OOTP 15 Road to Release #1
International Leagues
Welcome to the 2014 Road to Release, our preview of the major new features appearing in this year's version of Out of the Park Baseball. We'll be bringing you four articles in the next few days highlighting the changes, starting with today's subject: the international leagues.
One of the significant new features in OOTP 15 is the addition of real international leagues in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Mexico, Cuba, the Netherlands, and Italy. While we've included optional leagues for several of these countries before, the rosters have been filled with fictional players. In OOTP 15, the lineups are real, and the players have been carefully rated to give you a realistic look at the way baseball is played in these unique leagues.
Click here to Pre-Order OOTP 15 for PC Windows and Mac OS X
Click here to Pre-Order OOTP 15 for Linux
Nippon Professional Baseball League
The top level of Japanese baseball, like the majors in the US, is split into two leagues, the Central and Pacific, each with six teams. They both play a 144-game schedule (including interleague games), culminating in the best-of-7 Japan Championship Series between the champions of each league.
One of the more notable features of Japanese baseball is the possibility of a tie if the game isn't decided within 12 innings. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to incorporate this into OOTP yet, so all games will operate with North American-style unlimited extra innings.
Teams are limited to four foreign players on their active rosters.
The NPB's farm league is included in the game, with one Ni-Gun (reserve) team for each NPB team.
Champions: The 2013 NPB champions were the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of the Pacific League, who defeated the Central League's Yomiuri Giants in Game 7 of the championship series. The Giants, however, remain the all-time leaders with 22 championships.
Notable Players: Wladimir Balentien, Tokyo Yakult Swallows: The big outfielder couldn't stick in the majors, but Curacao native Balentien overcame a slow start to his Japanese career with a breakout 2013 season. His 60-homer campaign (in a mere 439 at-bats) shattered the NPB record of 55. He's not fast, and he still strikes out a lot, but does it matter when he's circling the bases every ninth plate appearance? Balentien, who plays for the Netherlands internationally, also owns an underrated defensive game.
Shinnosuke Abe, Yomiuri Giants: One of the greatest catchers in Japanese history, Abe remains among the best players in the league at the age of 35. Captain of both the Giants and the Japanese national team, he's an outstanding leader in addition to his impressive hitting skills. The only downside to his game is his near-glacial foot speed, which limits his capacity for extra-base hits if the ball doesn't leave the park.
Kevin Youkilis, Tohuku Rakuten Golden Eagles: Youkilis, the Greek God of Walks, is making his Japanese debut in 2014 after a 2013 debacle of a season with the Yankees, where he earned $12 million for playing 28 games. Whether or not Japanese pitching will be the cure for his struggles at the plate remains to be seen, but his power and famous discipline at the plater may translate well to his new environment.
Kenta Maeda, Hiroshima Toyo Carp: Maeda, a 25-year-old righthanded starter, is likely the next big Japanese player to make the jump to the majors in the US. He's coming off two excellent seasons with sub-2.00 ERAs, and he owns a decent fastball and slider that should serve him well in the big leagues. And at 25, he still has some room to improve.
Chihiro Kaneko, Orix Buffaloes: Largely ignored in the wake of Masahiro Tanaka's amazing 24-0 season was an outstanding performance by Orix's veteran right-hander Kaneko, who finished 15-8 with a 2.01 ERA. Kaneko's age may limit his chances of a contract in the majors, but his impressive pitch repertoire and combination of good velocity and excellent control should keep him a star in Japan for years to come.
Posting System
The new Posting system (with the maximum payment of $20 million) has been added to the game. Both the system and the maximum fee can be set in the league financial settings, so you can turn it off if you wish, or adjust the maximum amount payable (or simply remove the maximum).
Players must meet four requirements to be posted:
- it's the offseason
- the player is a native of the league's main country
- the player has no contract extension
- the player will not become a free agent this offseason and has never been eligible for free agency previously
If you want to post one of your players, right-clicking on his name will bring up the the posting option in the transactions submenu, which allows you to enter the fee. A posted player can be unposted any time (that option in the same place as the posting option.) Posted players are listed in the Posted Players section of the League Transactions screen (on the Free Agents tab).
The AI will post players who are 1-2 years away from free agency and who have a desire to play in a different league, which is determined by the player's mental ratings.
Korean Baseball Organization
The highest level of Korean baseball has nine teams that play a 128-game schedule. At the end of the season, there are three playoff rounds: first, the fourth and third-place teams play each other, with the winner playing the second-place team, and then the winner of that series plays the first-place team in a best-of-7 series.
