adjustments to contend or needs a complete overhaul. If it's the latter, you may need ot think about trading some of your proven players.
If you conclude that a deal is necessary, you need to consider which of your player will return the most value. If you are building your team for the future and not this season, you have to risk trading a veteran player for multiple prospects who could take you to the top of the standing someday. It's not an easy decision, though - the toughest day to be a GM is the day after trading one of your better players.
Making Trades
Finding a trading partner is not always easy - many teams and GMs will have the same need as your team and some will also value the same skills that you do. One approach is to consider teams that may have different philosophy than your or may be taking their team in a different direction. For example, if you are looking for a veteran player to help your team in the current season, searching out struggling teams that are attempting to get younger to create financial flexibility. Good luck!
Trading Deadline
The non-waiver trading deadline is approaching. Trades can take place through July 31 without players having to clear waivers.
In August, all players involved in a trade must first clear waivers before the trade can be consummated. Trades must be completed by Aug. 31 in order for the players dealt to be eligibel for the postseason.
Trading Tip
The non-waiver trading deadline is approaching once again. One of the challenges that face small-market GMs is whether to keep soon-to-be free agents or trade them away for assets. You also need to decide between acquiring quantity or quality, depending on the depth of your farm system and your immediate needs at the Major League level.
Japanese Players
Here's how the Japanese bidding process works. All MLB team will be notified when a Japanese team posts one of its players. At this point, interested Major League teams can bid on the player in a blind auction. After 10 days, the result are announced - the team that submitted the highest bid wins the right to negotiated with the Japanese player for 30 days.
If team and player agree on contract term before the 30-day period has expired, the Japanese team receive the bid amount, and the player join the MLB team. If the MLB team can't come to a contract agreement with the player, the team with the secone-highest bid now has an opportunity to negotiate with the player.
Spending Money Wisely
There are several ways of acquiring new talent without making trade. Among your options are signing free agents, draft picks, Japanese professionals that have been posted, and international prospects that you've scouted.
When contemplating these moves, you must consider the short- and long-term value that each player will bring to your franchise. A Major League or Japanese free agent may provide immediate success and be the final piece that propels your team into the postseason, but can also be a risky (and expensive) proposition. In some circumstances, signing a young player may be a better use of your budget than signing a big-name free agent. You've got to figure out what's best for your team.
The Value of Young Players
Stockpiling young, talented, cost-effective players is critical to the future of your team. By cost-effective, I mean player with less than 3 years of Major League service who make minimum MLB salary or close to it. Cheap young player give you both financial flexibility and valuable trade assets. A strong farm system always leads to success at the Major League level.
Rebuilding
When to rebuild is one of the most difficult decisions a GM will face. If you wait to long, it may take years to recover.
Rebuilding is often an unpopular option for both your owner and your fan base, but a good GM isn't afraid to make unpopular move to ultimately improve his franchise.
Knowing When to Retool
Foresight is an attribute shared by all good GMs. You need to know not only where your team is know, but also where it's headed. If you come to the conclusion that the best-case scenario for the next few years is mediocrity, then it is time to start retooling. Once you realize this, you need to start the rebuilding process right away because delaying it may result in years of mediocre team performance.
Defensive Players
Team defense is underrated in the current marketplace. When baseball people talk about the surprising rise of the Tampa Bay Rays during the 2008 season, they usually talk about the maturation of excellent young hitters and pitchers. What is rarely mentioned, however, is the drastic improvement in the Rays defense. Good fielders may be acquired for a relatively low cost and can significantly improve team performance.
Pitching Depth
Pitching is one of the most important parts of a successful franchise. Pitchers are at a higher risk of injury than other positions, so proper planning and projection is critical when building a pitching staff. The old saying. "You can never have enough pitching," is absolutely true. While it's important to have a good Major League staff, this is often the result of having a lot of pitching depth in the Minor Leagues. When you're faced with the decision of moving established players, keep in mind that acquiring good young pitching is always a good first option.
Closers
Major League closers are highly compensated. You may be able to get comparable value at a greatly reduced price from a slightly above-average pitcher with a high strikeout rate, allowing you to spend the money you save on players that are more difficult to acquire cost-effectively.
If you turn one of your hard-throwing relievers into a closer with a respectful number of saves, his trade value may increase substantially. You can possibly deal him for assets before he receives a big payday, and then install another cheap-but-effective reliever in his place.
Rash Decisions
When facing an important roster decision, it's important to take your time and think things through. Try not to do any out of anger or frustration. Running a baseball team can get very emotional, but being a good GM means making rational decisions for the betterment of your team. One of the toughest parts of the job is removing the emotional element when considering your player moves.
