WHAT'S THE BEST BALLPARK TO WIN A TITLE IN???
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WHAT'S THE BEST BALLPARK TO WIN A TITLE IN???
by MonsterT » Sun Sep 17, 2006 1:27 am
My only title has come in Fenway.
- MonsterT
- Posts: 55
- Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 2:34 pm
Good question
by honestiago1 » Sun Sep 17, 2006 9:58 am
I've seen teams in hitter's parks rack up numbers, then get rolled out of the playoffs, b/c their park favors the other team, as well. I've only won in the Astrodome, and gotten two other team to finals in the same park. One team shut everyone down (less than 600 runs scored during the year). The next hit over 200 HR's, and the last played good defense. Only one of the teams had over 90 wins (the first, with 91).
I don't know how much you have to tailor your strategy to the home park. Sure, you want a team that does well in your own yard, but I think you've got to look at the league, as well, and take that into consideration. I think, though, that the following guidelines can keep anyone competitive, regardless of park:
1: Defense up the middle, including a decent catcher (bad arms lead to more runners in scoring position). Good arms in the OF, if you can get them. Unless you just don't hit at all, a sterling defense with some hitting can bring you a .500 record.
2: Pitchers with high K rates. The strikeout freezes runners where they are. It kills rallies. The key out of an inning is always the second one -- I want mine to be a K, esp. if runners are on.
3: Bullpen. There's little reason not to go aggressive, and to make srue you have 5 good options there, including lefty-righty specialists. It also makes sense not to settle on a closer (not my idea, one I read here, but I agree with it; the last six outs are usually the most important, and I want my guy there, even if it's a tie game).
4: Speed scores. Fast guys make it around the horn, period. Even a low OBP guy is going to score more than hsi share of runs if he's a contact-hitting burner. A burner, esp. a lefty in the 2-hole who doesn't hit into DP's is extremely valuable. Think about it: #2 dude hits into a force after leadoff man walks. Sure he's 0-1, but say the enxt guy bangs a double. My speedy #2 can come all the way around. I got a run out of a force (common sense, I know, but the "good handler" of the bat in real baseball works well in Strat, too).
5: Clutch hitting. You've GOT to check the clutch ratings, and hit those dues in the 4, 5 and 6 holes. If 1-2 guys get on, esp. in the first inning, you want the guy whose average goes UP in the clutch.
Everyone already knows all this, of course. Personally, I think many people's ball park choices come down to personal preference, a favorite team, perhaps. In the computer game, I always play Wrigley, no matter what type of team I draft. I was a Cubs and Sandberg fan 20 years ago, so that's why. If I'm super-seriously playing to win, I go for parks that favor pitchers, then follow the rules above (in general). Defense-speed-pitching, since those are daily things (whereas HR's are not). One thing's for certain-- I will NEVER play the Kingdome. You can't trust your numbers there. Hitters get inflated well beyond their actual value, and you keep them instead of changing to something better.
My 632 cents...
I don't know how much you have to tailor your strategy to the home park. Sure, you want a team that does well in your own yard, but I think you've got to look at the league, as well, and take that into consideration. I think, though, that the following guidelines can keep anyone competitive, regardless of park:
1: Defense up the middle, including a decent catcher (bad arms lead to more runners in scoring position). Good arms in the OF, if you can get them. Unless you just don't hit at all, a sterling defense with some hitting can bring you a .500 record.
2: Pitchers with high K rates. The strikeout freezes runners where they are. It kills rallies. The key out of an inning is always the second one -- I want mine to be a K, esp. if runners are on.
3: Bullpen. There's little reason not to go aggressive, and to make srue you have 5 good options there, including lefty-righty specialists. It also makes sense not to settle on a closer (not my idea, one I read here, but I agree with it; the last six outs are usually the most important, and I want my guy there, even if it's a tie game).
4: Speed scores. Fast guys make it around the horn, period. Even a low OBP guy is going to score more than hsi share of runs if he's a contact-hitting burner. A burner, esp. a lefty in the 2-hole who doesn't hit into DP's is extremely valuable. Think about it: #2 dude hits into a force after leadoff man walks. Sure he's 0-1, but say the enxt guy bangs a double. My speedy #2 can come all the way around. I got a run out of a force (common sense, I know, but the "good handler" of the bat in real baseball works well in Strat, too).
5: Clutch hitting. You've GOT to check the clutch ratings, and hit those dues in the 4, 5 and 6 holes. If 1-2 guys get on, esp. in the first inning, you want the guy whose average goes UP in the clutch.
