Manager Strategy question

[palacekillers]

Ok, I have a team in 2006 that has a couple of consistent problems - first, I'm losing a lot of games in the 9th inning. Second, I'm leaving more guys on base than my opponent consistently. Is this a chance thing, does it have more to do with the players I have, or is this a managerial setting problem?

[palacekillers]

Hey, 34 views and zero responses. Thanks for all the help guys.

[TOMSKELTON]

Palace, there is no way to respond to this type of question without a link to your team, to see your bullpen, your lineups, your ballpark, etc.

[HUDAMAN]

Agree with Norm!! Just a couple of thoughts though. Obviously, losing games in the ninth is usually the result of a closer who is bad, or is a bad fit for your park and opponents. In the 2006 game, Wickman would be a perfect example of a guy who was popular in pitchers parks, but shouldn't be closing in a hitters park.

As for leaving guys on base, without any more information, I'd certainly suggest you examine your clutch ratings, especially those of your 5 and 6 hitters. Bad clutch, especially in those spots is going to lead to lots of stranded RISP. Just a thought.

Without knowing more, it's pretty tough to do anything other than taking shots in the dark though.

[frog17]

My immediate reactions were exactly what leehak said. If you don't ahve too high of a drop penalty I'd drop some of your lower and/or middle order guys for hitters with high clutch ratings.

[Mean Dean]

[quote:afe5aa167c]If you don't ahve too high of a drop penalty I'd drop some of your lower and/or middle order guys for hitters with high clutch ratings.[/quote:afe5aa167c]I would [i:afe5aa167c]definitely not[/i:afe5aa167c] do this. The only way to leave runners on base, is to get them on to begin with. So if you're leaving a lot on, you're probably putting a lot on, and that means you're scoring (or if you're not, you're unlucky.) Don't worry about the ones you [i:afe5aa167c]don't[/i:afe5aa167c] score. That's just a byproduct. Your offense is still very likely working well, and the long-term percentages are in your favor. There are literally a handful of at-bats per player per year where clutch rating is called into play.

Show me a team that led the league in runners left on base and had a [i:afe5aa167c]bad[/i:afe5aa167c] offense. I bet there's never been one.

[UrbanShockers]

PK:

I think everyone is assuming you know how to post a link to your team, but in case you don't (like I didn't for a long time), here's one easy way:

go to the stats page, click on your team, copy the address in the URL bar at the top of that version of your team page, then paste it into a posting here. I think you'll find that, once folks here are given a context to look at, you'll have no reason to complain about lack of input.

[palacekillers]

I'd post a link to the team but I've already had some very good players examine my team. It was just more of a general strategy question.

[Valen]

[quote:7a1f269c4d]The only way to leave runners on base, is to get them on to begin with. [/quote:7a1f269c4d]
One of the wisest baseball statements I have heard in a long time. To hear some people talk it would be better to have never got anyone on base than to have them stranded.