Pitching staff

[Chuckgnh1]

So, I see one of the resident experts here, who will go nameless but his initials are JP, is using 6, count 'em 6 relief pitchers with closer ratings in the league we're in. Is there an inherent advantage to that? (I'll assume there's an obvious answer of yes). I'd love a really good viewpoint on the best theory of putting together a pitching staff, and more so, bullpen that'll help win games.

[drew6013]

If it’s J-Pav just ask him what he's up to. Generally he's more than happy to share his thought process. If only he’d do a thread and let us in on his secrets :wink:

I'm guessing you're witnessing an experiment. It’s the end of the year, a good time to go wild and crazy and try new things.

Pitchers with closer ratings are more expensive than an equally skilled pitcher without a closing rating so having 6 relief pitchers with closer ratings is certainly overkill. So its not real good bang for your buck which is relevant in your standard 80mil league. Having said that a strat guru (I can't seem to find the thread) ran some simulations and found having multiple closers might positively improve your team’s performance in relation to its pythag.

[J-Pav]

I'm here.

I have Balfour set to super relieve (slow hook, do not come in before 6th, closer and set-up). He is C3, so I have Corcoran and/or Grabow to close things out in a close game where Balfour has been overused. Having Shields has proven to be a bit of overkill, but at $1.52 he's not hurting things too much. If I could have a do over, I'd drop Shields and add a buck to the offense somewhere. Or one other thing I need to try is to upgrade Parrish at mop up. He always seems to get the decision in extra-inning games, and I'd rather have a $1.75 SP/RP in that role.

These are just pitchers I happen to like. The closer ratings are just coincidental. FWIW, I don't find that the closer ratings "cost" more. I use guys like Frasor and Cruz a lot of times as well, but it's nice to have guys like Rodney, Wilson and Shouse (or Romero) to go match-up late in a game when the other guys have been overused.

[b:aa31b2aaa0]marcus wilby[/b:aa31b2aaa0]'s post in the Strategy Forum on [i:aa31b2aaa0]Bullpen Management - notes from the CD ROM[/i:aa31b2aaa0] is a good read, as is [b:aa31b2aaa0]qksilver[/b:aa31b2aaa0]'s post in my Secret Formula thread.

[chasenally]

JPav is BY FAR the man of the day today. When E.F. JPav types people listen and I mean that in the most respectiful way. Thank you JPav for all that you do this post is for you. I can't get out of commercial mode here.

[J-Pav]

[b:8ebe934a3c]chase[/b:8ebe934a3c]:

Thx for the kind words -

I've been snowed in for a week here in Virginia, so I'm probably posting too much. The Secret Formula posts appear to be getting read again, as there's lots of fresh meat here on the boards (as we prepare for the new card set).

Thx again and GL!



:D