Frequently Asked Questions

Common Questions

Quick answers about ActionSims. For step-by-step walkthroughs, see the full baseball documentation.

01. General

Does it cost anything to use ActionSims?: No. Every game mode is free to play with a free account, and you can play a single game without one.
What sports can I play?: Baseball.
Do I need to download or install anything?: No. ActionSims runs entirely in your web browser.
Can I play on my phone or tablet?: Yes on most tablets, held in landscape orientation. Phones aren't supported because the screen is too small for the field and its controls. On an iPhone, games can't be started or resumed at all, so use an iPad or a computer.
Can I share a game's result with someone who doesn't have an account?: Yes, for saved single games, season games and World Series games. Each has a Publish button. Turn it on and you get a public link that shows just that one game's box score, and lets whoever you send it to read its newspaper article. Nothing else about your account is visible through that link. All-Star games, exhibitions and Game of the Day games can't be published. See the box score & game log guide.
How does the sim decide what happens in an at-bat?: Every plate appearance is one weighted draw against a probability table built from three real stat lines: the batter's season, the pitcher's season, and the whole league's season. Those are combined using a weighted formula. A player with a thin season is blended toward the league average in proportion to how much of a full sample he actually has. Handedness, ballpark, fielder range, pitcher fatigue, and times through the order each adjust the table before the draw.
Why do some old seasons never produce a hit batsman?: Because the source records don't have the stat. Hit by pitch wasn't tracked for batters until 1884, so seasons before that have a league rate of zero and the sim leaves it at zero rather than inventing a number. The same rule applies to any stat a given season's records don't carry.
What are newspaper recaps?: After a game, click Generate Newspaper Article for a newspaper-style recap: a headline, lede and story in a voice matching the era you played, plus what the result means for the standings and any streaks. Games with a team from 1976 or earlier get a vintage broadsheet, and later games get a modern layout. Before it generates you can attach up to 3 of your own photos and give the paper your own name in the Newspaper Name box, which is saved for your future papers.
Can I change what the newspaper article says?: Yes, on your saved single games, season games and World Series games. Click Edit Article on the article to change the headline, subhead and story, or click Start from blank to write your own. Restore generated article brings back the original. Anyone who can see the game's article sees your version.
What time zone are dates and times shown in?: Your own. Times on the site are shown in the time zone your computer or tablet is set to, with nothing to set up.
Can I attach images to a forum post?: Yes. When you start a thread or write a comment, you can attach up to 6 images at once. You can add or remove images later from the Edit screen.
Can I add emoji to a forum post?: Yes. Click the Add emoji button under the text box when you start a thread or write a comment, then click an emoji to drop it into your post.
How do forum replies work?: Every reply to a comment, including a reply to another reply, shows in one list under that comment, oldest first. When a reply answers someone further down the list, it's marked "replying to @name", and clicking the name jumps to the post being answered.
Why did my forum post move to another thread?: Staff sometimes move a post to the thread where it fits best. A moved comment brings its replies along. A thread's opening post becomes a comment in the new thread, and links to the old thread take you to the new one.
What is forum karma?: Clicking any username in the forum takes you to that person's profile, showing their karma (2 points per thread started, 1 point per comment, 1 point per image attached and 1 point for each upvote their posts have received) along with links to a paginated list of every thread and comment they've posted.
What does the colored badge next to a forum username mean?: It shows how active that player has been on the site lately: games played, return visits, and seasons or World Series in progress. The three levels are Super-Engaged, Very Engaged and Engaged, each in its own color. Hover over the badge to see its level. Players below that level, and staff, have no badge. Badges refresh about once an hour.
How do I set a forum avatar?: Click your username at the top of the page to open your profile, then use the Forum Avatar section to choose a PNG, JPEG, or WebP image up to 5 MB. Drag it inside the circle and use the Zoom slider until it looks right, then click Upload Avatar. If the picture won't move, zoom in a little first. It's shown next to your name on threads and comments. Replace Avatar and Remove Avatar are there anytime. Without one, the forum shows the first letter of your username. Avatars must be family-friendly, and staff may remove any avatar.
How do I search the forum?: Type a word or phrase in the search box on the forum or any subforum page. It looks through thread titles, threads and comments across the whole forum, newest first. Click a result to jump straight to that post in its thread.