Length of Trade Negotiation
Trading requires both patience and the ability to act quickly if necessary. Some trades can come together in mere minutes, others take a lot longer to materialize. Often trade result from failed deal between other teams. Keep the lines of communication open between you and your fellow GMs to gain knowledge that can be used to make future deals....
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FOM不僅有比賽畫面，而且是3D比賽畫面，不過對一款運動模擬經營遊戲來說，這個特色或許不是必要的，反而因為有3D比賽畫面，整個遊戲變的龐大無比，而且在我這台老舊的電腦上要跑比賽時在慢的很痛苦，即使是在遊戲選項中把所有特效調到最低（儘管可以調的沒幾項），跑起來依然不是很順暢。當然，這只是我的電腦問題，配備好一點的跑起來應該是很順暢。不過整體來說畫面並不突出，而且用ATI繪圖晶片的顯示卡可能會遇到問題。FM 2009也有3D比賽畫面，不過印象中是可以改成舊式的沙盤模式。
FOM最大的特色在於完整的Transaction事件與規則，這也是讓我最期待的。BM的設定相當陽春，而ootp我雖然沒玩過9或10，不過ootp 8的設定雖然比BM詳細，但也不夠完整。那FOM有多詳細呢？下面是遊戲第一年的事件列表：
Nov. 3 Free Agency period begins
Nov. 4 Arbitration period begins (3-5 years of MLB service)
Nov. 5 Arbitration period begins (6+ years of MLB service)
Nov. 6 Type A and Type B Free Agents announced
Nov. 7 Team Options must be exercised or declined by Nov. 15
Nov. 14 Last day to offer arbitration (6+ years of MLB service)
Nov. 15 Free Agents can sign with other teams
Dec. 8 40-man Roster locked for Rule 5 Draft
Dec. 11 Rule 5 Draft
Dec. 12 Last day to offer arbitration (3-5 years of MLB service)
Dec. 31 End of the year
Jan. 11 First day for teams to submit salary arbitration figures
Jan. 18 Last day for teams to submit salary arbitration figures
Feb. 1 Arbitration rulings announced
Mar. 4 Spring training begins
Apr. 4 Spring training ends
Apr. 5 Team must reduce their active rosters to 25
Apr. 6 MLB Opening Day
Apr. 7 Minor League Regular Season begins
May 31 Last day to allocate Scouting Budget
June 1 Prospects revealed
June 5 Amateur Draft
June 20 Minor League (SS/R) Regular Season begins
July 14 MLB All-Star Game
July 24 One week until Non-Waiver Trade Deadline
July 31 Non-Waiver Trade Deadline
Aug. 1 Trade Waiver period begins
Aug. 15 Last day to sign players selected in the Amateur Draft
Aug. 24 One week until Waiver Trade Deadline
Aug. 30 Last day to sign international prospects
Aug. 31 Waiver Trade Deadline
Sept. 1 Active Roster limit increased from 25-40
Sept. 6 Minor League Postseason begins
Sept. 29 Minor League Postseason ends
Oct. 5 MLB Regular Season ends
Oct. 5 Active players locked for the postseason
Oct. 6 AL and NL Division Series begins
Oct. 14 AL and NL Championship Series begins
Nov.1 Japanese Bidding Process begins
