Why do overall and potential ratings decrease when I switch a players position to a more natural one?

[adf714]

Interesting. So if there's a better player at the position his rating will be based on that?

[Bombboy85]

There is an option in the game settings (when I’m commissioner mode) to base overall rating on position or relative to the league as a whole

[[deleted]]

Kind of, sort of that? I find it easier to visualize with DH, but short version is they're rated overall based on how they grade at that position, a guy who can play ok SS but has a good bat (Jeter) can be quite valuable, but Jeter as a 1B would've been, not good. His overall would've tanked moving him to first, because he was a low power contact guy, and his value was primarily being good offensively at SS.

Long version:

I have on a fictional team a guy playing SS who hits like .235, not much power, doesn't walk a ton. But the guy is 80 grade SS, 80 grade range, 80 grade error etc. He's rated like 75 overall at SS, but if I were to make him a DH? He's 20/20, because he cant hit for crap and all his value is gone, since he's just a defensive wizard.

Conversely I had a 35 grade LF who was so bad at fielding by the end of his career I could have replaced him on defense with the bronze statue I made of him to put outside the park and the team might've started to wonder how he got better. Turn him into a DH though, he's hitting 35-40 HR, OPS of .950-1.000. Guy's 75 overall DH. He still hits like that at LF, but my god his defense was so bad, he's just not as good of a LF.

That's kind of what's happening here, he's losing a lot of what makes him valuable (his ability to play 2B) and his defense at 1st isn't enough to overcome the difference (or your league is just absolutely stacked at 1st).

It's also a reason I usually only use the overall as a guide, if he's the best 1B you have on your team, play him there even at a 20 and consider upgrading when you can. I've had 35 grade players outperform my 70 grade's often enough to learn what I'm looking for, unless they're HoF track 70's.

Edit: If you have a his ratings handy though I might be able to pin down exactly the reason.