Thu Feb 11, 2016 4:05 pm
It's a closer rating.
"Ok, on to the closer rule. This is another question we get often enough that I felt I should bring it up today. Every relief pitcher gets a closer rating when their card is created. These ratings range from 0-6, with 6 being the most frequent and successful closers. Pitchers who don't have a closer rating and only display the traditional relief rating are rated 'N' closers. Only the 20xx, 1999, and 90s Mystery Game player sets use the closer rule. If your not playing one of these sets, you should not factor the closer rating into your decisions!
This closer rating is the number of outs a relief pitcher can go in a "closer situation" without being recognized as fatigued. However a Strat-O-Matic "closer situation" is not the same as a save situation. A "closer situation" is defined the pitching team having the lead in the 9th inning or later and the tying run on base or at bat.
After becoming vulnerable to fatigue, a reliever must allow a hit or a walk to become fatigued. If a reliever is already in the game and it becomes a closer situation, his closer rating gets reduced by the number of outs he has already recorded. Pitchers with an N rating are treated the same as 0 rated closer and are automatically fatigued in a "closer situation" once allowing either a hit or a walk.
Due to this if you're designated closer has a poor closer rating, he may enter the game already fatigued or fatigue very quickly after entering. Keep these rules in mind when selecting your closer. The last thing you want is a closer tiring in a big spot because he has a 0 closer rating!"