看這一場串的事件列表，該有的都有了，可以說「真的」能體驗一個GM的工作。遊戲設定從2008年球季結束後開始，球員名單也是2008年球季結束前的名單，有些人習慣了從球季開始時的玩法，也有人抱怨名單不是最新的，不過我倒是這樣的設定才最能反映真實的情況。
不過FOM的事件雖然詳細，但並非真實無誤。首先，某些日期實際上並非固定不變的，舉例來說，申請成為自由球員是在世界大賽結束後的第16天開始，而FOM似乎是固定在11月3日。
此外，FOM設定中，11月4日到12月12日之間是球隊給年資3-5年的球員薪資仲裁的期限，實際上根本沒有這項規則。根據真正的規則，12月12日是球員合約結束的日子，這一天球隊必須決定是否與還有控制權的球員（也就是年資不到6年的球員）續約，球員拿到合約後，如果具有薪資仲裁資格，且對球隊給的合約不滿意，那麼就可以在1月中申請薪資仲裁，這是由球員主動申請，而非球隊主動申請。
在FOM中，合約結束並非12月12日，而是在3月初，更奇怪的是，遊戲並不會自動續約，而是要一個一個續約，續約之後，球員要過幾天才會簽約，我第一次玩的時候因為沒有注意到，結果一堆球員在3月2日離隊成為自由球員。有趣的是，出於某種我到現在還搞不懂的原因，Ervin Santana也在同時出現在自由球員市場上。
而續約的手續也有點麻煩，必須要到payroll這個項目中一個一個找合約剩下0年的球員，雖然遊戲有排序功能，但是給一個球員合約後，回到原本的畫面時，又會變回未排序的情況，所有動作又要重來一次，實在是很煩。比較方便玩家的作法應該是遊戲主動列出需要續約的球員，讓玩家勾選哪些球員要non-tender，其他球員自動立即續約才對。這種麻煩的操作在FOM中比比皆是，難道是要藉此呈現GM的工作有多累嗎？
還有一個比較不符合真實規則的地方是規則五選秀，真正的規則五選秀中，具備候選規則的球員是按照第一次簽約的年齡跟簽約後經過幾年來決定。不過FOM裡沒有這樣的設定，而是單純的以23歲為標準，23歲以上的球員不在40人名單中就會被選，所以在規則五選秀中就出現了這樣的球員：
順便一提，看到Mat Gamel不要以為FOM中有小聯盟球員的資料，雖然遊戲中有完整的小聯盟系統，但是只有2008年曾經在大聯盟出賽的球員才會出現，其他球員全部都是每次開檔隨機產生的假人，所以各位Tribe fan也不要想在遊戲中看到Adam Miller、Carlos Santana、Matt LaPorta、Nick Weglarz這些球員了。
此外，真正的規則五選秀分為MLB、3A、2A三階段，遊戲中為了方便，只有MLB階段，但是卻要選五輪。而規則五選秀的順序應該是按照戰績決定，但遊戲中卻是隨機產生，實驗了好幾次，每次的順序都不相同，但有趣的是，每次的狀元都是下圖的這名球員，這也是很不可思議的現象。
順帶一提，遊戲中的新人選秀也有簡化，簡化成25輪。
遊戲中雖然按照真實的情況分為Non-Waiver Trade Deadline跟Waiver Trade Deadline，Waiver也分為可撤銷與不可撤銷，但是到了8月，waiver list上沒有半個球員，在真實世界裡，8月時幾乎所有球員都會被放上waiver，或許這項設計只有在online的遊戲中才能真正展現其功能吧。
9月1日開始，大聯盟active roster從25人擴編為40人，所有人都能在大聯盟出賽。遊戲中雖然也有擴編的設定，9月1日開始可以在call up/send down的選項中把MLB補滿40人，但是這不代表40個人都能在大聯盟出賽。為什麼呢？
首先，如前所述，或許為了表現出GM的工作有多累，遊戲中莫名其妙的把大小聯盟球員間的移動分散到三個項目下進行，分別是call up/send down、extended roster、40-man roster。這樣的設定造成玩家非常大的麻煩，舉例來說，你在call up/send down中把Asdrubal Cabrera降到3A之後，還要一層一層按回主選單，再到extended roster中把Cabrera從3A的reserves裡面移到active roster裡。這不僅麻煩，而且不符合真實情況。
然後到了9月1日，雖然你在call up/send down中可以把大聯盟塞滿40人，但是extended roster中，大聯盟的active roster還是25人，其他15名球員都在reserves裡面，到了比賽中，還是一樣只有active roster裡面的25個球員能夠出賽。這種現象春訓時同樣存在，春訓時的active roster一樣只有25人。一個強調擬真的遊戲出現這種的錯誤，實在很不應該。
除了規則設定上的錯誤之外，許多人還抱怨AI不佳以及介面不友善，先談AI的部分，下面是在某次進度中，自由球員市場正式開始的第一天，市場上前幾名球員的名單：
CC Sabathia、Mark Teixeira、Manny Ramirez、Adam Dunn、Bobby Abreu、Pat Burrell、Mike Mussina、Raul Ibanez、A.J. Burnett、Derek Lowe全部都跟原球隊簽約。這不是特殊現象，重開了許多次檔，大部分情況都大同小異。另外，上圖特別讓大家看的是Chipper Jones出現在自由球員市場上，這是什麼原因呢？Jones的合約有2009年11M的球隊選擇權，這在遊戲中也真實呈現，但是非常奇怪的，電腦GM並沒有選擇執行選擇權，而Jones要的是7年，平均每年24M的合約，勇士隊無法負擔這麼大筆的開銷，於是Jones選擇成為自由球員，這種事情100%發生，開了無數次檔，沒有一次Jones是留在勇士的，非常非常荒謬的AI。
這種荒謬的AI加上球隊毫無彈性可言的預算限制，到了球隊決定要不要給仲裁時，就會發生這樣的怪事：
