Archive of SportingNews.com's old SOM Baseball forum

Hey everyone,

I hosted a thread a few months ago where I asked for examples of when you thought the computer manager did a poor job managing your bullpen. All the submissions were very helpful in pointing out to me where in the computer code to look, so I thank all of you for that.

I believe I've put enough traces in the code so that I can now determine exactly what the computer was thinking at a given moment. So I'd like to ask you all, again, to post examples of what you feel are poor in-game relief decisions. Before you post, please make sure you have a [i:03dde9ecc1]reasonably-sized[/i:03dde9ecc1] bullpen (at least 5 dedicated arms), and that your individual player settings make sense and are not too restrictive.

When posting, please include the following info:

- Game (ATG II, 2006, etc.)
- Team Name
- the link to the boxscore
- What happened
- Why you think it was a poor decision
(relevant settings; game situation; bullpen rest status)
- What you think would've been better

Important note: [b:03dde9ecc1]please post your example the day it happens[/b:03dde9ecc1]. The traces I've put in have exploded our logs to huge sizes so we're only able to keep 1 day of logs at a time. If I feel any given example needs to be responded, I'll edit the post with my response.

I still believe that the computer manager will do a good job with your bullpen if you carry a large, [i:03dde9ecc1]realistic[/i:03dde9ecc1] enough bullpen (at least 5 dedicated arms, preferably 6). That said, I do acknowledge that there's room for improvement, in certain areas more than others. Therefore I am committing the time and working with the Strat-O-Matic company to make this game the best it can be.

Thanks,
Bernie

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/atg2/playoffs/boxscore.html?group_id=30736&g_id=982

Parameters: Game 5 semi-finals, 200M league;
Team Settings - maximize closer, conservative relief;
- set up - Fryman vs L, Gullickson vs R
- closer - Bennett vs L, Gossage vs R
Player Settings:
- Bennett 9L - quick hook, not before 9th, max 1-2 inns, avoid RH
- Orosco - avoid RH
- Gossage - avoid LH
- Gullickson - avoid LH
- Fryman, Simmons, Ogden, Lundgren - no individual settings

Fryman and Gullickson both pitched in games 3 and 4, so they would be fatigued and last men off the pine. Ogden started game 3, so he's not eligible. Lundgren has not pitched in the series.

Bottom of the 9th - up 5-3, so a save situation. Bennett comes in to face Goslin, Dykes, Reggie Jackson (L/R/L), and gives up a single, strike out and walk. 1st and 2nd, 1 out. Mays and Cepeda, two RH batters coming up. Mays is the biggest lefty killer in our little world. Gossage hasn't pitched in 3 days. It's still a save situation. The 9L Bennett stays in to surrender a double to Mays to tie the game, and a HR to Cepeda for the series ender.

Why?

This didn't happen today but here is my biggest puzzler:

Game #1 of a brand new season, I'm carrying 5 dedicated relievers with no restrictions, yet HAL brings in Johnny Beazley to pitch/lose in a close game:

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/atg2/league/boxscore.html?group_id=31531&g_id=4

Sorry, but I can't look into it if it didn't happen this morning. Thanks though.

O.K. Bernie, here's one for you ...

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/atg2/league/boxscore.html?group_id=31133&g_id=692

Why did HAL bring in Hughes to relieve when Beggs and Riddle were not used the previous game and Hughes was the scheduled starter for the very next game???

Hmm, this is an interesting one. Did you notice that Hughes was brought in to pinch HIT in the top of the 9th? I checked and yeah, he was indeed the best available hitter on the bench (#5NR).

After that, I guess the computer felt that in a tie game in the 9th with an empty bench, it was prudent to keep Hughes on the mound in case the game went long and his bat would come in handy. Regarding his pitching performance, he wasn't bombed (the game ended too quickly), so I think the computer felt he was an adequate guy to have out there. And incidentally, the 13 pitches he threw were not going to affect his start for the next game.

Not the perfect logic, but not completely unreasonable either.

Not sure if this is poor or not, but I'm curious to see the logic:

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/atg2/playoffs/boxscore.html?group_id=30873&g_id=975

Game 2 Semis - 100M DH league
Settings: Maximize Closer, Normal Relief
Setup - vs L Brazle (pitched 1 inn game 1), vs R Wyatt
Closer - vs L D Bennett, vs R Osinski

Indiv Settings -
Bennett - avoid RH, quick hook, max 1-2
Osinski - avoid LH, quick hook, max 1-2
Wyatt/Lyle - quick hook, max 1-2
Brazle/Munger - no indiv settings

Brecheen pulled after 7 innings and 111 pitches, which makes sense. Bennett comes in in the 8th and faces Reggie, Mays, Cepeda, and Haller. No runs. In the 9th, he comes back in and faces RH Bando, Pagan, D Green, pinch hitter M Alou, F Alou, R Jackson, and Mays, giving up 4 runs before finally being pulled. Osinski and Wyatt sit on the bench. Finally, down 5-3, Wyatt comes in to face RH Cepeda, then LH Brazle comes in to K Haller.

Why did Osinski not appear to face a string of RH to start the 9th, or to face F Alou with 2 outs and the tying run at 2nd?

Treyomo: Hmm, this one kinda confused me as far as what my logs are telling me. That's all I can say right now. Thanks for submitting it; I have some dissecting to do...

Thanks for checking - please keep me posted, as I set up most of my higher cap pitching staffs like this.

Bernie, why was Humphrey left in, he was getting bombed and I had Henke andHoneycutt available?? Hope the link works: http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/atg2/league/boxscore.html?group_id=32291&g_id=32