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I'm sure this has been debated on here ad nauseum ... but I am a Newb and have never seen the argument levied.

My latest ATG2 team, my bullpen is ...

Lamp, Patterson, Wyatt, Stigman, Forsch, Osinski

Obviously, this is not the strength of my team, which is playing in Muni, and will hopefully bash people to death. So I'm trying to figure out how to maximize performance from this group of stiffs. This is what I did.

Made Osinski (8R) and Forsch (4L) my closers vs RH and LH respectively. Also indicated a preference not to use them before the 9th. Also checked the box saying to avoid hitters from their weak side.

Made Patterson and Lamp (my 2 best RP) my setup men vs RH and LH.

Did nothing with Wyatt.

Put Stigman in the rotation with my 4 * guys (Koosman, Dean, Blue, Carleton), but will rarely start him. I feel guilty not pitching him at all as it is a clear work around of the rules. I'll look for weak lineups, good spots for him ... and get him a couple starts.

What Im hoping is that Patterson, Lamp, and Wyatt will get the lions share of the work, boosting my pen to respectability. I'm also hoping HAL is smart enough to go to use Osinski and Forsch relatively intelligently late in games, not keeping them in for stretches of hitters from their weak side.

Does this work?

A lot of folks do this, I have had mixed results. I find the approach to be more effective in a pitcher's park where the down-side to HAL pulling a bonehead or the pinch-hitter switch to be less catastropic.

I have had (more than once) had HAL pitch Pina against Mantle and Brett.

FWIIW, sschu

Thats what I figgered. Im gonna roll with it, and see how I start.

What is the official etiquette regarding not pitching guys all year by hiding em in your rotation, then setting the daily starters?

No etiquette, that is the way it is done.

BTW, Forsch and Osinkme are neither especially good choices for this approach, neither are great vs their strong side. Garman, Pina, Sambito are better, some people just use one. A decent approach is to use a Tippy Martinez type with Garman, that way it seems HAL is more likley to yank Garman. I would advise against the Forsch/Osinkme combo.

FWIIW, sschu

This is a serious question...HAL never lets me designate 2 pitchers for just the 9th inning, every time I try that after I do the first pitcher and I try to do it to the second pitcher it comes back saying "setting can't be done , you've already designated someone for the 9th inning"...am I missing something?? is there a way around this ? , thanks in advance, Guido

My experience is that you can designate one pitcher not B4 the 8th and one not B4 the 9th. You can have more than one in the not B4 the 7th or 6th.

This is another good reason not to do this strategy, or to modify it per above.

Good point Guido, sschu

This is to avoid reliever abuse. If everyone is set to the 9th then the starters have to stay in.

Of course some of us have found a way around that one... :lol:

That cheap closer strategy works much better in 200X because ATGIII only PARTIALLY factors in closer ratings (or lack thereof.)

I'd plug Wyatt and/or Lamp into the closer roles before I'd go w/ Forsch or Osinski. If it's not too late, I also wouldn't let Vida Blue occupy a roster spot. Unless you're league is full of extreme pitcher's parks, he'll get hammered. My current Muni' team (59-46 tied for first) also features Dizzy Dean but the star SP on the staff is Bruce Hurst S6* (2R) w/ 14 wins 7 losses). If u can afford him, I'd replace Blue w/ him. I know Hurst doesn't appear on many ATG teams, but when he's got a good game going, he's very tough for 6 to 7 innings. Pull him after 7 and let your bullpen clean it up. Offers lots of K's and -6 hold vs. runners, nobody steals on him unless Ted Simmons is your catcher.

Hurst is one of the better values in the set, especially in a lefty park!

Shhh..... :wink: