MILB_TROUBLESHOOTING

MiLB Manager Troubleshooting Guide

Issue Summary

The MiLB manager is no longer pulling accurate game information due to several factors, primarily the current offseason period.

Root Causes

1. Primary Issue: MiLB Offseason

• Problem: MiLB season runs from April to September
• Current Status: We're in January 2025 (offseason)
• Impact: No regular season games are scheduled during offseason
• Solution: Enable test mode for offseason testing

2. Secondary Issues

• API Endpoint Changes: MLB Stats API endpoints may have changed
• Sport ID Updates: Some sport IDs might be outdated
• Team Mapping: Team abbreviations may have changed

Solutions Implemented

Immediate Fix: Enable Test Mode

{
    "milb": {
        "test_mode": true
    }
}

Code Improvements

1. Season Awareness: Added offseason detection
2. Better Logging: More informative error messages
3. Test Mode Enhancement: Improved test data

Diagnostic Tools Created

1. Basic API Test

python test/test_milb_api.py

2. Comprehensive Diagnostic

python test/diagnose_milb_issues.py

Testing the Fixes

Step 1: Run Diagnostic

cd /path/to/LEDMatrix
python test/diagnose_milb_issues.py

Step 2: Test with Test Mode

1. Ensure test_mode: true in config
2. Restart the display system
3. Check if test games appear

Step 3: Verify API (When Season Returns)

python test/test_milb_api.py

Expected Behavior

During Offseason (October-March)

• No real games found
• Test mode shows sample games
• Logs indicate offseason status

During Season (April-September)

• Real games should be found
• Live games display correctly
• Upcoming games show properly

Configuration Options

Test Mode

{
    "milb": {
        "test_mode": true,
        "enabled": true
    }
}

Season Override (For Testing)

{
    "milb": {
        "test_mode": true,
        "force_season": true
    }
}

Common Issues and Solutions

Issue: No Games Found

• Cause: Offseason or API issues
• Solution: Enable test mode

Issue: API Errors

• Cause: Network or endpoint issues
• Solution: Check internet connection and API status

Issue: Wrong Team Names

• Cause: Team mapping outdated
• Solution: Update milb_team_mapping.json

Issue: Wrong Sport IDs

• Cause: MLB API changes
• Solution: Update sport IDs in config

Monitoring and Logs

Key Log Messages

• "MiLB is currently in offseason" - Normal during offseason
• "Using test mode data for MiLB" - Test mode active
• "No games returned from API" - API issue or offseason

Debug Mode

Enable debug logging to see detailed API calls:

logger.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)

Future Improvements

Planned Enhancements

1. Season Schedule Integration: Use official season dates
2. API Fallback: Multiple API endpoints
3. Caching Improvements: Better cache management
4. Error Recovery: Automatic retry mechanisms

Configuration Enhancements

{
    "milb": {
        "season_start_month": 4,
        "season_end_month": 9,
        "api_fallback": true,
        "cache_duration": 3600
    }
}

Contact and Support

For additional issues:

1. Run the diagnostic tools
2. Check the logs for specific errors
3. Verify network connectivity
4. Test API endpoints directly

Quick Reference

Enable Test Mode

# Edit config/config.json
# Change "test_mode": false to "test_mode": true

Run Diagnostics

python test/diagnose_milb_issues.py

Test API Directly

python test/test_milb_api.py

Check Season Status

• April-September: Season active
• October-March: Offseason (use test mode)