第1張圖可以看到，釀酒人用6年，平均每年28M的合約簽下CC。第2張圖告訴你遊戲中3-5年薪資仲裁的特殊規則，不給仲裁就成為自由球員。接下來4張圖可以看到，喝醉的酒鬼無力負擔這些具備薪資仲裁資格的球員的薪水，只好忍痛將他們丟到FA，這些球員包括Prince Fielder、Rickie Weeks、Corey Hart。各位也可以看到，他們也沒有執行Mike Cameron的球隊選擇權，也就是說內野跑了一半，外野剩下Ryan Braun。這也不是某次模擬的特殊現象，釀酒人無論簽不簽Sabathia，好像總是會放掉幾個年輕球員，有時候還有J.J. Hardy，不知道邏輯何在。另外，悲慘的勇士隊除了Chipper走人之外，連Kelly Johnson和Jeff Francoeur都留不住，而道奇在花重金留住Manny Ramirez、Casey Blake、Derek Lowe之後，也要和Russell Martin跟Andre Ethier說再見。雖然說每次模擬的結果不盡相同，但大致上差不到哪裡去。
繼12月12日在自由球員市場上看到這票球員，以及3月2日看到Santana之後，4月15日又是一個大驚喜。
各球隊違反常理的把這群球員放上waiver，我還沒有弄懂什麼原因。雖然claim了幾名球員，但是都被別隊撿走，也不知道是不是像真實的規則一樣，只要支付大聯盟底薪，但是出現這種情況，應該可以視為AI的一大敗筆。各位還可以注意到第1張圖中，Jon Lieber的overall是75，這又是這個遊戲相當大的一個謎。首先，遊戲中的評分採用的是20-80 scale，在這個系統中，一般50代表大聯盟平均，60就算是優秀，70是非常優秀，80是超人等級，一般球探不會給人80分。
ok，我不是小看Lieber，但是看到他是75的時候，你就知道這個分數有很大的問題。再看看下面兩張圖：
上面的是2008年12月31日的打線，下面是2009年1月1日的打線。13個人當中，只有Cabrera從45升到50，其他人或多或少都有降，又以Grady Sizemore最可憐，從80降到60，無論重新開檔模擬幾次都一樣。根據其他人的經驗，其他球隊也有類似的情形。另外看看下面這名老將，12月31日的overall是50，過了一天之後變成75。這種情況有幾個可能性，首先，可能是遊戲的球員成長系統太差，能力會出現不規則變化。這是最糟糕的情況，如果真的是這樣的話，這個遊戲根本不值得玩。不可否認，這是我第一次看到時的想法，也讓我非常失望（我承認我看到Sizemore從80變成60的時候真的氣到不行），但是在多模擬了幾次之後，發現高數值不一定有好成績，低數值成績也不見得爛，舉例來說，overall降到45的Victor Martinez，在幾次模擬中都還是打出OPS+ 120到140的成績，所以又有了其他的想法。
第二個想法就是，這可能是GM能力差異造成的。FOM有類似RPG遊戲的GM成長系統，玩家有7項能力，只要在遊戲中達成某些條件，如贏10場比賽、5連勝、贏1場季後賽等等，就可以獲得多寡不同的經驗值，累積到一定程度後就會升級，每次升級都會有點數分配可以分配到各項能力中。其中有一項能力是player development，能力的說明是：Provide you with more information about a player's career progression。
在遊戲一開始創造GM的時候，可以選擇5種不同起始類型。各類型player development的能力直一開始在3-5之間（全滿20），或許這個設定就像BM中在scouting投資多少一樣，越高的話看到的球員數值越準確。不過這也不太可能，因為在fantasy mode裡面沒有GM成長系統的設定，但是還是會有過年之後數值變化很多的情形出現。
還有一個可能性就是，每次過年的時候，系統會根據球員成績重新評分。不過這也很奇怪，Lieber跟Maddux的成績似乎不太可能重新評分之後變成75。總之，這個數值變換的原因是什麼真的是個謎，目前也沒有看到官方的說明。不過這種現象只有出現在第一年，之後幾年的變化還算正常。
介面不友善的部分，首先，這個遊戲號稱可以使用鍵盤、滑鼠跟搖桿進行遊戲。不過我一開始花了很久的時間摸索到底要怎麼操作，主要的原因在於，雖然號稱支援搖桿，但是似乎只支援xbox 360的控制器，我的普通羅技搖桿根本不能用，這樣就算了，就算用滑鼠點，有些功能居然也點不到，弄了好久才發現，到遊戲目錄裡面把padmap.txt這個檔案刪掉，滑鼠才能正常操作。
另外，這個遊戲雖然同時出xbox、ps3跟pc版，但是pc版完全採用遊樂器的介面，於是當你要執行什麼動作的時候，就要用滑鼠一層一層點下去，然後再一層一層點回去，也沒有辦法同時顯示好幾個視窗，好吧，是根本沒有視窗。介面的規劃也很糟糕，例如上面提到的，一個大小聯盟升降的工作要分別在兩個不同的功能下進行，實在是非常麻煩的一件事情。
此外，各種球員列表也做的很差，舉例來說，上面的自由球員畫面最多顯示8人，偏偏遊戲不支援滑鼠中鍵滾輪，要往下看就要用點箭頭，而且按一下只會跳一行，一直按著的話不會動，要找個人常常會點到手痠。各種列表雖然有filter的功能，但是幾乎沒什麼用：
如圖所示，選項非常少，而且不管怎麼選都是一大堆人。position的部分也很奇怪，多守位的球員，永遠只會顯示在主要守位的項目裡面。球員列表上面顯示的資訊也是莫名其妙，例如上面的自由球員市場居然還有league、team、salary這種完全空白的東西，不知道是出於什麼邏輯，要看球員資料就要一個一個點進去看，而且因為不能同時顯示多個球員的資料視窗，所以還要自行準備筆記本記錄以免忘記，當個GM真是累。當你要給球員合約的時候，滑鼠左鍵點一下只會跳一次就變成大問題，因為點一下 是100K，持續按著還是只有100K，所以想要多給球員1M就要點10下。據說點很快的話一次會跳200K，點更快的話一次會跳500K，但是我玩個遊戲沒必要跟自己的手指過不去吧。另外，這個遊戲只有在一開始創造GM輸入姓名的時候可以用鍵盤打字，在遊戲中無法打球員姓名找人，也不能打數字給金額。
