So, I'm a new owner and brand new to Hardball Dynasty and struggling big-time at the ML level. I have 7 players currently rated 70 or higher and 0 players currently rated 80 or above. My ML team is basically a AAA team. We have a 50 win minimum in our league and I am 7-29 to start the season. My offense is right around the league average at all levels. My pitching at the ML level is dead last and so is fielding at the ML level. All of my minor league teams are around .500. I Do have a small number of players with projections into the 80's but are currently in the high 60's. Some of them are forced to be playing in the ML and are struggling, so I know they're not going to reach their potential. My ML budget is maxed out, so I can only sign prospects. I only have 10 players franchise wide that are over 30 years old. How should I approach the rest of the season to try and be a competitive team at the ML level? I am constantly working the lineups and pitching staff at all of the levels. I had to completely rework my minor league rosters to make sure the players were at the right levels. The few bad contracts that I have expire at the end of the season. I need pitching and theirs nothing I can do other than finding prospects but that doesn't help my ML team. Any help will be greatly appreciated. I really like hardball dynasty and I plan on playing for many seasons.

Check the waiver wire. See anyone has waived a player that you might be able to use.
Put in your best defensive lineup. Sometimes that helps keep your games close and you can add more wins.
Ask veteran owners for advice in your league. They will appreciate you trying to get better and many will help you.
Recall some minor leaguers if any, that seem to be producing better than what you are seeing with some of your ML guys.

Some of them are forced to be playing in the ML and are struggling, so I know they're not going to reach their potential. - Not necessarily - as long as they are getting playing time they should progress.

My pitching at the ML level is dead last - You have a couple guys that should not be in the ML, but also a couple (Chong and Leary) that should not be as bad as their numbers are.

If your budget is maxed out there isn't much you can do. Do you have any money left over from coach signing that you can transfer? I would try to get a ML SS with glove, range, arm over 80 and play them no matter what they do at the plate. Your CF and 2B are alright defensively.

What are the records of the teams you have played? What about your upcoming schedule? Sometimes you have a run where you are playing playoff caliber teams for 30 straight games then you will run off 30 games against teams with losing records. Overall your team does not look terrible, I think you should be able to get to 50 wins with that team.

I will say the good thing is that your self analysis seems to be pretty accurate, so that's the first step in fixing things.

Assuming that 1/3 of the way through the season you can't get any decent pitching in free agency, there's not much you can do but try different guys. But your pitching looks entirely worthy of dead last. Even worse is your fielding. Sorry to disagree but your CF and 2B are not major league adequate. If you wanted to be a bit more competitive at the margins - as in maybe win ten or 15 more games - you could find a few no-bat leftover free agents and plug them in at SS, CF, and 2B. Also, your catching isn't all that great and that's probably also hindering the few good pitchers.

Any team should get to 50 wins. You have to be trying hard to fall short of 50.

IMO, try different things and treat the season as a learning experience. No season is wasted. But I'd be trying to shed as much of next season's salary as possible, to speed up a rebuild, hopefully score big in next season's free agency, and build around next season's top-five draft pick. And if anyone offers a good prospect trade for those two good pitchers, I'd think hard about it. Your best player is a RP, not usually someone you build around.

Definitely look for an 80/80 player or three for SS and CF (and 2B). You've got a couple of pitchers with vRH below 50, which is a no-no, as well as control (you have a guy at 30). Sikula in AAA could replace the 30 Control as a SP, his splits will get you by, decent control, and P1 & P2. Scour the waiver wire, and FA market. Learning experience, we've all been there.

The biggest mistake new owners make is only looking at the overall rating. You need to look at the splits as much as anything. For defense, make sure you are looking at the recommendations for each position. It will help you organize your team.

Go after an elite defensive SS and CF, preferably with speed, bat not important though as you grow the team you are always improving those bats. Get adequate, NOT below average 2B and 3b defense. Don't break the bank and don't sign anyone long term unless they are all star caliber

Posted by drummer_66 on 3/24/2025 5:07:00 PM (view original):
The biggest mistake new owners make is only looking at the overall rating. You need to look at the splits as much as anything. For defense, make sure you are looking at the recommendations for each position. It will help you organize your team.

100% this.

To clarify for anyone who may not know: the Overall rating incorporates everything on a player's card.

It's weighted somewhat - some might say heavily - toward a player's Durability and Stamina. Which is why you find position players with 90+ Durability, Health and Makeup (super reliable guys) who can't really hit well. Or AAA level pitchers who can throw 300 innings but have no business being in the majors.

Shortstops automatically have higher Overalls because of their fielding ratings stacking up.

The system generates the occasional low-Overall backup Catcher who can only play about 50 games worth but has great skills.

I've even seen pitchers whose Overalls are inflated by their fielding ratings, if they're good enough to play something like 1B.

This is also why DiTR catchers' Overalls go sky high, because they end up being able to play eight or nine positions.

If you want to find the players with high Overalls but lacking core skills, you find them in the Rule 5 Draft. The "disappointments".

One more newbie tip is to research threads on advanced scouting. There's no reason to carry any budget at all for advanced scouting if you understand progression of players skill rating. No idea if you're carrying 20 million in advance scouting but you can use that million elsewhere like free agency and not miss a beat.

How hard line is the MWR? My experience is that a World with a 50 win MWR, is a World that shows lienancy to new owners.

Posted by tlowster on 3/29/2025 1:34:00 PM (view original):
How hard line is the MWR? My experience is that a World with a 50 win MWR, is a World that shows lienancy to new owners.

Especially if it is a franchise coming off a bad season, I generally give a owner new to a world a one-season grace period just to unmuck whatever was mucked up.

You have some decent pieces to trade- Gabriel, Darwin, Daly in particular that you could exchange for some decent ML pitchers that could get you through the year if you're looking for creating some depth. I'd find your 3 highest paid guys, especially those with long term contracts, and get them off your roster. Even if you lose a few more games, you'll set the franchise up for greater success in the future. The minimum win requirement for a rookie should be overlooked for a few seasons while you rebuild. Talk with the commish and see what you can work out.