02. Game Modes

Can the computer manage a team for me?: Yes. When you pick a team for a single game, check Computer-controlled team (ManagerAI manages this team) and the computer makes every call for that side while you manage the other. Check it for both teams and click Watch Game to sit back and watch. See the setup guide for details.
What is a Single Game?: A one-off matchup between two teams. Pick a single game to get started right away.
Can I pick which ballpark a single game is played in?: Yes. When you set up a single game, the Ballpark dropdown defaults to the home team's real park, but you can change it to any park in the database. Each one is marked Image available or No image yet.
What is the Game of the Day?: One matchup everyone plays each day, with a new one at midnight Eastern. Sign in, pick which team to manage and play. The pregame screen shows each team's chance to win. Each team has its own standings for the day, ranked by wins and then by strategy points earned for your managing decisions. Every finished game has a box score, you can leave a comment on it, win or lose, and it's added to My Saved Games. You can play it as many times as you like, and a game you leave early doesn't count.
What is World Series mode?: Choose Historical to replay a real World Series matchup or Custom to build your own series between any two teams. Before each game, pick which team to manage or choose Just Watch.
What is an All-Star Game?: Pick a year and play that season's actual All-Star Game, AL against NL, with the real rosters that were selected. To build All-Star teams of your own, choose All-Star league in the custom season builder.
Can I play a full season?: Yes. Full Season lets you manage a team through a full schedule, including the roster, rotation, and standings. Season pages also have Player Stats (pick All Teams to browse the whole league), Key Dates like Opening Day, the All-Star Game and the playoffs, and every team's attendance.
How many games are in a season?: Whatever the real team actually played that year. Most modern seasons come out to 162 games, but earlier eras and strike-shortened years will be shorter.
Can I build my own custom season?: Yes, if you have an account . The custom season builder (Custom League on the Baseball home page) lets you pick any teams from any years, even mixing different eras and franchises together, or choose All-Star league to build teams of standout players. You set your own leagues and divisions, games-per-team schedule length and playoff format.
What season styles are available?: A Full Season replays a real team's actual schedule and playoff format. A custom season's Season style dropdown offers Regular season + playoffs, Tournament (straight to bracket), Regular season + knockout rounds and Split season, where the first-half winner meets the second-half winner for the title.
Does the schedule show where each game was actually played?: For most teams every home game is at the same park all season, so the schedule doesn't bother repeating it. If a team really did split its home games across more than one site that year (a mid-season relocation, a handful of games at a neutral site), the schedule calls out the games played away from its main park.
Can I play every game in the season myself?: Yes. Every game on the schedule can be played by hand from Advance Day. See the season guide.
Are any season games simmed automatically?: Only if you want them to be. Advance Day lets you Auto-Sim any single game, sim the whole day with Auto-Sim All, sim everyone else's games with Auto-Sim All Except My Team, or sim seven days at once with Sim Week or Sim Week Except My Team.
Can I see ballpark photos and dimensions for each team?: Yes. Your season has a Ballpark tab showing photos, dimensions, and facts for each home park the team used that year. If the default photo doesn't fit the era you're playing, pick another from the park's photo collection or upload your own. The pick only applies to that season. Check Share this photo with everyone to offer your upload to other players once an admin reviews it.
Which seasons can I play?: Every Major League season from 1871 through 2025, with each year's real teams, rosters and ballparks. Negro League seasons have their own Negro Leagues card on the Baseball home page and are free for every signed-in player. A new year is added once its player stats and schedules are published, which usually happens early the following year.
I picked a year. How do I choose my team and start playing?: After picking the year from the Season dropdown, click Choose Season. The page reloads with a second box, Choose a Team to Manage. Pick your team and click Continue. On Season Options, set the name, injuries, DH rule and the rest, then click Start Season. Your season opens on its dashboard. Click the Advance Day tab to play or sim the first day's games. Seasons can't be started on an iPhone, so use a computer or tablet. See the season guide.