關於簽自由球員也有一點要抱怨的，當你給了合約之後，球員要考慮就算了，但是玩家完全不會知道球員要考慮什麼，是金額太低？還是合約長度有問題？還是想要什麼其他的條款，通通不知道，只有最後簽約了才通知，更慘的是，跟別人簽約才通知。
除了AI和介面之外，遊戲的模擬引擎似乎也有問題。模擬過幾個球季之後，發現常常出現奇怪的成績，例如常常出現60+的全壘打，聯盟中也有非常多ERA低於2的先發投手這種怪成績，或許是因為球員打的再爛電腦也不會換人的緣故吧，整個聯盟水準落差很大，此外，遊戲中的投手似乎每個都是控球高手，整個聯盟的保送數和上壘率都偏低，平均OPS也因此比正常情況低。
如果用模擬的話（不管是每場比賽sim還是直接advance the league都差不多），電腦幾乎不會用代打、代手、代跑，先發球員只要不受傷，沒有安排platoon，往往就是打滿162場。投手的調度也一樣，排在LR（long relief）的投手局數破百很正常，與一般認知不同，而CL、SU、MR (middle relief)往往也都是近百局，SR (short relief)幾乎不會上場，而如果有2個投手安排同一個角色，電腦也不會幫他們分配上場時間，只會讓其中一個一直投到死。
如果不用模擬，而是選擇每場比賽都manage的話，雖然可以得到比較準確的結果，也可以自己分配上場時間，但是manage模式卻有一些奇怪的bug，知名度最大的一個就是，先發投手只要投完5局，不管離開比賽時戰況是怎樣，最後都要承擔勝敗責任。此外，某些人碰到代打或牛棚第1人無法使用的情況。而先發投手的體力計量表也是騙人的，所有先發投手在投完4局之後就會全黑，一般的認知會以為已經沒體力了，但實際上還能繼續投下去，幸好遊戲中有紀錄用球數，至少可以以球數做換人的參考。
一般真實的棒球比賽中，二遊是處理最多球的防守球員，不過FOM顛覆了這項傳統，三壘手的助殺最多，三壘手的RF也因此比真實的情況高許多，無論是manage或是sim都一樣，所以有一個防守好的三壘手或許比防守好的游擊手更重要。
關於數據部分，還有一些莫名其妙的bug，例如雖然有hold這項數據，但是完全沒有統計到。另外遊戲雖然有設計可以按照左右投排出不同的先發陣容，但是球員資料中完全沒有對左右投的差別，而在統計數據中，雖然可以選擇看對左投或右投的成績，但是又出現bug，顯示出來的竟然是該打者左打或右打時的成績，所以也無從看數字決定要不要platoon。，而可以排序查的數據似乎新球季開始就會清掉上個球季的數據，要查的話只能一個球員一個球員看，但是球員得獎記錄在球員資料又看不到，要到另一個獎項的專區看才有，缺乏完整的百科功能有點可惜。
這裡稍微介紹一下遊戲中的球探功能。選秀部分分為選秀和國際自由球員兩大區，每年6月薪人選秀前要決定球探預算花在哪些地方，另外根據累計近3年的投資，對每個區域的瞭解又會增加。花了錢才能找到新秀，有找到的新秀在選秀會上才會顯示潛力。每一年的預算有限，我玩的都是50M，不知道後期會不會更多。由於不可能每個區域都投資，所以必須要有計畫。日本的情況比較不同，要投資一定要一次砸30M。之後11月1日就會收到日本球員入札的通知（跟真實情況不一樣，不砸錢的話就根本不會通知你）。日本幾乎每年都有優秀的即戰力，往往是來了之後第一年就會拿獎的球員，當然，還是要透過競標程序，與其他球隊競爭。
最後提個有趣的東西
很明顯的是學FM的媒體功能，連問答的字句都差不多。整體來說，這個遊戲有成為好遊戲的架構，但是卻被一堆bug、以及奇怪的AI搞壞了，介面直接移植遊樂器版本，沒有針對電腦的優勢作修改也讓人頭大。如果遊戲公司有出patch，改掉大部分的bug的話，那麼我會建議有興趣的人買來玩一下。AI的問題或許可以藉由找滿30個玩家組線上聯盟稍微解決。而雖然遊戲規則較複雜，不熟悉的人或許比較難上手，但是遊戲難度並不高，只要你有耐心應付難用又複雜的介面（相信我，你不會想把小聯盟交給電腦管），隨隨便便也能進季後賽。
最後的最後，這套遊戲找了Billy Beane當顧問，進遊戲的主畫面背景就會看到Beane慈祥(?)的笑容，遊戲中還會不定期寄信來給玩家提示，不知道是不是真的他自己說的話。以下是一些豆爺的忠告：
Free Agency
The free agency period is upon us. A player is eligible for free agency if his contract has expired and he has at least 6 years of Major League service.
Teams has until Nov. 15 to negotiate with their potential free agents. If the two sides fail to come to an agreement, the player has the opportunity to make a deal with any of the other 20 MLB teams.
Salary Arbitration for Free Agents
By Nov. 15, each MLB team must decide whether to offer salary arbitration to their players that have filed for free agency. Offering arbitration enables team to receive compensatory picks in the following Amateur Draft if a free agent judged to be among the top 40% of his position signs with another team. Teams not offering arbitration may continue to negotiate with their players but do not receive compensation if they sign elsewhere.
