Archive of SportingNews.com's old SOM Baseball forum

I would like to install a new feature which allows you to set two additional, optional default lineups when managing your teams: one to play when facing a "reverse" lefty starter (i.e. a pitcher that's better vs. righties), and one to play when facing a "reverse" righty. This would give you 4 total default lineups you may set.

The advantages of this are mostly self-explanatory, but allow me to list them.

- This is a fixture in the CD-ROM game and has been for years. In the Lineups rules it's called "Draft League" mode, and you'd set default lineups 3 and 4.
- This would give you a significant amount of additional control when managing your teams, with low development cost on my end.
- In my opinion, this is the kind of strategy that is fundamental to Strat-O-Matic, online or off.
- I even plan on enhancing the feature with an additional interface to specify how severely "reverse" a pitcher needs to be before your reverse lineup kicks in. In other words, you'd be able to use your reverse lineup vs. lefties only when facing a lefty that's between 4R and 9R. This capability does not exist in the CD-ROM game.

I am nearly 100% convinced that this is a big positive step for SOM Online, and again, with the relatively low cost of effort, that it's practically a slam dunk. I am mostly posting this because a while back when I mentioned this in passing, I vaguely recall reading 1 or 2 opinions that this was not desired (although honestly I can't think of what they might be). I'd like to give those people the opportunity to voice their opinions again before I spring this on you.

Please let me know what you think; kindly do not post any comments about how this is not at the top of your own personal wish list. Everyone's list is different, and we have been known to multi-task.

Thanks!
Bernie H.
SportingNews.com

I think it is a great idea....

As long as HAL does not set the lineup for us if we do not use the lineup I am all for it.

IE right now if we leave our regular RH/LH lineups blank, HAL chooses our lineups for us, which is fine, since you obviously need a lineup.

However, what I would NOT want, is if I choose to not use a Reverse RH/LH lineup have HAL choose a lineup for me and IGNORE my normal LH/RH lineups.

IE make this an OPTIONAL lineup, rather than a MANDATORY lineup to fill out.

Great idea!

Thanks.

[size=18:fa9d612334]Long time over due.[/size:fa9d612334]

[size=24:fa9d612334]Thanks[/size:fa9d612334]

I think it's a great idea. Agree with AT though that if we leave it blank it defaults to your normal L/R lineup instead of Hal choosing.

Okay, I'll express why I like it the way it is, although I'm certain I'm in a small minority.

One advantage I see with the online game is it keeps you from micromanaging in an unrealistic fashion. That is, as long as your opponent balances his pitching staff. For example if I'm facing three right-handers and they are all reverse (or all not reverse for that matter), I'll stack my lineup accordingly. But if he has balanced his rotation, now I have to commit to one way or the other.

I don't see realism in telling yourself that you need to stack left-handers hitters because there's a reverse lefty on the mound. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think you see this in real life.

Take righty Carlos Zambrono's card last year. He was amazing against righties and poor against lefties. So, naturally managers will go out of their way to get lefty bats into their lineups--much more than you would see in real life. However, if I'm shrewd, I also draft a strong reverse righty. So go ahead and stack Zambrono; you'll pay a price against my reverse righty.

Zambrono already underperforms because of his imbalance; it will be worse with reverse lineups at your disposal because there will be no penalty in overstacking your regular lineups.

Of course, the change will bring the online game more inline with how Strat-O-Matic is played offline. At the same time, it will bring the game less inline with real baseball. At least that's my opinion!

I really like the option and disagree that its unrealistic. I think most managers, whether in Strato or MLB, want and do look for match-ups on a game-by-game basis. This feature would allow you to do that. If anything I think this feature adds realism, with the udnerstanding that this all a game in the first place!

[quote:1cc43626f0]As long as HAL does not set the lineup for us if we do not use the lineup I am all for it. [/quote:1cc43626f0]

I'm for that. I was one of those people against it, for the reasons it is something I would 98% of the time never use, and felt it a waste of resources.

But if I don't have to use it, ie if I leave it blank it won't affect my lineups, then by all means go ahead.