Are there injuries?: Only if you want them. Check Injuries on the season options screen when you create a season. It's off unless you check it. Seasons that use real lineups and starting pitchers play without injuries. Turning real lineups off mid-season lets you turn injuries back on. See Injuries.
Can I switch to real lineups after my season has started?: Yes, in a Full Season. Open the Lineups tab and click Turn On in the Real lineups and starting pitchers box. Games not yet played then use real lineups and starting pitchers. Injuries are turned off for the rest of the season and anyone injured now is healed. Turn Off puts the games not yet played back on the usual lineup and starter picks and asks whether to turn injuries back on. Players healed earlier stay healed. Games already played don't change.
Will a player go far past his real playing time?: Usually not. Regulars get days off based on how many games they really played that year, so an everyday player stays in the lineup and a part-timer mostly sits. Starting pitchers' turns and the computer manager's use of relievers stay close to each pitcher's real season pace. There's no hard cap, though. A player can pass his real totals if you keep putting him in your lineup or a starter ahead of him gets hurt. Injuries are random and never used to hold a player to his real numbers.
Why is a player who was traded during the year on only one of his teams?: A season puts each player on one team for the whole year: the club he played the most games for, or in some seasons the club he finished the year with. If you want him somewhere else, use the Move to... dropdown on his row of your season's Active Roster page. See Manage Your Active Roster.
Can I stop the game from sending down players on my team?: Yes. Uncheck Automatic roster moves at the top of your team's Active Roster page, and every move on your team is yours to make. Computer teams still handle their own. With it checked, a player is sent down only for very poor play over a real stretch.
Why won't Advance Day play my team's game?: Your team has more active players than the roster limit allows. Advance Day tells you how many and holds your game until you send someone down from the Active Roster page. Computer teams trim their own rosters.
Advance Day shows today's games. How do I see other days?: Open the Schedule tab. It shows a team's games on a monthly calendar, played and unplayed, with a team picker, month buttons and Jump to date. See the schedule guide.
Can I play against a friend?: Yes. In a head-to-head game you manage one team and a friend manages the other, each from your own screen. Your friend needs an account here. For a single game, type their username or email under Or play a friend on the opponent step. Game of the Day, World Series and the All-Star Game have the same box. In a season, the commissioner puts friends on teams from League Members on the season dashboard. If the commissioner unchecks Remote play there, games between friends' teams are played by the computer manager when they're Auto-Simmed. If you're both at one computer, click Manage Both Teams on the pregame screen instead. See Head-to-Head Games.
In a Custom Draft Season, which players can be drafted?: Players who had a qualifying season between the From Season and To Season you set under Player Pool, from every real Major League team. The teams you check only set the clubs in your league, and each one starts with an empty roster. Rename teams under Team Names and Ballparks (optional) before you start the draft, since names can't be changed after. To draft with friends, check Draft with friends. See Custom Draft Season.
Can I release players or sign free agents in a draft league?: Yes. Click Release on a player's row on the Active Roster page and he goes to the free agents, where any team in the league can call him up. His stats so far stay with your team. To find someone, use Search free agents on the same page and click Call up. The commissioner can also release a player for a friend's team.
Can I trade with other owners in a draft league?: Yes. Once the draft is done, a Trades tab opens. Offer a trade to another owner's team, and they can Accept, Counter or Decline. The commissioner then approves or vetoes it. The commissioner can set a trade deadline on League Members, and it shows on Key Dates. Without one, trading stays open to the end of the regular season. Computer teams don't trade.
Can I give my draft team a logo?: Yes. Click Change logo on your Active Roster page and upload a PNG, JPEG or WebP image up to 5 MB. Everyone in the league sees it. The commissioner can set any team's logo from League Members.

