"But Tim, who is on my roster?"
Team rosters are based on draft results, which is a static list of players and reflects how each team was built based on past success or failures, as well as that manager's ability to pick players.
As for player stats, this one was tricky. Thankfully, there is a group of dedicated people on the internet that compile player stats from other video games and adjust those numbers to fit the characteristics presented in SMB3. The stats that were input into our league were based on this list of MLB rosters and their attributes.
I was then able to copy players from MLB rosters on our ALHFA rosters. One issue is that our fantasy league has a maximum of 19 players on a roster, while SMB3 has 21 roster spots consisting of 13 batters and eight pitchers. If a team had more than 13 batters, or more than eight pitchers, priority was given to keepers and players drafted earlier.
However, if a team had fewer than 13 batters or eight pitchers, SMB3 still requires that spot to be given to a player of that position. To complete the roster with the required 21 players, a filler player was chosen for that spot. This filler player was a former MLB player with experience at every position played, but with lesser stats than current MLB players.
That filler player is none other than Don Kelly.
This super utility player will not be a starter unless you are lacking enough players. Multiple Don Kellys have primary positions based on games played. The first Don Kelly is a primary LF and utility, the second Don Kelly is a primary 3B and utility, then the third Don Kelly is a primary C.
The pitcher Don Kelly has three pitches, based on what he threw in his real life appearance. Don Kelly can be a hybrid SP/RP, or a RP, but Don Kelly cannot be your team's closer.
Speaking of closers, your team's closer is the first RP drafted or kept. SMB3 has a four-pitcher rotation, and typically four relief pitchers. A team with more starters will be based on keepers and draft position. A team with more than four starters will see some of their pitcher relegated to the bullpen.
Oh, and if a player will not play a single game this season, he is not on your SMB3 roster. Only healthy players are permitted (at least healthy enough to appear in at least one game).
Next, to address teams that drafted prospects, they have been added to your SMB3 roster, but with a few stipulations. Because they have no MLB experience, they do not have stats available to be transferred into SMB3. Instead, I based their attributes on their prospect scouting grades, and then weighed them for balance.
Prospects are graded on a 20-80 scale. I adapted that rating to a 0-80 scale, adjusted it to a 0-100 scale, then subtracted 10 to get their final number. For instance, a player with 60 power becomes a 65 power hitter in SMB3 (60/80 = 75/100; 75-10=65). This allows prospects to still be useful members or their team, without jumping straight into becoming an A+ player.
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Few players are given traits, which was reflected in the big list of MLB players. Those traits are used in extreme circumstances if a player's past performances or stats called for it. In fact, only seven players in the league have been given either a positive or negative trait.
Teams will have rankings on different aspects, such as power, speed, defense, and rotation. Because MLB players are much more highly rated than the default SMB3 players, you will see that a lot of these categories (especially pitching) are incredibly strong. Teams are then designated as Bullpen Beats, Defensive Experts, Contact Specialists, etc.
Also, rotations are sorted by the pitchers' overall ratings. Higher-rated pitchers will appear earlier in the rotation, whether or not you think it makes any sense in real life. For the teams' batting orders, I allowed SMB3 to fill it in with suggested lineups to make it fair for all teams across the board.
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I get that this might be a lot to absorb without seeing more, but you will notice all of these things in the next two posts as all teams and rosters are posted. Please come back for the unveiling of each team from the Tiger Stadium and Comerica Park divisions.
