HAL's Shifting Obsession with Different RPs

[Outta Leftfield]

Has anyone else noticed that in a bullpen where the setup man and closer haven't been designated, HAL sometimes seems to go through a shifting obsession with different RPs? He'll use one RP almost exclusively in key situations for a run of games, leaving somebody else virtually unused, then turn to that neglected pitcher and use the formerly-neglected one over and over.

For example, in a season now 33 games old, Eichhorn was virtually unused for the first 15 games (just one partial inning.) I figured he must be in a bad year. Since the, however he's pitched in six games covering 15 1/3 innings. He gave up 7 ER in 3 IP in the first of those outings, so I continued to think he was in a bad year. Since then, however, whe's pitched 12 1/3 while giving up only 1 run and going 3-1. As I said, I've noticed this shifting obsession with different RP's before and am wondering if anyone else has also seen it.

[bjs73]

[quote:ad65589b4a]As I said, I've noticed this shifting obsession with different RP's before and am wondering if anyone else has also seen it.[/quote:ad65589b4a]

Yes. That's the biggest reason why I don't let HAL run the show at any time on my bullpen. There is the situation that you describe and I've seen and experienced it also. That is why I have always favored NOT letting HAL lead me to my best reliever. I don't like trusting the game engine on telling me which card I may or may not have because I've burned not once, not twice, but three times; pitchers and hitters alike.

HAL is a bonehead. He may know what cards you have but he sure doesn't know how to use them.

Control your bullpen. Set them up for their main strengths from season start. Let the stats roll in. Observe the splits then. If you think you guessed wrong on his strength, reverse it and keep stats once you make the reversal and see if you were right. There are so many relievers out there with "usable" cards that are inevitably flung to the waiver wire because people think that if the guy isn't "lights out" that he must be in a bad year. This is simply not the case. I usually can make due on "mediocre" cards by playing them to their strengths as best as possible.

I know that Bernie says that deeper bullpens are a must for HAL to use them correctly. Bernie also says that too many restrictions confuse HAL. I agree to a certain degree but then I disagree about the restrictions part. Let's face it. Tony LaRussa dosesn't leave Ray King in the game to face right handed batters. His only job is to get that one left handed batter out and then it is shower time. You wouldn't either. I hope. :D

The game engine (ie, HAL) does a poor job with this aspect. HAL will leave a guy in the game especially if he still has endurance left regardless of the splits. Granted, a smaller bullpen and a series in which the bullpen has seen a lot of action, may cause HAL to make an executive decision to leave a reliever in the game from time to time but not to the extent that I've seen and witnessed.

I guess that I'm too used to having total control of my bullpen via the SUPERHAL function in the CD ROM game. But I can tell you this...I know that I can trust HAL with 11 pitchers (6 relievers) using SUPERHAL than I can using the engine without SUPERHAL.

[YountFan]

Dear Dr. Simpson,

As you know I respect you as genius of SOM game play, but we disagree on this point to some degree. I agree that tweeking the avoid setting and mop up are a good way to give HAL a clue, but that is where I stop. I NEVER set setup and closer, nor do I check the don't until checkboxes. It seems that every time I do I do not get the results I desire. But then I tend to use the conserative relief usage setting and rely on my starters.

I don't trust HAL to lead me to the card, but once I know the card I can get HAL to do what I want with a few checks.

Your loyal student,
YF

[Outta Leftfield]

We've had this debate before, and my position comes down in the middle between YF and BJS. I think there's merit on all sides of the discussion. It's partly a function of whether you go for a cheap bullpen or invest in a high priced closer.

If one choses the latter, one definitely wants to have Eck, Quiz, Henke or whomever functioning as your bullpen ace. On the other hand, if you go with a cheap bullpen, you need to leave the roles open IMHO for at least a while to give yourself some time to sort out who can actually pitch.

I'm not sure if HAL is using his "brain" or not in chosing how to use RP's, but even if it's purely random, I've found it effective to allow HAL to manage the bullpen without controls for at least the first 30 games or so. After that, I tend to apply controls, but gently. I like to have my best reliever as setup man because he'll get the most innings and pitch in more important game situations (e.g. the eighth inning of a tie game rather than the ninth inning when leading by 3 runs). If I've got a second good RP, I make him the closer. After that, a few tweaks to orient pitchers toward platoon roles.

The net result is:
1. My bullpens generally cost 5M or less. Almost never more than 6M.
2. I get 100 to 170 IP (my peak so far is 171) from my best reliever, usually averaging about 140. I maybe get 90 IP from my 2nd best reliever.
3. My bullpen ERA's are usually well below league average.
4. I rarely have any serious complaints about HAL's management of my bullpen.

Ultimately, each manager has to do what feels comfortable. I'm not sure this approach would work for everybody, but it does seem to work for me.
:wink:

[YountFan]

[quote:85a4439425]I'm not sure this approach would work for everybody, but it does seem to work for me. [/quote:85a4439425]
We'll have to start calling you "Outta YourMind"

[Outta Leftfield]

Let's hope so! :D

[bjs73]

YF,

I may just have to give it a whirl the way you do it to see if I can get the online engine to give me what I want. (Leaving the setup and closer roles undefined, leaving the max/min innings unchecked.) Problem is that I tend to my manage my squads with the intent of turning it over to the bullpen with a purpose. I guess I'm pretty much the captain hook type. It's funny, I've been tracking my tendencies for the past 10 teams and I really do like to get to my bullpen. (Always in the lower third in CG's, lots of saves, etc.)

Here's what ticks me off about trying to use the game engine to give clues about what cards you have: [url=http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/80s/team/team_other.html?user_id=69639&stats=sim]All Natural Synthetics.[/url]

This was from our auction league. I purposesly left some holes in my lineup to try to get HAL to tell me which DH I should use. Like O_L's situation, HAL decided that Collins was my best hitter off the bench for the first 15-21 games and put him exclusively at DH. So, I started to conclude that I must have a terrible L. Smith card since HAL never used him. Just when I was beginning to think that I should drop Lonnie, without statistical evidence, Collins started to slump. So I went ahead and put him in the lineup and voila, L. Smith is actually on a really decent card after all! :x He was my best hitter by far on my paper tiger hitting team. That's just one case study and I'm looking forward to the card reveals.

My student? :lol:

I've been chasing [b:fffbefd2a3]you[/b:fffbefd2a3] in the rankings since I started playing this game. Without your advice over the last couple of years, especially on your player card observations, I think that I'd have a much worse record.

DJ Trickster and Sykes helped me a lot also via the boards too. Oh DJ, where did you go? :roll:

Always your apprentice,

bjs

P.S. Does that make me Darth Vader by the way? Because if so, that'd be really awesome. Sure beats looking like Samwise Gamgee from the Lord of the Rings.

Happy St. Patrick's Day one and all. (Yes the Guinness has been flowing tonight in addition to a great Corned Beef and Cabbage dinner.)

[YountFan]

[quote:a4909f903c]leaving the max/min innings unchecked.[/quote:a4909f903c]
I do check those ALWAYS