03. Playing & Strategy

How do I make my own decisions during an at-bat?: Manage a team yourself and you'll get controls for baserunning, bunts, defensive positioning, and more at each at-bat. The Button Labels switch under Display shows or hides the name on each strategy button. See the at-bat guide.
How do I make substitutions or pitching changes?: Manager controls for pinch hitting, pinch running, fielder changes, and pitching changes are available during the game. See the manager controls guide.
Where can I see the box score and game log?: Both are available live during the game, and the Final Box Score opens by itself after the last out. Every play in the play-by-play ends with its scorebook code, like (6-4-3 DP). See the box score & game log guide.
Where can I find strategy tips?: The strategy notes cover things like pitcher fatigue, infield positioning, and small ball tactics.
Can I see a player's career stats during a game?: Yes. Click the small chart icon next to a batter's or pitcher's name on the field, in the lineups or in the bullpen. It shows his age that season, how he bats and throws and his year-by-year career stats.
Can I let the computer play part of the game?: Yes, while logged in. Click Sim Ahead at the top of the gameboard, choose the inning to stop at or the end of the game, then click Sim. The computer manages both teams until then and hands the game back to you. It isn't offered in Game of the Day.
Can I keep score on paper?: Yes. Click Print Scoresheet at the top of the gameboard. It opens a blank scoresheet with both starting lineups filled in, ready to print.
How do I save a single game?: Log in before you play. After the final out, the Final Box Score opens by itself. Click Save Game there, or use the Save Game button below the field. Newspaper Article saves the game too, then opens its article. Saved games are listed under My Saved Games on the Baseball home page. Save Game only appears once the game is over, so save before you move on. A finished game you didn't save can't be added to My Saved Games later, and starting another single game replaces it. Finished Game of the Day games are added to My Saved Games for you. See Save Game.
Do I need to save season and World Series games?: No. While you're logged in, a season or World Series game's result is recorded in the standings or series the moment the final out is made. At the end of the game, Report Result takes you back to Advance Day and Continue Series takes you on to the next game of the series.
Can I sit back and watch the computer manage both teams?: Yes. In a season, open the dropdown on a game's Play button on Advance Day and choose Just Watch, then click Watch Game on the pregame screen. World Series setup has a Just Watch choice too. The game still stops after each at-bat so you can follow along. Press Enter to move to the next one, which is quicker than clicking. To skip watching, use Auto-Sim on Advance Day. See Playing by Keyboard.
Can I manage both teams myself?: Yes. When either team is computer-controlled, click Manage Both Teams next to Play Ball or Watch Game on the pregame screen. You then make every call for both sides. It works in single games, World Series and seasons.
I can't drag players to change my batting order on my tablet. What do I do?: Use the small up and down arrows to the right of each batter's position box in the lineup. Each tap moves that batter one spot. If you don't see them, reload the page.
Why won't the game let me take out the reliever I brought in?: A reliever has to face a minimum number of batters, or finish the half-inning, before he can be pulled. For seasons before 2020 that's one batter, as it was in real baseball. From 2020 on it's three. Until he's met it, the Change Pitcher button is grayed out, and hovering over it shows how many more batters he needs to face. See Pitching Change.
How do I make the field bigger?: The field opens at full width on a big enough screen. To change it, drag the Field width slider in the top-right corner of the field. While you're logged in, your width carries over to later games. Your browser's full screen mode (F11 in most Windows browsers) adds more room. See Field Width.
How do I turn on crowd noise?: In the top-right corner of the field, click the crowd icon next to the speaker icon. Crowd noise starts off. The speaker icon turns the sound effects for each play on or off. When either one is on, a volume slider appears next to it. While you're logged in, your choices and volume carry over to later games. See Ambient Crowd Noise.
How do I turn on the announcer or change the umpire?: Look under Voices in the Game Flow section to the right of the field. Each has a dropdown to pick the voice and an on/off button, plus a volume slider while it's on. The announcer starts off, so click the microphone to hear him. Umpire calls start on. These controls only show while the speaker icon on the field has sound turned on. While you're logged in, your choices carry over to later games.
Why don't I see the ball flight animation?: First check the ball icon in the top-right corner of the field. It has a slash through it while animations are off, and clicking it turns them back on. If a note beside it says animations are off by your device's reduce motion setting, your computer is set to reduce motion, which the game honors. On Windows, open Settings, then Accessibility, then Visual effects, and turn on Animation effects. On a Mac, open System Settings, then Accessibility, then Display, and turn off Reduce motion. Reload the gameboard afterward. See 3D Ball Flight and Animations.
Can I move the fielders to line up with the ballpark photo?: Yes, while logged in. Click Edit Positions, drag the fielders and bases where you want them, then click Done Editing. The batter, pitcher, scoreboard and info boxes can be moved the same way. Positions are saved for each ballpark, screen size and field width. Keep fielders on the field in front of the wall. A fielder dragged past the edge can leave the ball flight and the OUT call cut off. See Custom Fielder Positions.
Can I resize or hide the play-by-play box on the field?: Yes, while logged in. Drag its edges or corners to resize it, and double-click an edge to put it back to its normal size. Hide play-by-play tucks it away and Show play-by-play brings it back. To read the whole game so far, click Play-by-Play under Game Flow to the right of the field, or the list icon in the Now Batting box. See Play-by-Play Panel.
Can I see the rolls behind a play?: Yes, during a game. Open the Play-by-Play window and click the small double arrow next to a play to show each roll that decided it. Roll details show only on the live gameboard, for plays you watched in that browser tab. Saved games and finished season games don't have them.
The play-by-play said a batter hit a "bingle." Is that a typo?: No. Bingle is old baseball slang for a base hit. The play-by-play uses words from the era you're playing, so games before 1920 have calls like "Texas Leaguer," "two-bagger" and "circuit clout," while modern games sound like a modern broadcast.
Can teams from different eras play on even terms?: Yes. Single game setup (the opponent step), custom season options and the custom World Series confirm screen have a Run Environment dropdown. Each team's own era is the default. Neutral era (plays like 1977) or Play as a chosen year puts both teams in the same offensive conditions. Two checkboxes below it go further. Adjust for league quality accounts for how strong each player's league was. Neutralize home parks takes each player's home ballpark out of his stats. Both are off unless you check them.
How do I add my own player photos and team logos?: Open Player Cards & Logos on the Baseball home page. Add photos one at a time from Player Images or logos from Team Logos, or load a whole ZIP of them at once with Bulk Import. Bulk Import explains how to name the files and folders so each one finds the right player or team. Your images stay in your browser on that device, so use Export photos and logos to keep a backup. See Bulk Import.

