IS THIS CHEATING?

[ANDREWLAITURI]

It's definately not cheating, it's the nature of the beast. I always look when I am scouting the team as to whether or not a different starter could be put in prior to the deadline and I adjust accordingly to a neutral lineup that would work well against any substitute.

[Play By The Rules]

Not cheating, I do it often, especially in the playoffs.

I had it done to me a couple times the night before last, when I had some injuries.

Part of the game, my friend, part of the game.

[Terry101]

The rule in "real life" in MLB is -name your pitcher then lineups- not the other way around as AZ Hawg pointed out.
However, it is obvious that people will use the flaw in the rules to their advantage. Still, wouldn't it be better to have the pitchers set by 8pm? Then it would reflect the way it should be done.
The way it is now, it would be like a mlb manager turned in is lineup card based on the rule that the opposing manager has to name his pitcher. Then the manager trotted out a different pitcher. In other words it is perfectly right to name the pitcher then do the lineups. And the opposite is never done. I think it is sneaky but I understand if it is done. Should we have a change to pitchers set at 8pm. That is the question.

[johnsain]

...but I guess they don't represent the majority. If 1/3 agree it would be a benefit to change the line-up/pitching 'time' setup (Pitchers 8pm - Line-up 10pm)...and 2/3 don't care or have no clear objection - then why shouldn't it be implemented?

This may not make any difference at all to most and I understand the 'Quick Change - or - Quick Switch' manager will still carry out his strategy in another way (which I have done as well). That is to put that starter they didn'y really want to start on a 'QUICK HOOK' setting and set another (same hand) reliever who is strong against the opposite side to come in early to relieve him (done by setting all others to 'AVOID USING BEFORE 6th, 7th, 8th innings). I'd accept this way since it depends on how a sometimes unpredicatable HAL may decide to handle it, and therefore isn't a sure thing.

[ANDREWLAITURI]

I understand the frustration part of not knowing for certain that the pitchers named will be the actual starters but let's face it, there are many things about Strat that don't reflect realism, i.e. Teams that tear themselves apart all throughout the season, the salary cap, managers that don't pay attention to their teams in regards to substitutions, etc., etc.
I think those examples in regards to careless managers plays a much larger role in affecting the outcome of seasons than does knowing whether or not one particular pitcher will start against you or not.
Let's clean up some of the other garbage that goes on in leagues first then worry about this particular problem.

[tkl33]

Not even close to cheating.... :roll:

[geekor]

how many people would actually put in a <1 mil scrub to take advantage of a pitchers bad side? I leave in my starters no matter what, hoping the rolls come off their cards, so I don't even see this as a problem anyways.

[cummings2]

Not cheating at all...you can call it strategy, or whatever but certainly not cheating.

[1crazycanuk]

It's definitely not cheating. Even in the newspapers they say "probable pitchers", and the manager could change who he starts. It's just strategy.

[johnsain]

...how no one has been too eager to discuss this 'strategy' here before - unless it's considered too trivial, or I just haven't been paying attention long enough.