The
Overall Strategy subpage (
Team Menu >> Team Strategy) contains a combination of options that will define how your team is managed when you
auto-play games:
The Overall Strategy subpage is
completely optional. Even if you do not touch these settings, the AI will do its best to manage your team effectively when you
auto-play games. These settings, however, allow you to micromanage where it suits your tastes. Additionally, if you
play out your games, there is no need to configure your strategy settings, since you will determine your strategy on the fly!
The Overall Strategy subpage is an array of sliders, with contrasting strategies on opposite sides of the sliders. To set a preference, drag a slider to one side or the other. The left side of the page sets your
Game Strategy,
Pitching and Defensive Strategy, and
Substitution Strategy. These options can all be defined for any number of game situations. The right side sets your
Overall Roster Strategy, which does NOT change depending on the game situation.
Defining the Strategy Scenario
To set the strategies on the left side of the page, you must first select a "strategy scenario" that consists of the
time in the game and a
score situation. Then you define how you want your team to act in that situation.
Use the
Game Strategy Time drop-down in the top left of the page to define what time in a game you want to set strategies for (Innings 1-3, Innings 4-6, Innings 7-8, or Inning 9 + extra innings). For example, when Innings 1-3 is selected, you are setting the preferences you want your team to follow during the first three innings of a game. Again, these settings are relevant only when you are
auto-playing.
Use the
Game Score Situation drop-down in the top left of the page to define what game score situation you want to set strategies for. There are nine game score situations in the game for which you can set separate strategies:
- Leading by 4+, 3, 2, or 1 run (4 separate options)
- Tied game
- Trailing by 1, 2, 3, or 4+ runs (4 separate options)
In other words, when 'Leading by 4+ runs' is selected, you are setting the preferences you want your team to follow when your team is leading by 4 or more runs.
Game Strategy
The
Game Strategy section allows you to define several basic strategic approaches to the game:
| Option | Description |
| Stealing Bases | Defines the frequency with which players will steal bases. |
| Baserunning | Defines how aggressively your players will run the bases (attempt to stretch a single into a double, for example). |
| Use Hit and Run | Defines how frequently your team will use the hit and run play, in which one or more baserunners are put in motion before the ball is hit. The batter tries to make contact whether the pitch is a ball or strike. Hit and run plays can result in a runner going from first to third on a single, or even scoring from first on a double. This play is usually put on with a good contact hitter at the plate. |
| Use Run and Hit | Defines how frequently your team will use the run and hit play. This play is similar to the hit and run, except it is usually attempted with a fast runner on first, or someone who is good at stealing. The batter is given the option of hitting, knowing that the runner will be moving with the pitch. |
| Sacrifice Bunt | Defines how frequently your team will try to advance baserunners using the sacrifice bunt. |
| Bunt for a Hit | Defines how frequently your team will try to bunt for a hit. |
| Use Squeeze Bunt Play | Defines how frequently your team will try to score a runner from third base using a bunt. |
Pitching and Defensive Strategy
The
Pitching and Defensive Strategy section allows you to define several basic pitching and defensive strategies for the game:
| Option | Description |
| Pitch Around | Defines how often your pitchers will pitch around elite hitters. Pitching around a hitter occurs when a pitcher throws primarily balls to a tough hitter, hoping that the batter will swing at a bad pitch and make an out. |
| Intentional Walk | Defines how often your pitchers will intentionally walk elite hitters. |
| Hold Baserunners | Defines how hard your pitchers will try to prevent runners from leading off a base or stealing. |
| Guard Lines | Defines how often your team will guard the lines defensively. Teams that are guarding the first and third base lines are less likely to give up extra-base hits. |
| Play Infield In | Defines how often your team will play the infield in. Teams playing the infield in are more likely to prevent a run from scoring on an infield ground ball. |
| Play Corners In | Defines how often your team will play the corners in. Teams playing the corners in are more likely to foil a bunt attempt. |
| Use Infield Shift | Defines how often your will use the infield shift. An infield shift is a configuration in which three infielders play on the 'pull' side of the infield against a very strong pull hitter, to reduce the batter's chance of getting a base hit. |
Substitution Strategy
The
Substitution Strategy section allows you to define several approaches to substitutions in the game:
| Option | Description |
| Use Pinch Runners | Defines how often a slow baserunner will be replaced with a faster runner. |
| Pinch Hit for Position Players | Defines how often a position player will be replaced with a pinch hitter. |
| Pinch Hit for Pitchers | Defines how often a pitcher will be removed in favor of a pinch hitter. |
| Hook Starting Pitchers | Defines how quickly a starting pitcher will be pulled from the game if he starts to falter. |
| Hook Relievers | Defines how quickly a reliever will be pulled from the game if he starts to falter. |
| Favor L / R Matchups | Defines how frequently a pitching change will be made to place a left-handed pitcher against a left-handed batter, and vice versa. |
Overall Roster Strategy
The settings in the
Overall Roster Strategy section on the right affect
all computer decision-making regarding rosters. You can also change these values for human-controlled teams. However, they will almost never be used, since human general managers make most of the decisions that would be impacted by these settings. These settings might also be relevant if you are managing a minor league club, to understand the strategy and personality of the big league management team. There are five options in this section.
| Option | Description |
| Favor Veterans / Prospects | Determines whether the team's management prefers veterans or younger players. |
| Favor Pitching / Hitting | Determines whether the team's management prefers pitching or hitting. |
| Favor Defense / Offense | Determines whether the team's management prefers defense or offense. |
| Favor Speed / Power | Determines whether the team's management prefers speed or power. |
| Favor AVG / OBP | Determines whether the team's management prefers batting average or on base percentage. |
Note: Staff members have their own particular strategic preferences as well.
The Action Menu
The Action menu at the bottom of the page has three options:
| Option | Description |
| Ask Bench Coach for Strategy | Selecting this asks your bench coach to set the strategy for the currently selected combination of Game Strategy Time and Game Score Situation. |
| Ask Manager for Strategy | Selecting this asks your manager to set the strategy for the currently selected combination of Game Strategy Time and Game Score Situation. |
| Reset Strategy | Selecting this sets all sliders to the middle position for the currently selected combination of Game Strategy Time and Game Score Situation. |
Note: Your staff members will fill out the strategy based on their own personal strategic preferences. Their opinions might not match your own.
The Copy Current Strategy Menu
The Copy Current Strategy menu at the bottom of the page has three options:
| Option | Description |
| Copy to all times and situations | Copies the settings currently shown on the page to all Game Strategy Times and Game Score Situations. |
| Copy to all times | Copies the settings currently shown on the page to all Game Strategy Times. |
| Copy to all situations | Copies the settings currently shown on the page to all Game Score Situations. |
Use these options to quickly replicate your preferences through the different situations and times.
Changing Your Strategies
That was a lot of information, but how do you actually change your strategies? To set your strategies, use the following steps:
- Select a combination of Game Strategy Time and Game Score Situation.
- Change the sliders as necessary to set your strategy.
- If necessary, use the Copy Current Strategy menu to copy your settings to other times or situations.
- Repeat for another combination of Game Strategy Time and Game Score Situation.
There are 36 possible combinations of Game Strategy Time and Game Score Situation. If you don't relish setting all of them individually, you can take advantage of your staff by asking for their help as well.