Ver 1.25 — Pitching AI Overhaul / Fielder Fatigue & Durability / Offense Balance

Version 1.25 is now available. It includes a major overhaul of pitching-usage AI in response to community reports, along with new features, balance adjustments, and a wide range of bug fixes.

Pitching-Usage AI Overhaul

• Fixed relievers being swapped out almost every inning after a starter's early exit (now switches to long relief on big deficits or early knockouts)
• Fixed the AI burning through the opposing rotation by using starter-caliber pitchers as relievers
• Fixed dominant relievers being mechanically pulled after a single scoreless inning
• Starters allowing one hit or fewer with no runs can now pitch past the usual pitch-count guideline (keeping no-hitters and perfect games alive)
• Added a soft cap curbing extreme reliever overuse (90+ IP outliers)
• Fixed the rotation skipping over veteran starters, causing the probable starter to not match who actually takes the mound
• Fixed the AI's trade/free-agency/draft logic ignoring bullpen headcount shortages
• Fixed closer/setup selection undervaluing pitching ability (control, breaking ball, velocity)
• Fixed strong minor-league players staying buried behind mediocre major-leaguers (AI clubs only)
• Fixed rostered relievers in the rotation sometimes being skipped when their turn came up

New: Training Policy System

• Set a training menu per player (Contact / Power / Speed / Defense / Arm; pitchers get Velocity / Control / Breaking Ball / Stamina) to bias their growth in that direction
• Position switches and learning new pitches can now be done through the training menu too

Injury System Overhaul

• Injury frequency (0-100%) and the minor/moderate/severe mix are now freely configurable (both at new-game setup and in-game settings)
• Added natural wear-and-tear injuries from playing time; default injury counts are now much closer to real-world levels (an intentional change)
• Fixed a bug where recovery time was ticking down too fast, tied to how many league games had been played

New: Fielder Fatigue & Durability

• Position players now have individual "durability" — playing several days in a row drains condition faster for less durable players
• Veterans age 33+ have somewhat lower tolerance for consecutive starts
• Relievers now take extra age-scaled fatigue when pitching on a second straight day

New: Draft Automation

• "Auto-Pick" lets the AI make your next single draft selection for you
• "Auto Settings" lets you configure pick count, position priorities, desired traits, and whether to continue into the development draft — then run the whole thing at once

Records Tab Redesign

• New layout with a per-year header (champion, MVP, Rookie of the Year, Japan Series winner) plus tabs for standings, team stats, and draft results, alongside a title-holders card
• Added Best Nine / Golden Glove rosters and TOP-30 leaderboards across 12 categories (average, home runs, ERA, etc.)

Watch-Mode Visual Improvements

• Recalculated batted-ball landing spots to match real field proportions (infield/outfield distances used to look off)
• Added pitch animation (mound to plate) and foul-ball trajectory display
• Pitch-location chart is now a heatmap, switchable between vs-lefty and vs-righty
• Enlarged the field display and reorganized it together with the count/outs display

New In-Game Moments

• More cut-in scene text variety, plus three new triggers: shutout-in-progress, multi-hit chance, and power-arm duel
• Added continuation cut-ins (outs remaining) and achievement cut-ins for no-hitters and perfect games
• Added a special cut-in at 10 and 15 strikeouts
• Added a dedicated grand slam cut-in
• The batter detail card now shows that game's stat line (AB, hits, HR, RBI, BB)

Balance Adjustments

• Fixed foul-ball rates after 2 strikes being too low
• Added new "Movement" and "Pitch Quality" parameters so power pitchers without a deep repertoire can compete with breaking-ball specialists
• New "reduced home run rate" option at new-game setup (Standard / Slightly Reduced / Reduced)
• Fixed stolen-base attempt/success rates being far above real-world levels
• Adjusted draft prospect abilities by age group (high schoolers vs. college/corporate leaguers), so "college and corporate players are more MLB-ready, high schoolers are the long-term development picks"
• Adjusted save/hold recording conditions
• Fixed complete-game counts being excessively high
• Unified the ERA-title win threshold to wins relative to qualified innings

Player Data Save Location Changed (Important)

• CSV editor edits and saves now go to a dedicated folder that updates won't overwrite
• Previously, edits could be wiped out by updates. This can no longer happen
• If you have an in-progress save, you can export its player data back to CSV from the Settings tab

Bug Fixes & Adjustments

• Fixed batting stats (especially home runs and extra-base hits) creeping upward without limit over long saves
• Fixed the draft candidate pool growing without bound over long saves
• Fixed the calendar year showing one year ahead of the actual season on the Japan Series champion screen and the retirement-negotiation screen right after a season ends
• Fixed typed values in the "Auto Contract Settings" salary field sometimes not being saved
• Fixed newly-signed foreign players sometimes being wrongly flagged as free-agent eligible at the start of their very next season
• Fixed a departed pitcher remaining in the batting order under no-DH rules after a pitching change
• Fixed the CPU not attempting steals in other teams' games while watching
• Fixed the watched-game reliever order ignoring your configured sequence
• Fixed left-handed catchers/infielders sometimes being generated
• Adjusted how attendance ties into league-championship and Japan Series results
• Fixed other-ballpark scores lingering on screen after their game had ended while watching
• Fixed some offseason buttons staying incorrectly locked
• Fixed the offseason trade limit (3 per offseason) not actually being enforced
• Fixed tied games sometimes recording wins/losses/saves/holds incorrectly depending on language setting
• Fixed blown saves and holds sometimes both being recorded for the same appearance
• Fixed the strikeout title going unawarded in shortened seasons
• Added missing translations for several UI strings (EN / KO / ZH-TW)
• Fixed the win/loss streak display sometimes showing results from games not yet caught up on
• Adjusted the draft candidate stat display, candidate chips, and pick button

Thank you as always for your feedback.
We'll keep working through the reports and requests posted on the Steam forums.