Players: Ratings Overview

The Ratings screen allows you to assign ratings to your players. This window appears as the last in the player creation sequence, and when you choose to modify the ratings for an existing player.

It is ok to leave some of these ratings empty or at their default values, because some ratings apply to a role in which the player was never used in real life (and may never be used in your DMB games.) There is no need to assign Pitching ratings to a non-pitcher or to assign defensive ratings at a position the player never played.

If you do use a player in a role he's not rated for, DMB uses reasonable default ratings for those situations. For example:

• real-life managers sometimes ask position players to throw an inning on the mound to save the bullpen in a blowout, and sometimes these players manage to retire a few hitters. Overall, they don't do very well, and you'll find that the same is true if you try this in DMB.

• you can use a player at a defensive position for which he is not rated, but his performance will suffer. How much? It depends on the other positions for which is rated. A player moving from a difficult position to a similar position that is easier to play (e.g. CF to RF, SS to 3B) won't be hurt all that much. A player moving to a very different position (e.g. C to 2B, 1B to LF) or to a more difficult position (e.g. 2B to SS, LF to CF) will be a much greater liability to your team. For more details see Playing out of position.

• a player who does not have a range rating at a position does not need ratings for errors, throwing or passed balls at that position. DMB treats anyone without a range rating as an "unrated" player and uses the adjusted ratings that are described in the previous bullet.

All players should have a full set of ratings in the Offense group, since all players (including pitchers in non-DH leagues) may be called on to bat and run the bases.

These ratings are described in detail in the following topics:

Offensive Ratings

Defensive Ratings

Pitching Ratings

Injury Ratings

In addition, for pitchers you also have the option to prepare out a Pitcher Profile.