A player who has been offered arbitration must accept or reject no later than Dec. 7. If the player accepts the offer, he returns his team's 40-man roster. If the player rejects the offer, he may continue to negotiate with any MLB team.
Having a Plan
It's important to have both a short- and a long-term plan for your franchise. You need to come up with a plan and then have the discipline to stick with it. There is nothing more frustrating for your fans than constant changes of directions.
You always need to be able to evaluate your roster honestly. If you don't think you can make the postseason with your current personnel, then it is time to start making changes. Either add players that can help you now to make a postseason run, or look to acquire prospects and build for the future.
The GM Job
The workload of General Manager never really eases up. During the season, the GM deals with a multitude of issues: constant appraisal of both Major League and Minor Leauge rosters, trades, working the waiver wire, signing international prospects, and the Amteur Draft.
The offseason is equally hectic. Free agency, salary arbitration, the Rule 5 Draft - there's a lot to deal with. To be a top GM, you've got to constantly aware of everything that's going on with other Major League teams as well as your own.
The GM Job #2
A General Manager has dual responsibilities - both baseball and financial decisions are in his hand. Every roster decision you make need to take into account the team's payroll. This is especially important when you're runing a small-market team.
When acquiring players, you not only have to understand what this will do for your team on the field, but how it affects your financial picture going forward. You can never separate the two sides of the job.
The GM Job #3
Probably the best advice I can give you is to not set a timetable on yourself. Some GMs are in a hurry to get to make their way to a bigger and more prestigious market, and sometimes they aren't concentrating on their current job.
If you're good at your job and have a real passion for it, your profile will rise, probably quicker than you think. When people look beyond the job they currently have, it's usually a mistake. I think that in any job, whether it's in baseball or engineering or teaching, the cream rises to the top. If you work hard and enjoy what you're doing, you'll eventually be rewarded for it.