Foreign players are limited to three per team, but the old cap on salaries for foreign players has been lifted for 2014.
The NPB's farm league, the Korean Futures League, is included in the game, with one team for each top-level team as well as three independent teams.
Champions: The 2013 Korean champions were the Samsung Lions, who defeated the Doosan Bears in Game 7 of the championship series to win their third consecutive title. The Kia Tigers lead the league with 10 championships.
Notable Players: Jeong Choi, SK Wyverns: The 27-year-old third baseman was a high-school phenom, playing every position and actually making the national junior team as a pitcher. As a pro, he's stuck to playing third, but he even there he does it all, combining great fielding range with power at the plate and speed on the basepaths. It took him a while to find consistency at the highest level of Korean baseball, but since 2010 he's been a reliable .900+ OPS guy and seems to becoming more and more of a base-stealing threat each season.
Byung-Ho Park, Nexen Heroes: Park once looked like a bust, stuck in a backup role with the LG Twins and struggling to hit .200. A 2011 trade to Nexen changed all of that, and the 27-year-old first baseman has been a rising star ever since. He topped his 2012 total of 31 homers with 37 in 2013. While he still tends to swing at a few too many bad pitches, he makes contact a lot more often now, supplementing his power with a .318 average last year.
Young-Kyu Lee, Hanwha Eagles: Lee, 28, is a fleet-footed center-fielder who gets to anything and everything hit near him. He doesn't have much power, but has a good enough eye to get on base reliably, where he can take advantage of his speed - he's usually good for 30+ steals a season. This is his first year with Hanwha after nine seasons with the Kia Eagles.
Andrew Albers, Hanwha Eagles: Albers is in his first year in Korea after having been sold to Hanwha by the Twins following his rookie year in the US majors. The 28-year-old Canadian left-hander had been a major surprise for Minnesota, rising rapidly through their system after being plucked out of the independent Canadian-American Association. Guaranteed money in Korea looked better than a probable return to the minors, though, and he asked the Twins to move him. His so-so velocity shouldn't be as much of a handicap as it was in the big leagues, and his pinpoint control will likely make him a dominant starter for the Eagles.
Seung-Jun Song, Lotte Giants: Best known in North America as part of the Cliff Floyd trade from Montreal to Boston (and Billy Beane's failed attempt to insert himself into it, as chronicled in ÒMoneyballÓ), Song never panned out as a major league prospect in eight years of trying. After returning to Korea in 2007, though, he became one of the most reliable pitchers in the country, using a good forkball to maintain a regular presence amongst the league's win leaders.
Liga Mexican de Beisbol
The Mexican League, founded in 1925, is the oldest and largest of the international leagues, with 16 teams split evenly into North and South zones. The teams play a 112-game schedule, and the winners of each zone meet in a best-of-7 series for the national championship.
There is no limit on the number of foreign players on a roster.
No Mexican minor leagues are included in the game.
Champions: The 2013 Mexican champions were the Quintana Roo Tigres, who defeated the Monterrey Sultanes in five games. The Diablos Rojos are the all-time championships leader, with 15 titles.
Notable Players: Sandy Madera, Puebla Pericos: Dominican first baseman Madera couldn't make it to the majors in a decade of trying with five different organizations and then went through five Mexican and independent league teams in two years before finally settling in with Puebla. He posted a .392 average in 2013, the second time he's flirted with .400 in Mexico, and provides decent power in addition to hitting for average.
Luis Suarez, Puebla Pericos: No relation to either the 1940's major leaguer or the Uruguayan soccer star with the same name, Suarez is the reigning Mexican batting champion, cruising to the title last season with a .413 average. The outfielder has spent his entire career in Mexico, and at 34 will probably remain there, but he appears to have plenty of juice left in his bat.
Ruben Rivera, Aguascalientes Rieleros: Mariano Rivera's cousin may be 40, with his major league days (and career-long flirtation with the Mendoza line) a decade behind him, but he remains a dangerous hitter. The Panamanian outfielder has hit at least 20 homers in six of the last seven seasons, seems to have found the plate discipline that eluded him in the majors, and is surprisingly sprightly on the basepaths.
Amauri Sanit, Quintana Roo Tigres: Sanit might not have been able to stick with the Yankees, but the 34-year-old Cuban defector with the tough curveball established himself in Mexico with a solid 2013 campaign. The short right-hander had spent most of his career as a reliever, but posted a 12-4 record after moving out of the bullpen of his Cancun-based team.
Andres Meza, Puebla Pericos: 27-year-old right-hander Meza hasn't been able to duplicate his big 2009 season, when he finished 15-2, but heÕs still the ace of the Puebla staff and one of the best pitchers in the country. He doesn't stand out in any one area, coming at batters with a variety of pitches to get the job done.
