Super Hal (computer) ill-logic

I have a number of issues , for which, I have found the computer to be rather illogical. Ignore them if you wish, but if you really watch your games I think you will see for yourself.
1.) Inordinate amount of attempted steals when there are two outs. (happens even if you have conservative setting). My star pitcher stole second last night with two outs (glad he can't be injured attempting to steal), MY "B" stealer tried to steal third with two outs and setting was conservative. too many times my leadoff steals second, no outs, is in scoring position, then promptly tries to steal third, again in conservative mode.
2) Relief pitching use, might as well throw settings out the window, set for maximize closer and hardly ever see him. Last night he came in with 5-1 lead, and next game setup man was left in to allow the tying and winning runs in the bottom of the ninth. Never know when or if I will actually see my closer when a real baseball manager would expect to "make the call".
3) Passed balls, wild pitches, and balks happen way more than I would think in real baseball, and even more so with runner on third and your protecting a slim lead. Have seen this on both sides (for and against me). Have had a
4) And final, Super Hal seems to be geared to having complete games than in just winning the game. See #2.
My venting, but interested if anyone else notices any of this happening more than you would think should.

Hi. I know what you're talking about with your issues. I'm not sure if I'm just lucky, or HAL somehow likes me, but I've had some success with over-coming these tendencies from HAL.

1. Base stealing

Not sure about the timing of steals - I haven't noticed the tendency to steal with 2 outs - but I have noticed that HAL tends to like to steal third. What I've done to overcome this is just this - don't tick any "steal more" boxes for your better base stealers. I set the team setting to "normal" on the team strategy page, and I leave the "steal more" box blank on the hitters preferences page. The only boxes I tick is for my poor base stealers, which I tick "don't steal".

The results from this are consistently that I get a relatively high success rate on steals - usually around 75%, and never below 70% as a team - and a low number of attempted steals for third base.

Here is an example from a AL only round robin ATG league:

http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/1117810

2. Getting lots of innings from your high $ closer

I've heard a few different versions of this strategy discussion, but this one works for me.

I set the team strategy settings for closer to "regular" (NOT "maximize"), and bullpen useage to "normal" (NOT aggressive).

I assign the bullpen settings so that my best reliever/closer is the main first choice for all of the main bullpen roles - closer, setup, tied and 9th, tied and late, even middle reliever. I assign a good non-closer as the second man for those roles. I make sure that I assign lesser pitchers the roles of behind and late and mop-up. I make sure I have a decent but low$ second closer, who I assign the second man role for closer. That way, if my main high$ closer tires, I have another guy with the C ratings that can come in to finish off the 9th inning, if needed.

For my starters, I will usually have my top 3 starters set to Don't Relieve before F8, with "quick hook" clicked. That way, they get through to about the 7th or 8th inning in the 200X games, or sometimes the 5th or 6th. Then my top closer can come in as middle man, and stay in the game until he starts to tire. That way, I maximize my top closers innings. I usually set my top closer to Don't relieve before F8 with quick hook, but sometimes I leave the F setting blank and set my top closer to slow hook. My lower $ starters I generally set to "quick hook" with no F setting. The lower$ starters will generally pitching into the 5th 6th or 7th innings, and again, my top closer will then take over.

If the starter doesn't go deep - say only 4 or 5 innings, the relievers will be (a) top closer, as middle man role, until he tires, then (b) if it's still not closer time, then my second good reliever (decent $), then (c) my second closer, if the first closer can't go the remaining distance. If it's a blow-out, then I have the cheap relievers set to come in as mop-up, or behind and late.

If high$ closer pitches 2 consecutive games, then my back-up plan is the decent$ reliever, and the low but decent$ back-up closer with the decent C rating (i.e. the guys who are specified in the second roles for middle man, setup and closer, or the tied roles). I usually set the 2nd guy and the 2nd closer to "slow hook" with no F setting.

If I find that I've over-worked my bullpen, for the next night's games I'll put one or two of my S7 starters to slow hook (no F setting), to see if I can get some deep long innings or a complete game out of them in the next night's games.

This is an example of a team like the one I've described:

http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/1108073

On this team, Kenley Jansen is the high$ closer, Albers is the decent$ non-closer second guy, and Hanrahan is the decent$ second closer.

One more thing. I've learned (and I've been told by others) that the "maximize" setting for closers on the team strategy page means "maximize the number of potential save opportunities for the pitcher designated as your closer". Unfortunately, this means that HAL is reluctant to use that closer designated pitcher in non-save situations, and also that HAL tends to use the closer only in the late part of the 8th inning and in the 9th inning. In other words, it can actually REDUCE the closers total innings pitches, by tending to restrict appearances in non-closer situations.

That's why I set the closer setting to "regular", not "maximize" on the team strategy page.

That all might help, much thanks

I have a number of issues , for which, I have found the computer to be rather illogical. Ignore them if you wish, but if you really watch your games I think you will see for yourself.
1.) Inordinate amount of attempted steals when there are two outs. (happens even if you have conservative setting). My star pitcher stole second last night with two outs (glad he can't be injured attempting to steal), MY "B" stealer tried to steal third with two outs and setting was conservative. too many times my leadoff steals second, no outs, is in scoring position, then promptly tries to steal third, again in conservative mode.
2) Relief pitching use, might as well throw settings out the window, set for maximize closer and hardly ever see him. Last night he came in with 5-1 lead, and next game setup man was left in to allow the tying and winning runs in the bottom of the ninth. Never know when or if I will actually see my closer when a real baseball manager would expect to "make the call".
3) Passed balls, wild pitches, and balks happen way more than I would think in real baseball, and even more so with runner on third and your protecting a slim lead. Have seen this on both sides (for and against me). Have had a
4) And final, Super Hal seems to be geared to having complete games than in just winning the game. See #2.
My venting, but interested if anyone else notices any of this happening more than you would think should.

I agree and disagree with you!
1. I hate how much HAL likes to steal third. I appreciate gbrookes tips on this, which is pretty much what I do. However, stealing is a definite weakness of the online game.
2. I've never had problems getting my closer in for saves. I wonder if you are giving most/many/all of your pitchers an F-setting, which would cause the behavior you describe. I only give an F-rating (and then only F8) to select pitchers.
3. I don't see this.
4. Again, I wonder if you are giving all of your starters a F-setting. I only give an F8 starter to my ace starter(s); everyone else is left blank.

My apologies if my diagnosis is incorrect (and you are mostly leaving F-settings blank). However, I recently discovered in my keeper league that a talented, veteran manager didn't realize setting a reliever to F0 was basically telling HAL to leave him in no matter what. One of the strengths of the online game is the bullpen. However, getting the settings right to get the results you want is not intuitive--at least not with the F-settings.

Thanks again for the insights and controls.