Gaps In The Marketplace
The best way to stay ahead of the other teams in the League is to be open to new ideas and to exploit gaps in the marketplace. By gaps in the marketplace, I mean finding players with skills that other teams undervalue, whether it's the ability to get on base or defensive efficiency.
Finding these gaps can be very difficult, as your fellow GMs are smart and will be trying to do the same thing, so you need to stay alert and always be on the lookout for value.
Disabled Lists
If any of your players gets injured and will be sidelined for a significant period of time, it's best to place him on either 15-day or 60-day disabled list to obtain roster space necessary to replace him.
Placing an injured player on the 15-day disabled list frees up a spot on your 25-man roster, but the player remains on your 40-man roster. When a player is placed on the 15-day DL, he can't play for at least 15 consecutive days. Similarly, placing a player on the 60-day DL opens up a spot on your 40-man roster, but he is ineligible to return for at least 60 days. Players on the 15-day DL may be shifted to the 60-day DL at any time, but not vice versa.
Disabled Lists #2
Another tough thing about operating a small-market team is knowing when to place players on the DL. Because small-market team lacks resources, it's difficult for them to find quality replacements for injured players. When a big-market team runs into injuries, they have the budget to find other good players while their regulars are on the DL.
So if you run into similar problems, just do the best with what you have, and remember that dealing with injuries is never easy.
Options
Once a player turns 23, He must be protected on the MLB team's 40-man roster, or he becomes eligible for the Rule 5 Draft. Once added to the 40-man roster, his team has 3 "options" on him.
When a player is on an MLB team's 40-man roster, but not their 25-man roster, he is on an "optional assignment" to the Minor League. A player on an optional assignment may be sent up or down multiple times during the season. Once a player has been on an optional assignment for 3 seasons, he's out of option, and if his MLB team wants to sent him down to the Minors, he'll first have to clear waivers.
Waiting for Young Player to Mature
Remember to stay patient with your young players. Most prospects, even highly-regarded ones, need several years to mature into solid Major Leaguers. In the first few years of a player's career, there are a lot of ups and downs, some good games and some bad games. Be careful not to give up on emerging talent too soon. Sticking with a young player demands patience, but can ultimately pay dividends for your franchise.
Morale
Questions regarding team morale and chemistry are often brought up by media, but how valid are they? The best way to ensure good team morale is to simply to win games. It's easy to say after the fact that chemistry and character led to a victory, but in my experience it's usually talent that wins games, and good team chemistry and morale result form those victories, not the other way around.
Fans in Small Markets
It's tough for a small market to handle years and years of losing. Understand that attendance is usually tied to winning. You want to do everything in your power to minimize any dip in your performance from year to year. Because when you put together a number of consecutive losing seasons, it may take years to recover your fan base.
Do your best to put together an entertaining product without sacrificing your team's long-term prospects. It's a difficult taks.
Big Name Players and Attendance
If your attendance is dipping, signing a big name free agent may not be the answer. most people don't go to ballgames on a regular basis to see individuals - people go to ballgames to see a team. you could try to fill your roster with high-profile players well beyond their prime, but any attendance boost might be temporary at best. The best way to consistently increase your attendance is to simply win games, so sign players that you believe will help you win and that will keep the fans attending your games.
Big Name Players and Attendance #2
Dealing with attendance in a small market is always tough. There's no question that running a team in a small market presents many challenges.
One of the main reasons is small-market teams usually have to endure plenty of roster turnover, sometimes resulting in the erosion of fan loyalty to the ballclub. The only thing you can do is to put the best product on the field that you can, and to err on the side of making good business decisions. Hopefully, the result of these decisions will be a consistant winner.
Don't be Afraid to Trade Players
Wheeling and dealing is a reality in this business, and the trade deadline can be the most exciting time to be a GM. During your career, you'll make your fair share of mistakes, no question, but don't let it paralyze you. It's an imperfect science, but if you do your research and trust your process, you'll have a lot more successes than failures.
Evaluating Your Team
It's time to look at the standings and determine if you are going to be a buyer or a seller. Is your team good enough to make the postseason? If not, then you need to decide if your team requires only minor adjustments to contend or needs a complete overhaul. If it's the latter, you may need ot think about trading some of your proven players.
If you conclude that a deal is necessary, you need to consider which of your player will return the most value. If you are building your team for the future and not this season, you have to risk trading a veteran player for multiple prospects who could take you to the top of the standing someday. It's not an easy decision, though - the toughest day to be a GM is the day after trading one of your better players.