Chinese Professional Baseball League
The top level of Taiwanese baseball is a small four-team league, founded in 1989 and merged with the rival Taiwan Major League in 1997. The teams play a 120-game split schedule. The half-season winner with the best overall record is given a bye to the championship, while the other half-season winner must play the remaining team with the best overall record for the right to play in the championship.
Foreign players are restricted to 4 per team, only one of whom can be a non-pitcher.
The CPBL's farm league, the Taiwan Future Baseball League, is included in the game, with one farm team for each top-level team.
Champions: The 2013 Taiwanese champions were the Uni-President Lions, who swept the EDA Rhinos in four games to win their league-leading ninth championship.
Notable Players: Yi-Chuan Lin, EDA Rhinos: Lin debuted in the Taiwanese league in spectacular fashion in 2009, becoming the first player to win the MVP and Rookie of the Year awards in the same season. Since then the hard-hitting and versatile infielder has continued to impress, adding a second MVP title in 2013. He's a legitimate triple-crown candidate in any season.
Chin-Lung Hu, EDA Rhinos: The former Dodger and Met returned to Taiwan in 2013 and quickly re-established himself as one of the best all-around players in the country. An adept fielder at both short and second, Hu also contributes good speed and a capable bat.
Chen-Ming Peng, Brother Elephants: Peng, the highest-paid player in the CPBL, has been a dominant force in the league for over a decade. The outfielder has played in the all-star game in each of his 13 seasons, and currently stands third on the all-time hit list. At 35, he remains a dangerous hitter and outstanding fielder, and he hasn't lost much of his speed.
Hung-Wen Chen, Brother Elephants: The stocky right-hander spent four years in the minors, making it as far as the AAA Iowa Cubs before returning home. He split time both as a starter and reliever last year, continuing to post the kind of gaudy strikeout totals that once made him a promising prospect.
Nelson Figueroa, Uni-President Lions: Major league journeyman Figueroa first spent time in Taiwan in 2007, then returned in 2013 after being released by Arizona. At 39, he may not have much left, but his control and pitch variety makes him stand out against the local competition.
Serie Nacional de Baseball
The Cuban National Series includes 16 teams that play a 36-game schedule. The season is followed by a three-round playoff that includes the eight top teams in regular-season play and culminates in the national championship.
Since the Cuban league is nominally an amateur league, its player movement rules can only be approximated in OOTP. Trading is disallowed, as is free agency - the old major league reserve clause system is active for the league, severely limiting player movement.
No foreigners are allowed in the league.
No Cuban minor leagues are included in the game.
Champions: The 2013 Cuban champions were the Villa Clara Naranjas, who defeated Matanzas. Industriales are the all-time leader with 11 championships.
Notable Players: Alfredo Despaigne, Granma Potros: One of the most dominating hitters in recent Cuban history, the right fielder's diminutive stature belies his power. Starting in 2008, Despaigne has had a Ruthian run: six years with an OPS north of 1.100, surpassing 30 homers (in just over 300 at-bats) three times, and ending 2010 with a .404 average. And he may just be getting started: he's still only 26.
Yulieski Gourriel, Industriales Leones: A mainstay of the Cuban national team, the son of legendary outfielder Lourdes Gourriel recently departed his long-time team, Sancti Spiritus, to join the Havana-based Leones. Gourriel, a third baseman, combines solid fielding with major league power and excellent plate discipline.
Friedrich Cepeda, Sancti Spiritus Gallos: Age may have slowed down the 34-year-old Cepeda and forced a move to first base, but the veteran still possesses the best eye in Cuba. He's posted OBP's of .500 or more five times in his career, putting up walk totals that would impress Barry Bonds. Cepeda's best remembered outside of Cuba for a stellar 2009 World Baseball Classic, where he hit .500 and homered three times in six games.
Vladimir Garcia: Ciego de Avila Tigres: A hard-throwing right-hander, the 26-year-old Garcia set a Cuban record for saves in 2009, but then had a rocky adjustment when he moved out of the bullpen. In the last two seasons, though, he's settled down to become one of Cuba's steadiest pitchers, combining a solid fastball with good control.
Ismel Jimenez, Sancti Spiritus Gallos: Jimenez has posted double-digit win totals in six consecutive seasons, no small feat with the shorter Cuban schedule. Jimenez's excellent control complements a strong arm, producing Greg Maddux-like BB and K numbers.
