Strat-O-Matic Baseball 365

I generally like the Lineup Depth Chart mechanism... and I have an idea that might serve to eliminate it's best-known limitation (at least most of the time).

The limitation per http://somonline.wikia.com/wiki/Lineup_Depth_Chart:

Sample depth chart
2B: Chase Utley (backup: Freddy Sanchez)
SS: Freddy Sanchez (backup: Bill Hall)

At the start of a game, if Utley were unavailable to play, the computer manager would try to insert his first backup, Sanchez, into the starting lineup at 2B. Since Sanchez is normally the starting SS, the computer would play his backup, Hall, at SS, so that Sanchez can slide over to play 2B.

At present, although the system is able to perform multiple, separate shifts in the same lineup, it can only handle one level of a given shift. In other words, using the above example, if Hall happened to also be in the starting lineup already (e.g. in CF), instead of moving Hall to SS, it would pull someone from the bench to replace Sanchez.

In other words... SOM can't shift two or more 1st-string players from their principal starting position to a secondary position in order to make the lineup you and I might make in a live/face-to-face situation in light of an injury to a particular player.

What I propose:
In addition to the depth charts for LH/RH/revLH/revRH... also let us enter a pecking order for our bench... indicating to SOM "try to make room for this guy in the starting lineup first... this guy second... and so on." This should help SOM make starting-lineup substitution decisions more like the decisions we would make on the spot.

How it would look:
The depth chart would look as before... but with (1) a tie-breaker number in the Backup 1 & Backup 2 lists AND (2) an added "bench ranking" list. For example, one of my current SOM 2012 teams depth chart vs normal RH (I've ordered by defensive position rather than batting order for clarity) might look like this:

Code: Select all

LINEUP
POS PRIMARY            BACKUP 1           {TIE} BACKUP 2           {TIE}
 C  Ramos, Wilson      Stewart, Chris   
1B  Murphy, Daniel     Loney, James             Mayberry Jr., John  {1}   
2B  Pedroia, Dustin    Zobrist, Ben        {1}  Izturis, Maicer     
SS  Aybar, Erick       Zobrist, Ben        {2}  Arias, Joaquin 
3B  Izturis, Maicer    Arias, Joaquin           Flaherty, Ryan      {1} 
LF  Moss, Brandon      Mayberry Jr., John  {1}  Flaherty, Ryan      {2}
CF  Bernadina, Roger   Mayberry Jr., John  {2}  Beltran, Carlos
RF  Zobrist, Ben       Beltran, Carlos          Flaherty, Ryan      {3}
DH  Beltran, Carlos    Murphy, Daniel           Mayberry Jr., John  {2}
BENCH RANKING
 1 Loney, James
 2 Mayberry Jr., John
 3 Arias, Joaquin
 4 Stewart, Chris
 5 Flaherty, Ryan

You'd be able to set up the bench ranking independently for all 4 depth charts.

What it means:
The Backup Tie-Breaker -- "If I'm Backup 1 (or Backup 2) at multiple positions, and there is a need for a substitute at both positions, put me in {1} first... then {2}... etc."
The Bench Rankings -- "If there is an injury... try to fit Bench #1 in the lineup... if you can't, try Bench #2... etc."

How it would work:
At the start of every game, SOM should ask itself if all primary players are available. If so, no worries.

If there is ONE injury, SOM should ask itself:

1. Who is the manager's #1-ranked bench player?
2. Is there a valid complete lineup combination of the remaining primary players and the defined bench guy that uses only PRIMARY and BACKUP 1 position options?
   ---If YES, build a lineup accordingly.
   ---If NO...
3. Is there a valid complete lineup combination of the remaining primary players and the defined bench guy that uses only PRIMARY, BACKUP 1 & BACKUP 2 position options?
   ---If YES, build a lineup accordingly.
   ---If NO...
4. Who is the manager's #2-ranked bench player? ... then ask questions 2 & 3
5. Repeat until a valid combination is found.

Example -- One injury:
Aybar is hurt. What should SOM do?

1. Who is the manager's #1-ranked bench player? Loney
2. Is there a combination of the 8 remaining primary players and the defined bench guy that uses only PRIMARY (Pr) and BACKUP 1 (B1) position options? Yes:
   
   C Ramos, Wilson (Pr)
   1B Loney, James (B1)
   2B Pedroia, Dustin (Pr)
   SS Zobrist, Ben (B1)
   3B Izturis, Maicer (Pr)
   LF Moss, Brandon (Pr)
   CF Bernadina, Roger (Pr)
   RF Beltran, Carlos (B1)
   DH Murphy, Daniel (B1)

If two starters were hurt... the logic would
try to find a valid combination using Bench #1 (then, as needed, Bench #2, Bench #3...) that would leave only one lineup gap... then
cycle through the bench again to try to find a valid combination that will complete the lineup.

Example -- two injuries:
Aybar and Pedroia are hurt. What to do?
Step 1: Try to find a spot for Loney.
Result: Like Example 1:

C Ramos, Wilson (Pr)
1B Loney, James (B1)
2B --gap--
SS Zobrist, Ben (B1 - TIE 1)
3B Izturis, Maicer (Pr)
LF Moss, Brandon (Pr)
CF Bernadina, Roger (Pr)
RF Beltran, Carlos (B1)
DH Murphy, Daniel (B1)
------ Zobrist is sent to SS because the Backup 1 tiebreaker was SS = 1, 2B = 2.

Step 2: Try to find a spot for Mayberry
Result: You can't... OF, 1B, DH all committed

Step 3: Try to find a spot for Arias
Result:

C Ramos, Wilson (Pr)
1B Loney, James (B1)
2B Izturis, Maicer (B2)
SS Zobrist, Ben (B1 - TIE 1)
3B Arias, Joaquin (B1)
LF Moss, Brandon (Pr)
CF Bernadina, Roger (Pr)
RF Beltran, Carlos (B1)
DH Murphy, Daniel (B1)