04. Accounts & Support

Do I need an account to play?: Only for a single game. Anyone can play a single game without signing up, but it can't be saved. Seasons, World Series, the All-Star Game, Game of the Day and games against a friend all need a free account.
What does creating an account get me?: Every game mode, plus saved single games you can look back on and share, the Sim Ahead button and the Report a Bug button. Your gameboard settings carry over from game to game: sound, announcer and umpire voices and volumes, field width, fielder positions for each ballpark, the play-by-play box and button labels. Create a free account.
Can I update my email or profile after I've signed up?: Yes. The profile update page lets you change your email address, newsletter and game email settings, forum avatar and password. Changing your email sends a confirmation link to the new address first, and the change only takes effect once you click it. Your username can't be changed.
How do I stop getting the newsletter?: Every newsletter email has an unsubscribe link in the footer, no login needed. You can also turn it off from the profile update page. Either way, you'll still get account emails like sign-in and security notices.
How do I stop getting game emails from a friend's league?: Every game email has a Turn off game emails link at the bottom, no login needed. You can also check Turn off game emails on the profile update page. This leaves your newsletter setting alone.
I forgot my password. How do I get back in?: On the login page, click "Forgot your password?" and enter the email address on your account. We'll send a link to set a new one.
I forgot my username. How do I find it?: You log in with your username, not your email address, and there's no automatic way to look it up. Send us a note from the contact page with the email address on your account and we'll tell you your username. Usernames are case-sensitive, so type it exactly as we send it.
How do I report a bug?: Use the Report a Bug button at the top of the gameboard during a game while logged in. Describe it under What went wrong? and click Send report. The current game state and the play-by-play roll details are attached automatically, which lets us see exactly what happened. You can send more than one report from the same game, and one report can describe several problems. If you land on a "Something went wrong" page elsewhere on the site, it has its own short report form too.
How do I get in touch with other questions?: Reach out through the contact page.