Strategy Question

[BRADSANDBOTHE]

I have a question about how certain relievers are used.

I have Scott Linebrink set for slow hook, avoid before 6th he is 2L

and I have James Baldwin 8L with avoid Righty's and nothing else checked

Hal used Baldwin 8.1 innings in 2 games (He was awesome) 4 hits 3 walks and 8 strike outs. Used for 3.1 innings and then 5 innings.

Linebrink wasn't used at all.

While this turned out OK, I am playing at Coors and Baldwin gets crushed vs. righty's.

How would I set this to make sure Hal picks Linebrink before Baldwin.

How Baldwin Didn't get rocked I will never know.

[CHARLESBELL]

There is no way to "make sure Hal picks Linebrink before Baldwin".

All you can do is try to increase your chances. A link to your team would also help in seeing what other choices HAL has.

One suggestion is to put baldwin on quick hook as well to get him out of the game faster when HAL goes to him. If he is intended to be a late inning lefty only spot reliever, use the setting to avoid using him before the 8th.

[BRADSANDBOTHE]

Here is a link

http://members.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/team/team_other.html?user_id=7270

I dont' want to just use him 8th or after, I have Heilman as set up and Closer both ways and don't want to limit him at all.

Basically, I want Linebrink and Heilman to get most of the innings with the others more of spot guys even though Baldwin is over a Million and decent pitcher. Just not at Coors against righty's.

[CHARLESBELL]

You should not have heilman as setup IMO. Let HAL bring him in every chance he gets and put him on slow hook so that HAL keeps him in as long as possible. In the setup role HAL is going to try to "save" heilman for those situations and he won't get as many innings as you want him to get. You don't really have a closer (which you may want to consider fixing), so I would leave setup and closer blank. I forgot that baldwin is an R3. HAL will try to get him into the game. If you don't want to make him a late inning spot reliever (and I still recommend that) you could also set him as mop up. In Coors you'll have more mop up situations where you are far ahead or far behind. Let baldwin have those innings and save heilman and linebrink for tighter games.

[BRADSANDBOTHE]

Others on the board have suggested using Heilman as both Set Up and Closer which has worked for me in the past.

He has been getting around 160+ innings which is great for a reliever and around 30-35 saves per season. I have to stick with that philosophy, but I really need to get the innings from Linebrink to make this work.

The team mentioned above only played 3 games, but I thought it was odd that Baldwin got the 8 innings and not Linebrink.

I could set Baldwin to avoid before 6th same as Linebrink and let HAL choose. Maybe that would work.

[CHARLESBELL]

If you get those kind of numbers then I agree you are getting good value out of heilman. Mine have been around 150-160 innings with 25+ saves with no settings (but then I have other closer rated pitchers as well).

Was baldwin brought into the game before the 6th inning in those games? that would explain why he was picked over linebrink. And once he was in he pitched great and as an r3 HAL had no reason to go to the mound to replace him. Just a thought.

[BRADSANDBOTHE]

Very good point,

In one game he was brought in with Two out in the 6th and pitched the rest of the way.

http://members.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/league/boxscore.html?group_id=2543&g_id=3

and the other he came in with 1 out in 6th and pitched 5 innings before giving away to Heilman

http://members.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/league/boxscore.html?group_id=2543&g_id=15

[Stoney18]

I like Heilman setup & closer, slow hook, not before 7th. Just make sure you have another cheap RP than can close for the days Heilman rests.

For Baldwin you can also check 1-2 innings per appeance which may cut down some of his innings.

[sleepdok]

I have heilman in another league, did set up both ways and I effectively disabled my other relievers (except closer Lidge) by doing the quick hook, don't use before 8th inning, max 1-2 innings pitched etc.

Heilmann ended up pitching tired and getting shelled (see poor WHIP and ERA below).

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/team/team_other.html?user_id=6324

So despite is high endurance ratings , I would be cautious about overusing him. A practical solution would be to take him out of your rotation whenever you play me. :)