Honkbal Hoofdklasse
The Dutch baseball league includes eight teams. The teams play a 42-game schedule, with the top four finishers playing a best-of-5 round to determine the Holland Series finalists, who also play a best-of-5 series.
While the real league uses a promotion and relegation system to exchange teams with the next-lower level of play, this is not present in the OOTP version.
There is no limit on the number of foreign players on a roster. The league includes a large number of players from the Dutch Caribbean, particularly Curacao.
No Dutch minor leagues are included in the game.
Champions: Neptunus were the 2013 Holland Series champions, their league-leading 14th championship.
Notable Players: Dwayne Kemp, free agent: Kemp, who had a brief stay in the Cubs' system in 2008-09, is a nimble middle infielder who can hit for average and provide some speed on the basepaths. Despite only being 26, he's had a regular place on the Dutch national team for several years.
Bryan Engelhardt, Corendon Kinheim: Curacao-born Engelhardt, a first baseman, has some decent power and is a good contact hitter. At 32, though, he may be slipping: 2013 saw a steep decline in his offensive numbers.
Bas de Jong, L&D Amsterdam Pirates: Veteran outfielder de Jong swings at everything and usually makes contact. At 34, his speed has abandoned him, but he remains a competent fielder with a good arm in addition to his hitting skill.
Rob Cordemans, L&D Amsterdam Pirates: With only a brief time-out for a trial in Taiwan, right-handed Cordemans has terrorized Dutch batters for the last fourteen years. The four-time Olympian has posted some amazing numbers in the last few years, capped by a 2012 season that saw him finish 10-1 with a 0.22 ERA.
Diegomar Markwell, free agent: Another native of Curaçao, Markwell started his career as a 16-year-old in the Blue Jays system. He managed a slow climb to AA-ball before finally being released in 2003, at which point he headed to the Hoofdklasse to join Neptunus. Remaining with them until 2013, his minor league experience let him dominate the Dutch league, regularly finishing with sub -2.00 ERA's and winning over 80% of his decisions.
Italian Baseball League
The Italian league includes eight teams that play a 42-game schedule. The four highest finishers play a round-robin playoff (not supported in OOTP yet), with the top two teams advancing to the best-of-7 Italian Baseball Series.
There is no limit on the number of foreign players on a roster. The league does have some complex rules about the use of foreign pitchers, but they are not modeled in the game.
No Italian minor leagues are included in the game.
Champions: The 2013 Italian Series champions were T&A San Marino, who defeated Rimini for their third consecutive championship. Rimini, though, remain the all-time leaders with seven championships since the playoff system was introduced in 1986, and four more prior to that.
Notable Players: Wuillians Vasquez, T&A San Marino: Vasquez, an import from Venezuela, spent four years as a Yankee minor leaguer, ending his run with Battle Creek of the Midwest League in 2004. He then moved to Europe, first to the Netherlands and then on to Italy, where his capable fielding, decent power, and reliable eye made him a star.
Chris Aguila, UGF Fortitudo Bologna: Marlins fans will remember Aguila mainly for his inability to secure a regular starting job in his 2004-2006 run with them. After that, Aguila bounced around, with a brief return to the majors with the Mets and a short, embarrassing 4-for-42 run in Japan marking the high and low points of his post-Marlins career. A second trip overseas, this time to Italy in 2013, was more to his liking, and he quickly established himself as one of the best all-around players in the country.
Alex Romero, free agent: Another Venezuelan, outfielder Romero had a brief major league stay with the Diamondbacks in 2008-09, capping a 10-year minor league career. After being released by Florida in 2011, he spent a year in Mexico, but was hit with a 50-game doping suspension at the end of the 2012 season. Instead of sitting out, he moved on to Italy in 2013, where he dominated with Rimini, hitting .479 to lead the league.
Roberto Corradini, free agent: Veteran right-handed starter Corradini has spent his whole career in Italy, most of it with Parma and most recently with Rimini. Despite being 35, he's coming off one of his best seasons, where he displayed outstanding control to finish 7-2 with a 2.13 ERA.
Enorbel Marquez, free agent: Cuban-born veteran Marques spent several years in the German League, eventually qualifying for the German national team, but in 2010 he moved to Rimini. After three good seasons as a starter, he moved to the bullpen in 2013 with excellent results: a 6-1 record with 3 saves and a 1.21 ERA.
We would like to thank the OOTP research team for their great effort. They all work as volunteers, and we cannot express how grateful we are for all the time they spend making the game better. Thanks guys!
The OOTP Developments Team
Pre-Order OOTP 15 for PC & Mac
Pre-Order OOTP 15 for Linux
Purchase FHM 2014
|
