bullpen roles vs pitcher fatigue? I don't know

[SteadyEddie33]

my c4 closer was brought into the game with no outs in the 8th and a 2 run lead. Primary setup man had worked 2 games in a row (3 ip) but my (underused) LH specialist and my R2 middle man were available.

RH 7R C4 closer works out of a jam in the 8th. Stays in for the 9th gets the first two outs, then walks a guy (fatigues from F9 to F2). A switch hitting 2L (solid but not scary) was up next followed by a pair of lefty hitters.

Tired 7R closer promptly serves up a 2 run HR to LH hitting Rafael Furcal and my team loses 3-2. The roll was a 2-9, Furcal's best power number, so it wouldn't matter ultimately. BUT... I'd have rather just had the LH specialist come in when the closer ran out of gas, OR step into the setup situation in the first place and closer enter in the 9th (what a concept!).

I'm guessing since I hadn't yet defined a setup#2 role, HAL figured I'd rather have my closer instead of a middle man? And that I'd prefer my tired closer over a fresh lefty.. ugh.

whatever happened to the 'do not use before 9th' option anyway? :roll:

[tcochran]

[quote:a77d899da9="SteadyEddie33"]whatever happened to the 'do not use before 9th' option anyway? :roll:[/quote:a77d899da9]

Isn't that the "maximize" closer usage setting on the manager strategy page?

[Neil Toomey]

...and for the record the notation reads "[b:991307d3b2]avoid[/b:991307d3b2] using before the Xth", not "do not use".