Pitcher Settings: Avoid Lefty/Righty - What does it do?

[kptnfmrs]

If I set, say, Lee Guetterman to avoid righties, does this:
-deter HAL from bringing him in to face a righty?
-make HAL more likely to take him out against a righty?
-both?
-neither?
-make HAL more likely to have Gorman Thomas try to steal a base?

Since the setting appears on both relievers and starters, I'm thinking it must affect both.

Also, if I set him to avoid both, does it make HAL less likely to use him? or do the settings cancel out? Setting both seems like nonsense, but I've seen many threads with that recommendation. Seems to me that if you've got someone you want to avoid using, you send him to the FA pool. Too bad you have to carry ten pitchers.

[bjs73]

The following is copied directly from the help file of the CD ROM version 10.0:

[quote:318d47f9d2]COMPUTER MANAGER PITCHER SETTINGS (Accessed from the Team/Update Computer Manager dialog)

When viewing the Manager window, click on "Team" on the menubar at the top of the screen. Then click on "Update Computer Manager" in the menu that drops down. A scrolling list with pitchers' names will appear on the left side of the screen. Scroll down to the pitcher you wish to change and double click on his name. This will give you access to the computer manager's setting for individual pitchers on an individual team.

Some of what you can set are:

You can inform the computer manager to follow the guidelines listed below. However, please keep in mind the computer manager must sometimes override these guidelines due to player overusage and other concerns.

Avoid lefties or righties - try not to bring this pitcher into a game when a left-handed or right-handed batter is at-bat. Also if this pitcher is in the game already against a batter he should avoid in a key situation then try to bring a relief pitcher in for him.

Quick/slow hook - A quick hook means you'll have less patience with this pitcher when he gets into trouble. A slow hook means you're willing to stick with him longer. Typically you might want to quick hook the lousy pitchers on your team and slow hook your ace.

Mop up - try to use this pitcher in blow out games.

Max 6 or 7 innings - If this pitcher gives you only 6 or 7 good innings in a start, then get him out of there and let your bullpen handle the rest of the game. You might want to use this for starting pitchers who aren't good, especially if you have a strong bullpen.

Can relieve when tired - Typically the computer always tries to avoid using tired pitchers in relief. However some relief pitchers pitch even when tired and rack up a tremendous number of relief appearances. For pitchers like those you can put this setting on.

Avoid using during blowout - Use this with your best reliever so that you don't waste his innings pitching in a blow out game. However be aware that sometimes even players with this attribute set on will relieve at times during blowout games, because of current status of the other members on the pitching staff (injured, tired, being over-utilized, etc.).

Avoid using before the 6th inning, 7th inning, 8th inning, or 9th inning.

Maximum of 1 to 2 innings in relief or 2 to 3 innings in relief.

Issue fewer intentional walks with this pitcher on the mound - This is great for gopher-ball pitchers.

Do Not Let Hal Remove - The computer manager will not remove this pitcher during an inning on its own. However, it will remove him if one of the above settings kicks in (for instance, the "Max 7 IP for start"), to pinch hit for him, or if the "Remove after allowing" or "Remove if fatigue" items described below become true. IMPORTANT: You must be using the Super Hal Bullpen options for this option to be used.

Remove after allowing ? runs - Once the pitcher has allowed the specified number of runs he will immediately be removed. For relievers this is the number of runs that score while he is in the game, not the number of runs that he is charged with. For instance, say a reliever enters the game with the bases loaded and you say he should be removed after allowing 5 runs. If that reliever gives up back-to-back homeruns he will be removed since 5 runs crossed the plate while he was pitching. Enter 0 if you do not wish to use this option, or 1 to 15 if you would like to use it. IMPORTANT: You must be using the Super Hal Bullpen options for this option to be used.

Remove if fatigue drops below ? - Once the pitcher fatigue has dropped below the specified setting he will immediately be removed. Enter a 0 if you do not wish to use this option, or 1 to 9 if you would like to use it. IMPORTANT: You must be using the Super Hal Bullpen options for this option to be used.

The "Do Not Let Hal Remove", "Remove after allowing" and "Remove if fatigue" options can be used in any combination together. If you leave "Do Not Let Hal Remove" unchecked then the computer manager will relieve pitchers as it normally would, subject to the "Remove after allowing" and "Remove if fatigue" options (if they are used).

Refer to Super Hal Bullpen Decisions for more information on how the computer manager reaches it's decision of when to remove or bring in a pitcher.

LEFTY SPECIALIST

There are certain bullpen pitchers whose role is to be a "Lefty Specialist". These are usually left-handed pitchers who face one or two batters in real-life and are removed when facing most right-handed batters.

Real-life lefty specialists tend to pitch to left-handed batters about 40 to 50% of the time. If you wish to define a pitcher as a lefty specialist simple check on the following items:
- Avoid righties
- Quick Hook
- Maximum of 1 to 2 innings in relief

The combination of those switches will tell the computer manager that you are defining a Lefty Specialist. The computer will try to remove him vs. most right-handed batters. However, since a pitcher always needs to face a minimum of one batter this pitcher will probably face righties at least 50% of the time (just like real life).[/quote:318d47f9d2]

There are a couple of things that don't apply here like "Do not let HAL remove" because the current TSN interface for managerial settings doesn't support it.

However, most of this should be applicable and should look familiar to you. Hope this helps.

[ths92110]

I think it has to be (E), make HAL more likely to have Gorman Thomas try to steal second base. I currently have Guetterman in a league, and have him set to the "Lefty-Specialist" settings as defined above. Between games 36 and 96 he pitched ONCE, with this result:

*** BOTTOM OF INNING 4 ***
0 A.Griffin 5 1 Base Error - P b-1
0 1 W.McGee 6 Single 1-2 b-1
0 12 H.Reynolds 2 Sac Bunt 2-3 1-2 b-0
1 23 B.Buckner 4 Double 3-H 2-H b-2
SUBSTITUTE P - Lee Guetterman
1 2 J.Carter 3 Strike Out b-0
2 2 K.Puckett 6 Ground Out b-0
*** TOP OF INNING 5 ***
0 C.Davis 6 Strike Out b-0
1 R.Thompson 4 Strike Out b-0
2 R.Burleson 6 1 Base Error - 2B b-1
2 1 P.Bradley 2 Triple 1-H b-3
2 3 D.Porter 3 Ground Out b-0
*** BOTTOM OF INNING 5 ***
0 P.Guerrero 3 Ground Out b-0
1 T.Pendleton 3 Single b-1
1 1 J.Davis 3 Triple 1-H b-3
1 3 A.Griffin 2 Foul Out b-0
2 3 W.McGee 6 Line Out b-0

Yes, he does a decent job to get out of the 4th, but WHY, if HAL is going to bring him in, doesn't he pitch to Buckner?? :roll:

The only hope for this game is if Stratomatic allows TSN to post/distribute HAL's "logic" flow chart. (And yes, I use that term loosely given the inumerable demonstrations of absurd decision making.) Then, and only then, might us poor managers have some chance of getting our players to perform as we'd like them too.