Making Trades
Finding a trading partner is not always easy - many teams and GMs will have the same need as your team and some will also value the same skills that you do. One approach is to consider teams that may have different philosophy than your or may be taking their team in a different direction. For example, if you are looking for a veteran player to help your team in the current season, searching out struggling teams that are attempting to get younger to create financial flexibility. Good luck!
Trading Deadline
The non-waiver trading deadline is approaching. Trades can take place through July 31 without players having to clear waivers.
In August, all players involved in a trade must first clear waivers before the trade can be consummated. Trades must be completed by Aug. 31 in order for the players dealt to be eligibel for the postseason.
Trading Tip
The non-waiver trading deadline is approaching once again. One of the challenges that face small-market GMs is whether to keep soon-to-be free agents or trade them away for assets. You also need to decide between acquiring quantity or quality, depending on the depth of your farm system and your immediate needs at the Major League level.
Japanese Players
Here's how the Japanese bidding process works. All MLB team will be notified when a Japanese team posts one of its players. At this point, interested Major League teams can bid on the player in a blind auction. After 10 days, the result are announced - the team that submitted the highest bid wins the right to negotiated with the Japanese player for 30 days.
If team and player agree on contract term before the 30-day period has expired, the Japanese team receive the bid amount, and the player join the MLB team. If the MLB team can't come to a contract agreement with the player, the team with the secone-highest bid now has an opportunity to negotiate with the player.
Spending Money Wisely
There are several ways of acquiring new talent without making trade. Among your options are signing free agents, draft picks, Japanese professionals that have been posted, and international prospects that you've scouted.
When contemplating these moves, you must consider the short- and long-term value that each player will bring to your franchise. A Major League or Japanese free agent may provide immediate success and be the final piece that propels your team into the postseason, but can also be a risky (and expensive) proposition. In some circumstances, signing a young player may be a better use of your budget than signing a big-name free agent. You've got to figure out what's best for your team.
The Value of Young Players
Stockpiling young, talented, cost-effective players is critical to the future of your team. By cost-effective, I mean player with less than 3 years of Major League service who make minimum MLB salary or close to it. Cheap young player give you both financial flexibility and valuable trade assets. A strong farm system always leads to success at the Major League level.
Rebuilding
When to rebuild is one of the most difficult decisions a GM will face. If you wait to long, it may take years to recover.
Rebuilding is often an unpopular option for both your owner and your fan base, but a good GM isn't afraid to make unpopular move to ultimately improve his franchise.
Knowing When to Retool
Foresight is an attribute shared by all good GMs. You need to know not only where your team is know, but also where it's headed. If you come to the conclusion that the best-case scenario for the next few years is mediocrity, then it is time to start retooling. Once you realize this, you need to start the rebuilding process right away because delaying it may result in years of mediocre team performance.
Defensive Players
Team defense is underrated in the current marketplace. When baseball people talk about the surprising rise of the Tampa Bay Rays during the 2008 season, they usually talk about the maturation of excellent young hitters and pitchers. What is rarely mentioned, however, is the drastic improvement in the Rays defense. Good fielders may be acquired for a relatively low cost and can significantly improve team performance.
Pitching Depth
Pitching is one of the most important parts of a successful franchise. Pitchers are at a higher risk of injury than other positions, so proper planning and projection is critical when building a pitching staff. The old saying. "You can never have enough pitching," is absolutely true. While it's important to have a good Major League staff, this is often the result of having a lot of pitching depth in the Minor Leagues. When you're faced with the decision of moving established players, keep in mind that acquiring good young pitching is always a good first option.
Closers
Major League closers are highly compensated. You may be able to get comparable value at a greatly reduced price from a slightly above-average pitcher with a high strikeout rate, allowing you to spend the money you save on players that are more difficult to acquire cost-effectively.
If you turn one of your hard-throwing relievers into a closer with a respectful number of saves, his trade value may increase substantially. You can possibly deal him for assets before he receives a big payday, and then install another cheap-but-effective reliever in his place.
Rash Decisions
When facing an important roster decision, it's important to take your time and think things through. Try not to do any out of anger or frustration. Running a baseball team can get very emotional, but being a good GM means making rational decisions for the betterment of your team. One of the toughest parts of the job is removing the emotional element when considering your player moves.
Length of Trade Negotiation
Trading requires both patience and the ability to act quickly if necessary. Some trades can come together in mere minutes, others take a lot longer to materialize. Often trade result from failed deal between other teams. Keep the lines of communication open between you and your fellow GMs to gain knowledge that can be used to make future deals....
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