a playoff toughy

[The Mahoots]

I am playing a team with all right handed bats who plays in Minute Maid in the first round of the playoffs. My worst pitcher by far all year has been Mike Hampton; however, he is a 6R. My two top pitchers Halladay, Sheets won't have enough rest to start game 1, and my other two pitchers Beckett and Seo are favored against lefties. Do you think I should start Hampton game 1? Or just start Beckett -- a solid pitcher.

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[durantjerry]

I would say you just about have to open with a RH SP in Minutemaid. The #HR factor is just too biased to throw a LH IMO.

[johnsain]

...you'd get better advice if you could post the roster of the opposition.

[The Mahoots]

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/playoffs/team_other.html?user_id=2067&stats=sim
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[Jeepdriver]

[quote:a8ae480b0f]The #HR factor is just too biased to throw a LH IMO. [/quote:a8ae480b0f]

Actually that has no bearing on the situation at all. All those RH bats are gonna bat RH whether there's a Lefty on the mound or a Righty.

4 strong hitters in that L/U are RH's who hit RH pitchers, incl. Pujols. So a Reverse Lefty is likely going to be the best choice, unless we're talking about aces here, and we're not.

I think I would start Hampton at Minute Maid, not necessarily in Game 1, but in 1 of the games there.

Also, the order you start your pitchers in a 5 game series with a 5 man rotation is based on other factors, too. For example, putting an S5 or S6 starter between two S7's so as to use your pen more effectively, etc.

The last thing you want to do is Start your best pitcher in Game 1, your 2nd best pitcher in Game 2, etc. It all depends on the Ballpark, the type starters & relievers you have, and certain other intangibles.

[The Mahoots]

So, if Halladay and Sheets can't go on the first day, and I play in Yankee Stadium, who would you start? I was thinking about going with Hampton in game 5, and starting Beckett in game 1, Halladay in game 2, Sheets game 3, and Seo in game 4

[packleader]

I would go with Hampton, Sheets, Halladay, Beckett in that order. Your best chance of neutralizing oponent's right handed hitters in a right handed stadium. Yankee stadium will help neutralize them so then use Halladay and Beckett. Your biggest advantage is that the best seed always seems to lose in the playoffs to the wild card. :D

[johnsain]

Those righthanded bats feast a bit more on righthanded pitching, and Hampton can more likely shut them down. It would be great to have him there for a game 5, but you can't count on a game 5 happening, so go with the best guy for the situation, sooner than later,....Hampton.

[Jeepdriver]

Agree with the above guys on order of starters.

One thing I do that might help you for your future teams is this:

Throw the best pitcher you have vs. an opponent regardless of what park you're playing in. Yes, pay attention to the park, but don't make your starter decision based on it. I would not hesitate to start a Glavine against a Min. Maid team similar to the one you're playing above. Conversely, a reverse righty like a Harden, Seo, etc would be much better against a Shea team of 4 LH hitters and 3 SH's than starting a Glavine. Glavine is better against righties and he would be facing 7 LH hitters in my example here. Harden, Seo are better vs. LH hitters and they would be facing 7 LH's in this example.

So don't concentrate on the fact you're playing in Minute Maid. Concentrate on what pitcher will have the best success against your opponent's LU.