Franchise
If you are looking for that old-fashioned season mode, then MLB 14’s Franchise mode is for you. This wide-open mode gives players total control over as many teams as they want.
You have many, many ways to build a successful franchise, but all general managers will want to a few things when starting a franchise.
The first thing you should look at is if you can fill any needs in free agency. At the time of writing this guide, some great players like infielders Kendrys Morales and Stephen Drew are still on the market. Even if you just need depth, scour around for bargain players with particular skills like OF/1B Shelley Duncan.
Next, get your training assignments in order. Highlight a player, move right to the “Not Training” option, and then move back left. This will automatically select a training option to fit that particular player. If you really want to fine-tune your players, you can select drills for them individually.
The final step in preparing for the season is to set up your scouting. Select the “View Scouts” option and make sure you have one from each of the four regions: Central, West, East, and International. Fire and hire scouts if necessary. Direct all of your scouts to search their respective areas for position players and pitchers that you need. Keep this up for about a month, and then start using your scouts to check out individual players before the draft in June. Keep a watchful eye on the scouting menu throughout the season.
I like to prioritize pitching as far as trades and free agent moves go. It seems like every year the team with the best starting pitching pulls out the World Series win. That is just a personal preference. The sky’s the limit in this mode.
Online Games and Diamond Dynasty
These modes are tricky to create a guide for because they are still quite buggy. Latency issues and freezes are pretty common in the online modes, but I did figure out a few things.
Hitting
Patience, patience, patience. The timing of the pitch interface can be tough to master, and an opponent’s natural instinct is aim for the corners with every pitch. These two factors mean that a lot of pitches are going to be out of the zone, which you should capitalize on.
Don’t be afraid to bunt. Hitting is pretty tricky, so get that guy into scoring position and plan to win low-scoring games.
It’s a good idea to guess fastball in a the blue areas of your player’s strike zone. Opponents see that blue and attack it, but you will change their minds if you guess correctly and use that bonus to take them deep.
Pitching
Keep the ball low. Use your offspeed pitches frequently. Opponents are going to be guessing fastball a lot, and they will look ridiculous clubbing at that low curveball.
In general, force them to lay off bad pitches. Most real players are so antsy that they will try to knock anything close out of the park. Force them to lay off bad pitches. If your opponent has the necessary discipline, start throwing more strikes.
Diamond Dynasty Notes
Above: Recycle these Diamond Dynasty cards.
I like to keep all player cards that are above a 70 in overall rating. I recycle the other ones into one B+ to A- Major League card.
Prioritize pitching when you are buying new cards/training players. It is difficult to hit in MLB 14, so make it harder on your opponents by putting quality starters on the field.
Follow the instructions above when playing games.
Conclusion
The most important thing to remember is that this is a game. It should be fun. Don’t be afraid to experiment in the name of having a good time. This is just a reference point for those looking for direction. It is possible to have success in all game modes without following any of these tips.
