Bad HAL! Bad!!!

[albert2b]

Capps and Foulke each pitched 2 IP in game 1 (the above game was the 2nd game of the season). I could accept it if I knew Hal didn't go with them because of fatigue, but the problem with that is that Hal used BOTH of them later in game 2!

I know everyone goes through this type of "mismanagement" by Hal. And in the end, the good and bad decisions probably evens out for everyone. But it's just extremely discouraging to know that in a game which is already dictated by dice rolls, even more random luck is involved than we are led to believe.

[bernieh]

Albert2b: it looks like this was a side-effect of the technical issues we had Monday night; namely, your individual settings for Shouse (and any other changes you made between Sunday night and Monday night) were not properly saved. If your instructions to "Avoid righties" with Shouse were in effect, I highly doubt he would've been used in that situation. As it was, the game engine considered Shouse to be simply a guy that didn't need to be saved until the later innings. So I wouldn't put this on the computer manager; in this case it was an anomaly caused by external circumstances.

And with due respect, I think you were a bit dramatic about Shouse's outing. You said "he allowed 3 out of 5 batters to reach"... well taking a closer look, the first 4 plays were: Popout, GB(p)X, Groundout, IBB. It turns out that the GB(p)X squeaked through for a single, but otherwise he would have thrown a perfect 3 outs and shut down the inning.

Sometimes I feel compelled to defend the computer manager when it is criticized so harshly. I'm not saying it's free of deficiencies, but much of the time it doesn't deserve the abuse, especially when details are exaggerated for emphasis. And I'm not singling you out here; everyone does it. Sometimes I feel the need to give the other side of the story, is all.

Anyway, we've established that this situation shouldn't have happened in the first place, so I apologize for that.

[albert2b]

[quote:342b96ce56]And with due respect, I think you were a bit dramatic about Shouse's outing. You said "he allowed 3 out of 5 batters to reach"... well taking a closer look, the first 4 plays were: Popout, GB(p)X, Groundout, IBB. It turns out that the GB(p)X squeaked through for a single, but otherwise he would have thrown a perfect 3 outs and shut down the inning. [/quote:342b96ce56]

Bernie, I appreciate you taking the time to address this, but I don't think I was being dramatic at all. 3 of the 5 hitters who Shouse faced reached base. That is a fact. One of the baserunners who reached scored the eventual winning run. That's also a fact. I didn't make it seem any more dramatic than it was.

I'm aware that the GB(P)x and the intentional BB are signs that he wasn't actually "hit hard" per say. However, Shouse being a 4e38 fielder and the fact that he was even in the game to intentionally walk Francouer are also signs that those baserunners are DIRECTLY due to Shouse being in a situation that he clearly had no business being in.

And that's really my point here. I had 5 other perfectly acceptable options in my pen and Hal brought in the only guy I didn't want to be in that spot. Now, if you say that it was due to the technical issues you guys had, then of course, there is really nothing more to be said. But please don't accuse me of being dramatic when something like this happens...because from where I'm sitting, it looks like either Hal screwed up or the technical difficulties screwed up. I'm pretty sure I didn't screw up.

I realize you get a lot of this type of flak regarding Hal, Bernie. To be honest, I never really read those threads because I generally accept that this is not a face to face league and that a great deal of the managerial decisions are going to be made by Hal. But this one was so outrageous to me that I felt the need to air it out on the boards. Afterall, isn't that what this is for? Anyway, I can certainly understand why you would be defensive about these types of posts. But this one is indefensible, Bernie.

[LANCEBOUSLEY]

there is a simple solution for all who are frustrated with HAL's ineptitude.

don't play the on-line game.

[albert2b]

[quote:ab8a473326]there is a simple solution for all who are frustrated with HAL's ineptitude.

don't play the on-line game.[/quote:ab8a473326]

I'm sure you thought long and hard before making that suggestion, but I think I'll keep playing this game, thank you :roll:

It's like suggesting to everyone frustrated by George Bush's ineptitude to simply move to another country. Or to stop following baseball because of Bud Selig's ineptitude.

I don't think most folks who complain about Hal's ineptitude dislike the online game at all. On the contrary, I believe that the people who voice their frustrations are usually the ones who enjoy this game the most and would like something to be done about these flaws. And that's really what my hope is. I've NEVER complained about Hal before. But after seeing this blatant and obvious example of mismanagement, I decided to bring it to the attention of the people of the board, just like the original poster of this thread did. I wasn't looking for sympathy. All I wanted was to bring this problem to the forefront so that something could *possibly* be done about it....or *maybe* get an explanation, which I ended up getting from Bernie.

So, for all those who feel that the complaining about Hal is too excessive, here's a suggestion to you: Stop reading these threads :P

[askaufman]

Akindian is right. I read these Hal threads every once in a while to see if anything changes and it doesn't. People complain about one or two situations in 1500 inning and 5000 at bat season. Find me a perfect computer program. There isn't one because they are all written by humans. I will take your advice though. I've already wasted two minutes of my life responding to this that I will never get back. Again I say have fun :D

[BRIANSIELSKI]

The HAL issue is not so much that it makes dumb choices (like my original post above), but I think I am even more frustrated that if I knew how he made his dumb choices, I could at least understand it ... so I can draft accordingly, set my options accordingly, etc.

Right now ... HAL is a black box ... (a trade secret???) ... unknown to us all.

HAL is an [b:7c55a0cc96]integral[/b:7c55a0cc96] part of the on-line game ... but no-one knows what it does in situations.

So I ask, how does it make it's choices. How about posting that somewhere?

Well, maybe the issue is HAL makes dumb choices ... but I think we should have an idea as to what parameters make him make those dumb choices.