FanGraphs: The Game – FAQ

Since there have been some FanGraphs: The Game questions, specifically about how choosing a team impacts your player and why it locks at some point (among other questions), I thought I’d take a post to clarify. I’ll add this to the game rules later for easy access.

How does the team you choose for your player impact The Game?

The team you choose is simply the team your player is on. It does not affect who you can pick each day, and it does not affect how your stats are accumulated.

You should choose the team you want your player to be associated with; most likely (though not necessarily) your favorite team.

Then what is the point of choosing a team?

Since one goal of the game is trying to be the best player at your chosen position on your specific team for bragging rights, it will affect which depth chart you’re a part of. There are also some team-centric periodic awards that are handed out based on your team.

Why can’t I change my team mid-season?

Teams lock because we don’t want players switching teams and changing depth charts during the season. After the season is over, you’ll be able to put your player on a different team for the following season if you want.

Won’t it be more challenging to be #1 on the depth chart if you choose a popular team/position combination?

Yes. Just like in real baseball, there are varying levels of competition for starting spots on different teams.

Which players can I pick from each day?

You can pick any player that is qualified at your player’s position that is on any active 25 man roster. Picks making their major league debut are currently not available to be picked, but you will be able to pick them in their second major league game.

Can I opt not to make a pick on any particular day?

Yes, if you don’t want to make a pick for the day, you don’t have to. There are about 180 “days” in a season of baseball and there is a game cap of 162 games (140 games for catchers), so there are about 20 days during the course of a season where you may want to not make a pick.

What if I want to see how my player stacks up against a group of friends (or enemies) and not the entire player base?

Just like on the FanGraphs leaderboards, you can set up a custom player list on The Game’s leaderboards for only the players you want to see. This link can be shared and/or saved as a custom report for easy access.

I created a player by mistake, can I delete it?

Players cannot be deleted. You can hide your player in the settings page if you don’t want him to show up in your list of players. Please remember that hidden players with their autopick setting on will continue to make picks even if they’re hidden.

Can I give a different name to a specific player?

At this time, no. However, year-end winners at each position will be able to give their winning player a unique nickname.

Will pick prices change throughout the season?

Yes. Pick prices will shift based on how well a player is doing during the season and the overall quality of the position at the Major League level. Price changes will be fairly gradual throughout the season and will not have wild swings.

If my pick plays both games of a double header, do I get both games stats added to my player?

No. When you make a pick for that day, you will have to choose which game of the double header you want to count towards your player’s stats.

I still don’t understand.

Try creating a player and making a pick and see what happens. Then come back the next day and make another pick. Right now it might seem confusing since no one has ever played the game before, but once you start playing, we feel that it will be a fairly intuitive and fun game to play.

Feel free to ask us questions either here, or on our twitter account @fgthegame. We will also be holding a FanGraphs: The Game chat in the near future.