Defensive Substitution Question

Apologies if this has been answered somewhere else on the forum. I did a search and didn't come up with exactly what I was looking for, but need some information/advice from some veteran SOM Onliners.

I am trying to get HAL to do the following defensive switch in the late innings:

Player A, is my 2nd baseman (although primary position is SS)
Player B, is my 1st baseman
Player C, is my defensive sub at 2nd base

Player A also plays first base, and his defense is better than player B.

So what I want to do is remove Player B, have A slide over to 1st and have C take over at 2nd base. Following the rules of subbing "in pairs" I've tried it both ways, with the A-B switch listed first and then the C-A switch listed first. HAL still won't make the switch I'm asking for. Is this because Player A's primary position is not the postion I'm trying to put him in or is this type of switch simply not possible for another reason?

Try this:

Under Hitter Prefs, check the Rem. 4 def sub with lead box for your firstbaseman only. Do check any other boxes or list any defensive moves under Team Strategy.

What I do is pair the players in team strategy--in this case list the move from 2nd to 1st base # 2, put in your 2nd base replacement # 1 in team strategy---(or list them 4th and 3rd in strategy) and also check the remove for defensive replace in hitter prefs for the 1Bman you want out of the game.

This will work, but an injury or oddball PH earlier in the game can cause some problems, as checking that remove from game box is set in stone if you have the lead, HAL will remove your 1Bman even if no other player is available at the position and put in a 5 e-max out of position player. I generally have few problems, but a injury in the first game of a set can cause havoc the next two games if you have only 2 guys at targeted defensive replacement.

If you only check the remove with lead box and leave the team strategy blank--the 1Bman will come out, but you may not get the replacements you wanted--Hal puts the best defensive players in, and may move multiple players to do it, but sometimes that is not what you want--if you have a poor hitting 2 e1 replacement and a better hitting 2 e2 replacement, the 2 e1 will go in if not specified.

edited to correct an error. (I listed changes backwards)

I can't guarantee my suggestion will work, but I think that it will.

I have used this technique a fair amount when I want to replace a weak corner outfielder with my starting center fielder and have my defensive replacement come in at center field. HAL has always done a good job with picking the right players.

I am curious if he does as well at infield.

I agree with Coyote that his method is generally the safest way to go about it.

But some teams don't work so well--this was one of my 2012 teams--I had Cano and Altuve as a 2B platoon--I had Altuve's remove for defensive replacement box checked, but often Cano would pinch hit and be out of the game before the 8th inning came along---Hal would remove Altuve anyway and put in Nunez (2b 4 e71) as the replacement--Just warning that the remove 4 def check box is a hard setting.

http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/1110342

On the other hand the team strategy is not a hard setting--the problem with it is HAL may not make the move at all, especially with a just 1 or 2 run lead--more often the change is made with a larger lead.

I've found if you combine the team strategy and remove check box, you get the change you want if the players are available, but be prepared for bad situations if the defensive player is not available.

I had to change my settings on the above team as Cano was already used often. Hal seemed never to be able to make the double switch with Cano, Altuve and the pitchers spot--even though they hit 9-1 in the lineup and all Hal had to do was put in the pitcher in the 1 hole and leave Cano 9 after he PH. (it was a no-DH team which made it worse--Cano would PH often after a LH starter was removed)

Hey all - thanks for the input. Coyote's suggestion worked perfectly and as soon as I read it, the problem was apparent to me. The 2nd baseman was set to "remove for defensive replacement" which trumped the setting to move him to first. Once I unchecked that, he was free to stay in the game and shift over. The learning process continues...