Should HAL be made more dumb?

[canauscot]

The thread on batting orders has arisen just as I was considering a similar question.

What HAL knows and employs in choosing who to play is a matter of significant debate. For everyone who says HAL knows squat, I've seen someone else drop a Schmidt, Boggs or Brett when not used by HAL and later proven correct (worst year) when someone else picked them up. I have my own theory of what he does, but that is not the point of this post.

My feeling is HAL should be transparently dumb. Whether HAL knows something or not, there should be no advantage to be had by not choosing a lineup. Presented with a blank lineup, HAL should make a lineup using the most expensive players possible. Ignore anything he knows about which year a player is, or what tilt versus the opposing pitcher and ignore defense. Relievers should be used by value first then by rest then alphabetically if need be. Starters are already salary driven. Make it consistent and then everybody will have to use their own sleuthing skills to figure out who you have.

[voovits]

I can't say I disagree with that, though as discussed in the other thread, I would like to see exactly what happens if HAL managed a team from start to finish. I don't have a free credit to burn to test it, but it would be interesting to see IMO.
Perhaps that would make an interesting theme league. All managers leave lineups, rotations and manager strategy blank, only making add/drops as the season progresses. It'd be like HAL is the manager and you are the GM.
Getting back to the point, HAL choosing the lineups by salary is a good idea only giving the nod to the guy with better defense if the salaries are reasonably close. Same thing with rotations and bullpen use.

[Semper Gumby]

When the 80s game launched, I wrote a post on allowing HAL to manage the team.

I probably simmed 10,000s of games leaving the line-up card open (you need to fill in the pitching roster or you'll be hitting buttons all damn night)

Depending on the advance settings, HAL had some specific rules it followed in picking a line-up. As I knew the cards' details, I could adjust the draft to force HAL to make decisions.

I don't recall all the trends but he tended to follow tilt (not always best OBP) and then primary fielding position. It is hard to say whether he selected the position first and then the batting order or the other way around.

In my current league, one team allowed HAL to manage is entire line-up for the first week (maybe) and still allows HAL to make line-up decisions when free agents are added. While he has been lucky at it in other leagues, now - he is mired in last place.

Me?

I try to set the line-up for the cards I have and then see what happens. When I find a card's season, I play it unless I think the odds are better in grabbing a free agent.

[Paul5757]

If you're in a DH league, you can use that to "force" HAL to make a decision as to the best hitter. Fill out the entire lineup, leave the DH spot blank, make sure to bat the DH 7th or 8th to see if HAL moves him up or down. You have to watch out for potential reverse lefties and righties pitching, tho.

[gutter huggers]

Hal does a decent job. If we made the micro moves, we'd just end up pissed off at ourselves, instead of Hal.
Hal playing the lineup is not a bad idea. It comes up with things I wouldn't imagine, and I really believe lineups don't matter as much as you'd think.
I don't have the guts to let Hal do it early in the season, but I don't allocate one DH at the beginning of the season. I played three this season, hoping one would get hot before game 27, my drop time. Minor cards, and a wish and a dream. $10 m to the dh, and drop whoever doesn't work out like a bad habit.