Strat-O-Matic Baseball 365

OK, I've had about enough of HAL.

Tie game in the bottom of the 8th. Ted Abernathy pitching for me with 2 outs nobody on. HAL decides to pull him and put in my closer, Rob Dibble -- even though he and Dave Danforth are my only pitchers left (facing an all Righty team) and Dibble would lead off the top of the 9th. Dibble retires the 3rd out.

Top of the 9th, Dibble has faced one batter, and HAL pinch hits for him leaving Danforth to face the all righty team in the bottom of the 9th -- where he gives up a 2 run bomb just as soon as he can.

I have Dibble set for Slow hook, F2 and Normal on Relief Usage. Is there anything else I can do to prevent this?

Thanks,
Jim

Here's the transcript, for anyone interested. Dibble was pinch hit for with nobody on, no outs... ARGH!

0 M.Williams 2-7 Ground Out (3B) b-0 F8
1 E.Miller 2-3 Ground Out (3B) b-0 F8
SUBSTITUTION at PH: Randy Hundley
SUBSTITUTION at P: Rob Dibble (role: Tied & 9th+)
2 R.Hundley 5-5 Ground Out (SS) b-0 gb(SS)x F9
TOP OF INNING 10
SUBSTITUTION at P: Lee Smith
SUBSTITUTION at PH: Lee Lacy
0 L.Lacy 3-9 Fly Out (CF) b-0 F9
1 E.Martinez 3-6 Single (CF) b-1 F9
SUBSTITUTION at PR: Tony Bernazard
1 1 B.Goodman 6-10 Fly Out (CF) b-0 fly(CF)x F9
2 1 W.Brown 6-4 Ground Out (3B) b-0 gb(3B)x F9
BOTTOM OF INNING 10
SUBSTITUTION at P: Dave Danforth
SUBSTITUTION at 1B: Lee Lacy
0 W.Randolph 3-9 Single (LF) b-1 F9
0 1 H.Wilson 3-10 Strike Out b-0 F9
1 1 M.McGwire 3-3 Fly Out (CF) b-0 F9
2 1 S.Sosa 6-5 Home Run (CF) 1-H b-H F9

Does HAL give more priority to trying to score in a tie game than keep your pitcher in?

Another thing I have noticed -- and this may be related -- is that HAL will wait to sub to my middle reliever until there are two outs, and then make the call to the bullpen. Then sub for him immediately when he comes to bat and we are behind in the game.

Why wait until 2 outs? Also, why make the sub when he's the first batter the next inning and you're gonna pinch hit for him?

I guess HAL is a little short-sighted on these decisions and I need to account for this in my non-DH leagues...

all though I have only played 2012 online---I have the same problem constantly with my no-DH teams (and I prefer no DH)--not only that, even on DH teams relieving is handled poorly in my opinion--with a bunch of pitchers getting one batter and everyone ends up tired for next game--I wouldn't think it would be as bad with older teams and longer rated relievers. (I just started playing online, but played over the board a lot in the 60's, & 70's)

I gotta wonder what's going on when Ray Fosse becomes a pinch runner for Josh Gibson, when Jimmy Lyons, (who can actually run and is my specified pinch runner) doesn't get in the game. Then Chief Meyers is my replacement catcher, but how did HAL select Fosse to run??

I will never play a no DH league again after losing the finals because of this move by HAL. I'm the visiting team, and I can only assume that my closer was tired after pitching the previous two games. Regardless, In the top of the 9th, I was up 2-1 with the 10.54 Pedro Martinez pitching a gem. He was set at don't relieve before F7 and he was at F9 at the end of the previous inning. Two outs for the opposing team, nobody on, and HAL pinch hits for him with Patsy Gharrity. Pedro would have faced two RH batters in the bottom of the 9th. My scrubs then give it away. Of course, you could argue that two of the first three rolls were on the hitter's cards, but still...

TOP OF INNING 9
SUBSTITUTION at P: Stan Baumgartner
0 G.Templeton 1-7 Strike Out b-0 F9
1 J.Roseboro 5-7 Strike Out b-0 F9
SUBSTITUTION at PH: Patsy Gharrity
2 P.Gharrity 5-4 Ground Out (SS) b-0 gb(SS)x F9
BOTTOM OF INNING 9
SUBSTITUTION at P: Bob Shirley (role: LH Specialist)
0 G.Beaumont 1-9 Single (RF) b-1 F9
SUBSTITUTION at P: Larry Sherry (role: RH Specialist)
0 1 C.Anson 3-2 Single (CF) 1-2 b-1 F9
0 12 C.Meyers 6-7 Single & Error - 2B 2-H 1-H b-3 gb(2B)x F9
SUBSTITUTION at P: Al McBean
0 3 L.Gardner 1-4 Ground Out (2B) b-0 F9
1 3 D.Uggla 3-7 Strike Out b-0 F9
2 3 V.Coleman 2-8 Single (CF) 3-H b-1 F9