Relief pitcher usage/strategy

I am looking for help in setting up a bullpen.

I try to use S7-9* starting pitchers. I have seen some teams with expensive relief pitchers, some spending very little.

Your comments would be greatly appreciated.

First question from me would be if you're in a league with a DH or no DH? Even with great fatigue settings on your starters, in no DH leagues, HAL loves to pinch hit if you're down just a run from the seventh inning onward, and there is typically no way to stop this from happening.

I am no expert, but I usually spend about $8.5m (in $80m league) on a closer, set up and middle man (about $4.5m on the closer, $2.5m on the set up, and $1.5 on the middle man), and then under $1m on right handed and left handed specialists to fill out the bullpen.

If you can get one of the older school closers (think Sutter or Fingers or that type), they can double as your set up and pitch 2-3 innings two out of three games usually.

Quite frankly, still trying to master this myself for the no DH leagues.

Thank you very much, your comments are extremely helpful. I usually play in DH leagues, a little complicated for me!

I have been going with 3 R2-R5 relievers in the 1.5-2.5 range along with a LH and RH specialist. I go with bullpen by committee.
While an expensive closer might be highly effective when pitching, I would rather spend the money on better starting pitchers or position players.

I have been going with 3 R2-R5 relievers in the 1.5-2.5 range along with a LH and RH specialist. I go with bullpen by committee.
While an expensive closer might be highly effective when pitching, I would rather spend the money on better starting pitchers or position players.

I have tried this approach as well. Only issue to me is the committee part of it leaves too many decisions in the hands of HAL (including the aforementioned pinch hitting for my starter when only down a run after the sixth inning).

Spend more on the set-up than the closer as a general rule--setup gets the most innings, and that is where the money should go.