my first computer manager rant

Here is the situation in a game last night; 9th inning and my team is behind by 3 runs and there are two out in the bottom of the 9th with the bases loaded and my team is facing the best closer in baseball, Aroldis Chapman. The hitter that comes up is Ryan Goins. Goins came in as a defensive replacement in the top of the 8th to play 2B. I still had 3 players on the bench including my pinchhitter vs lefties, Tommy La Stella. Lefthanded hitter Goins vs lefties = .158 BA, .158 OBP%, .237 SLG%....lefthanded hitter AND 'pinchitter vs lefties' La Stella = .311 .391 .426 with horseshoes at 1st column #7 and 3rd column #4. La Stella is a 2nd baseman, too. Goins is set to not hit against lefties OR righties but I don't fully expect that to be the case in all situations for obvious reasons.

Again, La Stella is my set pinchhitter vs lefties.

Why did he not come to the plate in this situation?

The answer to that age old question is locked in a vault that nobody has the key to? or could be the Patriots fault!

You would think this many versions in they would have something this simple covered.

This is typical of the AI which most people call Hal----I have been playing for almost three years now, and still can't get through my thick skull that Hal will never make these moves, nor double switches that make sense with no-DH teams, nor pinch hit L/R platoons with leads (Hal LOVES to lose from ahead)--I keep drafting for decent managing skills and not the computers lack of skills.

I think the most successful managers have learned very well how to deal with a computer manager that is generally incompetent.

I think the most successful managers have learned very well how to deal with a computer manager that is generally incompetent.

Makes sense.

Might be easier to accept but my team SUCKS!

After a certain amount of time, you should be able to more or less predict what HAL will do in just about any situation. So, yes, learning what HAL does and does not do is important to winning.

HAL will do what he wants to do, NOT what you think he should do.

It is very important, and it comes with experience, you adapt to HAL. Complaining (and I'm not blaming the autor of this thread) about what HAL did when you think he should have done something else, only takes up space on the boards. 'Course there's pleny of space on the boards nowadays.

I was always felt like an Owner or a General Manager when it comes to HAL decision-making.

I can tell HAL what my preferences are (just as Brian Cashman shares his preferences with Joe Girardi) for certain situations, but in the end, the field manger (HAL) makes the call - right, wrong or indifferent.

HAL will do what he wants to do, NOT what you think he should do.

It is very important, and it comes with experience, you adapt to HAL. Complaining (and I'm not blaming the autor of this thread) about what HAL did when you think he should have done something else, only takes up space on the boards. 'Course there's pleny of space on the boards nowadays.

Plus the space is free.

BOTTOM OF INNING 9
0 A.Rendon 5-3 Double (RF) b-2 fly(RF)x F9
SUBSTITUTION at P: Sean Doolittle (role: Closer vs. L)
0 2 F.Freeman 4-7 Strike Out b-0 F9
SUBSTITUTION at P: Wade Davis (role: Closer vs. R)
1 2 S.Marte 5-8 Ground Out (2B) 2-3 b-0 gb(2B)x F9
2 3 D.Span 3-9 Walk b-1 F9
SUBSTITUTION at PH: Luis Valbuena
2 1 3 L.Valbuena 4-9 Walk 1-2 b-1 F9
2 123 B.Posey 1-5 Home Run (LF) 3-H 2-H 1-H b-H bpHR 1-12 F9

copy & pasted this bottom of the 9th in our finals

this happened last nite in the finals. came into this game up in the series 2-1 & about to take a 3-1 series lead with a 5 to 2 lead in this game coming into the bottom of the 9th.
here we go:
2 outs, 1st & 2nd
as you see Luis Valbuena has been brought in as a PH & he's left handed.
instead of bringing in my rested closer Aroldis Chapman who we ALL KNOW is left handed & lights out HAL leaves the RH closer Davis in the game & Valbuena walks!! if Chapman is in right now this is a K, game over, 3-1 series lead. instead bases loaded, Posey up............GRANDSLAM......walk off variety with two outs & series now tied 2 all with a 6 to 5 loss.

this is what we've all come to expect because we play the online version of this game leaving the decisions to a machine vs the tabletop version that a LOT of us started with but as we've gotten older have no time in our lives to play. This ends up being the heartbreaking result that we've all become NUMB to now!!