Improving the pitching for a PNC Park team

[STEVEPONEDAL]

So to the wise sages out here,

I need to improve my pitching staff. I am in PNC Park and am 11th in my league in earned runs allowed. In my division is a Comerica Park, Rogers Centre and Jacobs Field.

I think I may be upside-down on my core relief pitchers. I have both Linebrink and Fuentes who both are balanced to lefties. So, of course, I am not doing too good against RHB, hitting .275 against me. I put Linebrink on the trading block to my league but so far no takers.

I think I am also going to flip, Glavine for Josh Towers.

If I have to go FA, in my price range for set-up are R Hernandez, D Riske, R Betencourt and R Hernandez. Closers are T Hoffman, B Jenks, E Guardado.

I was also thinking about going ‘aggressive’ on IBB. I thought that might help Fuentes ‘avoid RHB’. Anyone tried that strategy?

Any thoughts on how to give up fewer runs?

Thanks

Steve

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/team/team_other.html?user_id=15433

[visick]

Hey Steve...

Looks like you made the Glavine for Towers move already. Good luck with that.

James Baldwin in PNC/Safeco and Petco never under perfoms for me. The R3 eats up alot of innings.
Sanchez/Carrara usually over-perfom for me as well.

I'm surprised @ Linebrink's #'s. Usually he throws well for me.

visick

[STEVEPONEDAL]

Hey Visick,

Thanks for the response. Yes. Linebrink is a big surprise to me as well. I have been trying to get him through a couple oif teams now. I was expecting more.

So, if I get Baldwin, shouldI go with a two-headed set-up guy. Vizcaino agains righties and Baldwin against lefties?

Do you spend a lot of time setting the individual pitcher's cards. I would normally set as not before the 6th inning and slow hook. I would be a little concerned about slow hooking Baldwin in some of the hitter's Parks like US Cell and The Rogers Centre.

BTW, I am going to FL or spring training next month. One of the games I am seeing is Mets v. Braves. You think John Maine will have a spot in the rotation?

Steve

[visick]

I'd go:

Fuentes: Setup AND close vs. LH's. Not before the 8th. inning. Slow hook.
Linebrink: Setup vs. righties. IBB less.

Leave closer vs. righties blank for now. Let's see what HAL does.


Myers: Quick hook, avoid righties, not before the 8th
Ayala: Quick hook, avoid lefties, not before the 7th.
Vizcaino: Quick hook, not before the 7th.

If you get Baldwin, he's fine @ home and in pitchers parks. Put him on a short leash if there are alot of righties or you are in a hitters park.

If Maine can lower the HR totals, he can be tough. Man the rotation kinda scares me. Think Tommy G can reproduce last season's #'s? Maybe...
Pedro will be M.I.A. probably till July.

Perez/Vargas/El Duque/Maine/Williams...it gets ugly. Perez had a nice Strat card a few seasons ago.

[STEVEPONEDAL]

Hey Visick,

With Glavine, Maddux and Smolts as profesional as they are, if they show up to spring training then they are going to pitch well. I think TG is smart enough to know that no matter what he does, it is not going to get Pedro back any sooner. So I think he should avoid putting additional pressure upon himself.

BTW, I took your advise and Linebrink and Fuentes actually got saves in the same series. I don't think that has happened before. But I play in Rogers Centre so we shall see how Fuentes does.

I did swap for D Sanchez. I have him slotted not to come in before the 7th inning. I will see what happens.

Steve

[wavygravy2k]

Try to go after Zach Duke in exchange for Harden. :D

[STEVEPONEDAL]

Why do you want to trade Duke so soon. He looks like a good match for the teams and the stadiums in your division.

[visick]

Nice job last night. :D

FWIW- A hard LH "could" really neutralize your power guys. You need a righty bat that hits lefties well to protect your big 3 guys.

My 2 shiny pennies...

[STEVEPONEDAL]

are always welcome,. I like Wes Helms in that role. I have him in the league below, check out how tight this race is, and he has been great.

Anyone else you like in the role? Jason Michaels?

Thanks

Steve

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/team/team_other.html?user_id=14336

[Palmtana]

[quote:a836957fd9="sponedal"]........ check out how tight this race is.........[/quote:a836957fd9]

That's as tight as they come, Steve. [url=http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/league/standings.html?user_id=14336]9 teams still in the race with 9 games to play.[/url] I hope Vlad isn't down to long for you.

On a semi-unrelated note, I love the Berce website. Use it all the time. But is there some way to work around the Chinese Puzzle Box aspect of the frames. The 3 scroll bars on the right and 2 on the bottom make it challenging to get the team/league to the point where you can see them.