Everyone already knows all this, of course. Personally, I think many people's ball park choices come down to personal preference, a favorite team, perhaps. In the computer game, I always play Wrigley, no matter what type of team I draft. I was a Cubs and Sandberg fan 20 years ago, so that's why. If I'm super-seriously playing to win, I go for parks that favor pitchers, then follow the rules above (in general). Defense-speed-pitching, since those are daily things (whereas HR's are not). One thing's for certain-- I will NEVER play the Kingdome. You can't trust your numbers there. Hitters get inflated well beyond their actual value, and you keep them instead of changing to something better.
My 632 cents...
- honestiago1
- Posts: 55
- Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 2:34 pm
by Outta Leftfield » Sun Sep 17, 2006 4:27 pm
[quote:5a5abbbbd4="MonsterT"]Why does everybody recommend leaving the closer spots blank? I don't understand. If I have Eckersley, and he's got a great year you mean to tell me he'll pitch MORE if I leave the closer spots blank??? :o[/quote:5a5abbbbd4]
Actually, there are two approaches to managing the bullpen, depending on what you've got in the way of RPs. If you have an expensive RP like Eck, then obviously you want to set your manager strategy so he will be used a lot. On the other hand, if you go with a cheap bullpen, then you might want to avoid setting the closer and setup roles, at least at first, until you figure out who seems to be in a good year.
Personally, I tend to apply the settings, when I've got a cheap BP, once I've started to figure out who is good.
Actually, there are two approaches to managing the bullpen, depending on what you've got in the way of RPs. If you have an expensive RP like Eck, then obviously you want to set your manager strategy so he will be used a lot. On the other hand, if you go with a cheap bullpen, then you might want to avoid setting the closer and setup roles, at least at first, until you figure out who seems to be in a good year.
Personally, I tend to apply the settings, when I've got a cheap BP, once I've started to figure out who is good.
- Outta Leftfield
- Posts: 55
- Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 2:34 pm
by YountFan » Sun Sep 17, 2006 4:40 pm
[quote:4ac4fa42ec="MonsterT"]Why does everybody recommend leaving the closer spots blank? I don't understand. If I have Eckersley, and he's got a great year you mean to tell me he'll pitch MORE if I leave the closer spots blank??? :o[/quote:4ac4fa42ec]
Because the save is a nothing stat. Why limit Eck to the 9th inning?
Because the save is a nothing stat. Why limit Eck to the 9th inning?
- YountFan
- Posts: 55
- Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 2:34 pm
by The Conndor » Tue Sep 19, 2006 8:22 pm
[quote:ce002ab493="MonsterT"]Why does everybody recommend leaving the closer spots blank? I don't understand. If I have Eckersley, and he's got a great year you mean to tell me he'll pitch MORE if I leave the closer spots blank??? :o[/quote:ce002ab493]
What both of the other guys who responded to this question holds true for me as well. If you leave the closer settings blank and just watch results through the first 40-50 games you will find that HAL is more often than not putting the best relievers in the best situations.
An example from a recent season where I finished with 96 wins: I picked up Cecilio Guante after someone else dumped him, and he suddenly was being put in to get lefties out even though he is righ-handed (and has a season at 3L, 1.13 WHIP). This was great, because I already had Juan Agosto as a lefty specialist, and I had lucked out with Gene Nelson and Tom Hume as mid-season pickups who were dominating righties.
But I elected not to assign them as my closers because it was just as important to me for HAL to be able to match them up in necessary situations in the 7th and 8th, not just the 9th innings. I ended up 47 saves spread among a whole bunch of pitchers. Had I assigned closer(s) I wouldn't have had multiple options for getting out a certain lefty or righty in key situations at any point in the game, including tie scores and extra innings.
Bullpen by committee almost never works in real baseball, but it can work very well in SOM 80's.
What both of the other guys who responded to this question holds true for me as well. If you leave the closer settings blank and just watch results through the first 40-50 games you will find that HAL is more often than not putting the best relievers in the best situations.
An example from a recent season where I finished with 96 wins: I picked up Cecilio Guante after someone else dumped him, and he suddenly was being put in to get lefties out even though he is righ-handed (and has a season at 3L, 1.13 WHIP). This was great, because I already had Juan Agosto as a lefty specialist, and I had lucked out with Gene Nelson and Tom Hume as mid-season pickups who were dominating righties.
But I elected not to assign them as my closers because it was just as important to me for HAL to be able to match them up in necessary situations in the 7th and 8th, not just the 9th innings. I ended up 47 saves spread among a whole bunch of pitchers. Had I assigned closer(s) I wouldn't have had multiple options for getting out a certain lefty or righty in key situations at any point in the game, including tie scores and extra innings.
Bullpen by committee almost never works in real baseball, but it can work very well in SOM 80's.
- The Conndor
- Posts: 55
- Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 2:34 pm
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