Play to the team OR the ball park?

[visick]

Just wondering about this more recently.

When setting your per game starters, do you take into account:

A. The opposing teams lineup more

or

B. The stadiums dimensions


Lately I've been going with lower end SP/RP guys and had the stadium dictate who to throw RATHER than the opposing team.

Just wondering...
visick

[pedakrla]

I was recently in a league with several stadiums that favored RH home run hitters (Shibe Park, 1969). I set up my pitching rotation to maximize the times I had RHPs throwing in those stadiums. Got murdered by a couple of astute managers who had a lot of RH power that had better cards against RH pitching.

The lesson I learned is, play the opposing lineup more than the stadium. Just one data point. :)

[LMBombers]

If I have flexability to start 2 or more pitchers for a game I will look at my opponent's splits vs LHP & RHP. If there is a noticeable difference I will usually go with the pitcher vs their worst side.

If I have the option but all my options throw from the same side then I will look at the ballpark as a factor to go along with how my pitchers have done or are expected to do.

Make sense? I didn't think so. :?

[cummings2]

I rarely use spot starters or adjust much to my opp. but when I do I think I play the Lineup with consideration of ballpark, but basically I play the opp. lineup.

[visick]

Interesting.

I've been a believer in playing the ballpark 1st, then the lineup.

[durantjerry]

I would always play the ballpark first, then maybe make a change based on the lineup if it called for it. For example, I just had a team playing in PNC, but the other team really only had two LH power guys, so I didn't substitue in Hendrickson for my RH SP. The same would apply to Minute Maid, where some teams are built to crush RH pitchers and they have neglected hitting vs LH pitchers to some extent, which also happens occasionally from the opposite side in the LH parks. I would say these situations are the exceptions rather than the rule, but you should be aware of them. I also just had a Tour team where Clausen went 12-4 for me in Safeco. Usually I would not use a reverse lefty in a LH park, but there were only two or three "N" LH hitters in my division vs LH pitchers, so I took advantage.

[visick]

Recently it seems, I've been facing teams that may have chosen a slightly 1 sided park, BUT have a lineup that is uncharacteristic to that park.

ie.
Fenway. This team has 1 or 2 sluggers but then has a number of switchies and/or lefties that aren't BP dependant.

Normally I would be concerned about the sluggers and throw a RH (1R-4R) against him.

[Rant]

Usually I don't change much for either, but if we're talking only starters (relievers I change settings per park, not lineup) usually the ballpark.

But it really depends on what I believe I can capitalize on most (switch hitters, balance, etc.).

For instance, I picked up Seth McClung and spot started him against an all-righty lineup in Minute Maid (they wound up as champs). He was serviceable, not great, but for the price ... usually it's not that cut and dry though.

[Mean Dean]

Seems like this is a false dichotomy, no? You could, and should, do both: factor the ballpark effects into the opposing cards, and then pick the pitcher who, considering ballpark and everything else about the opposing cards, will make the opponent put up the worst overall lineup.

[visick]

You can call it that Dean... :lol:

But then you or I in this case, have the dilemma of getting beat by the sluggers or the non-BP dependant guys.

ie. Say you are facing a team in MM or Fenway. This team has 2 or 3 good righty sluggers, that are evenly balanced. The rest of the lineup consists on 3 or 4 switchies and a 2 or 3 lefties that are all non-BP dependant.

What type of pitcher do you throw against them?