Broken Bat - Discussion Forum: Performance Bias Against Players Acquired by Free Agency?

Forum >> Discussions >> Performance Bias Against Players Acquired by Free Agency?

Post ID	Date & Time	Game Date	Function

#38113	08/08/2016 8:45:31 am
metalbat13 Joined: 01/18/2016 Posts: 60 Inactive	Is there a built-in initial performance bias against free agents (via waiver claims or straight signing)? It seems like 90% of the guys I acquire via free agency perform horribly for at least the first week or two after I insert them into the starting major league lineup, even when their past stats and abilities are far superior to the players I already have. In other words, does it take an "acclimation period" for a player to get comfortable with his new teammates? Have I just been unlucky, or is this something that happens to other teams, as well? Even the free full-body massages at Milo Metalbat's "relaxation parlors" don't seem to help!

#38117	08/08/2016 10:20:24 am
amalric7 Joined: 01/20/2016 Posts: 2237 New York Lancers V.4	Try offering them their massages after games instead of before. Seriously I don't think so. I've had guys have terrible debuts then turn it around in the next game, and I've had guys do the opposite. Given that each case is different I'd say its pretty random. Just look at Jack King. Flat-out terrible for me this year in LL5 after two very good seasons, just 2/10 starts were QS. And yet both of his starts in Legends have been QS, so go figure.

#38123	08/08/2016 2:30:16 pm
Garnet Joined: 02/13/2016 Posts: 147 Inactive	I don't think so... BUT I have seen the same thing. However I think it is because I was watching them and expecting them to perform so when they didn't I noticed. Just like today by favorite player was 0 for 5 today and left 5 on base....(but that is no big deal) -- if my $3M guy did the same thing right after I signed him he would be in the dog house. I keep an eye on this as I thought the same thing as you but I have signed guys that have performed well the very next day... and I felt like a hero.

#38125	08/08/2016 3:14:23 pm
Frankebasta Joined: 09/15/2013 Posts: 884 Kodiak Mules III.3	many a player found on waivers, was cut by his previous team because. underperformed. No wonder he's not producing for the new team. There are exceptions though, but those are exceptions in my experience.

#38131	08/08/2016 5:27:15 pm
Benchwarmer Joined: 01/06/2015 Posts: 445 Inactive	I was going to say pretty much the exact same thing as Frank, a lot of these guys that are picked up on waivers were cut for a reason, so don't be too surprised when they don't start well or ever do well at all. Sometimes if you pick up a guy from a higher LL he'll do just fine because he still has enough ability to compete in the lower leagues, I usually avoid making claims on guys that were cut from teams at or below my league level for that reason.