IS THIS CHEATING?

[JPGator]

So you’re ok with setting your lineup to attack his pitcher, but not ok with allowing him to change his pitcher to attack your lineup. Uh-Huh. I will concede that this is an exploit, but you’re lineup needs to be prepared for this possibility since you know it exists. Maybe someday when TSN allows setting pitchers and lineups PER GAME and not just vs. pitcher’s handedness, this won’t be as much of an issue.

[STEPHENANDERSON 2]

Is it cheating.... no....
does someone have too much time on their hands to do that.... maybe
have I ever done that .......no
would I....... doubt it... would only change pitching to favor my team and the park I am playing in. 8)

[wavygravy2k]

I don't think it's cheating. If you want to avoid this check the opponent's starting pitchers to see who is rested enough to start the game.

[FoggyOne]

It can't be cheating if there is literally and figuaratively "an even playing field". From a strategic point of view, an opposing manager would be nuts not to exploit another team's weakness (in this case, the availability of different hitters to match up against certain SP types).

Heck, having spot starters forces some opposing magaers to field "middle of the road" line-ups.

IOn fact, an effective strategy would be to do the exact OPPOSITE of the conundrum posed..........show (and pitch) 3 starting pitchers with varying degrees of strengths (4L, 4R, and E). That way, the opposing "batting manager" has to field a hybrid line-up.

At this point however, I have now spent more time deabting this than ever utilizing a "switch at the last minute" strategy.

PLUS, how does the manager with spot starters know or assume that his opposing manager is making adjustements for the slated starters?????

It is not like a chess game where the "pitching manager" can see the "batting manager's" line-up and THEN adjust. It is only a guess or a hope. The last minute switch can just as easily backfire if the "batting manager" makes no adjustments for the slated (pre-switch) starters.

I agree with wavygravy2k. I generally check an opposing manager's available starters before setting my line-ups BUT usually only do this when I have a hitter returning from injury in the middle of the series.

[LARRYLANG]

I would not consider it cheating and I have had it done to me before..Have never done it myself however, I don't even consider it anymore as I rarely get guys who are slanted to far one way or the other. With a somewhat balanced lineup I could care less who the other manager pitches. :D

[milezd]

NOT cheating, not even close

[AZHawg]

It's not cheating because it is within the rules as they exist. But, perhaps the rules should be altered a little to better reflect real life.

I think that the pitcher's should be set before the lineups.

There is a reason MLB requires a manager to announce his starting pitcher ahead of time.

Here is the rule:

3.05
(a) The pitcher named in the batting order handed the umpire in chief, as provided in Rules 4.01 (a) and 4.01 (b), shall pitch to the first batter or any substitute batter until such batter is put out or reaches first base, unless the pitcher sustains injury or illness which, in the judgment of the umpire in chief, incapacitates him from pitching.

[Rant]

In the end how much does this really matter?

66% of respondants haven't even experienced a quick change manager. If some percentage of the 34% of those that have don't feel like it's cheating (or don't think it matters one way or the other), then it's a down-the-road fix that Bernie might be able to install. Not something he or anyone else should fret about.

Johnsain are you the one that started the debate about the National Anthem being sung in Spanish too? :wink:

[packleader]

It's not cheating. What would really be nice if TSN could allow managers another set of lineup options to be used when facing reverse pitchers, then switching pitchers @ 10PM would not make any difference to anyone.

[MoCrash]

Being able to have separate line-ups for straight and reverse LH and RHPs is an option available on the CD-ROM version, especially useful for NetPlay when one team is represented by the computer manager. It could therefore be incorporated into the TSN game, although how much more space that would take up or how it would effect the speed of auto-play I don't know.

And, no, it's not cheating. Up until the first pitch, a manager can change his line-up, which includes SPs. I've done it -- especially if I see a match-up against an opponent which puts me at a severe disadvantage -- and I've had it done to me. No gripes.