Strat-O-Matic Baseball 365

Hi all

My team is set up in a league where at least $50 mil must be spent on pitching. ($110 cap)
I am debating a new pitching strategy that I have not tried before and would like other's thoughts.
This is a DH league. FWIW my team is in Minute Maid (other division parks are Penmar, Petco, and Forbes 57)
My contemplated pitching plan is this:

Starters*
Dazzy Vance 9.41
Howie Camnitz 9.41
Pete Alexander 10.99

4th starting slot alternating (non *):
Pedro Martinez 8.07
Babe Adams 8.29

relief -
alternating (in most roles)
Pedro and Babe Adams
Beggs 2.42 (or someone similar price)
McBean 1.34 (or someone cheaper)
Rogers 1.38 (maybe someone else)

benched -
a $0.50 sp only guy (to meet the 9 pitcher requirement)

This comes out around $51.8 mill on pitching ($50 mill is required)

Lineup at this moment-
C- Gary Carter 6.63
1b - Frank McCormick 5.62
2b - Joe Gordon 5.28
3b - Billy Werber 4.28
shortstop - Derek Jeter 7.08
RF - Dwight Evans 7.44
CF Dale Murphy 7.01
LF Al Kaline 7.28
DH ....not sure yet (around $4-5 mil)

very few backups needed (all bulletproof starting fielders except Carter and Werber)


my questions :
1) will Hal use Martinez and Adams as much as I hope in relief if I assign them both to closer/setup/tied and....
2) what roles should I assign the other relievers to?
3) any predictions on how this team might fare?
4) suggestions on DH in the $4-5 mil range (can't afford more than $5.03 without changes elsewhere)

I would absolutely love many opinions especially on how my SP/RP will be used by Hal with the setup as outlined

Thanks

I find it's always a little tricky with HAL moving pitchers back and forth from the rotation to the pen. I would suggest picking a 4th starter and putting the other in the pen to start the season, then if it's not working for you switch up later on. Joe Deberry (1920) is a $.50 SP/RP that works with very limited use....good luck!

I tried this with Babe and Hall, and had little success, if I could do it again I think I would set each to all roles except mop up and LhRh specialist.

Tsunami,
Thanks for the comment.
I am not absolutely married to the idea of the 3*-2 non* rotation, but do want to give it a try (it would be easy enough to convert Pedro to his 10.54 year and dump Babe Adams).

My alternate plan is to drop one of my 9.41 starters and go with 2 * guys plus Babe Adams, 8.07 Pedro, 2.42 Hendrix and a better relief crew.


FUDU,
Hope you are well. Would you share a link to that Hall/Adams platoon (and a notion of how you had your bullpen assigned). That might give me a clue as to what to expect.
I am trying some new things...mostly without success. (your old friend motherscratcher is kicking my butt in one of my other recent experiments).

Others,
please chime in with your thoughts and suggestions on these and my other questions above.

Doc,

I've never tried Pedro in such a role but have tried Adams either alone or in combo with someone else in that dual role and have never gotten HAL to do what we would all do if we controlled each batter! If it could work it would be lights out, though; perhaps someone has found the key to selecting the precise pitching options that will let that happen.

Another thought on the lineup; if you are fond of Brooks Robinson you can use his cheap bulletproof card at 3B and get some nice HR totals in that park in my opinion.

As for DHs at that price point, a couple thoughts... Greg Luzinski at 4.82 and Don Baylor at a few dollars less - and he's also bulletproof, I believe.

My team in Minute Maid got a ring in my first year in that league playing in the West division (with all the previous season's playoff managers), but before Roger Clemens was banned:

http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/808149

http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/league/266835

Regarding your planned pitching setup, I don't think HAL will let your non * starters relieve until they've rested for 4 games after a start. Further, if you program your starters on a per game basis, HAL may not let them relieve at all if they are programmed for a future start.

I've seen many managers try various methods to maximize innings for S/Rs with assorted schemes to have them pitch in relief between starts, but in general, such schemes don't work. Since you have to spend $50 mil minimum on pitching, you'd be better off with one S* and two high priced relievers, preferably one lefty and one righty to play the percentages. Why not upgrade Pedro, get a couple of relief pitchers to put you at the $50 mil pitching minimum and use the rest of the money to explore upgrading hitting? Maybe add Albert Belle, Pedro Guerrero or cheap Hack Wilson at DH if any are available, as your team doesn't seem to have enough power, especially at infield corners, to take full advantage of Minute Maid.

I'm in your division, Doc, so you take this with the proverbial grain of salt(y), but I've never had any luck rotating two pitchers as both starters and closers, even when my other three starters are * guys. Usually ended up with some cheap reliever trying to close. I think the idea of upgrading Pedro and finding a cheaper closer than Babe is on target.

Tom

Okay,

thanks again for the thoughts.

Tom and Bernie (and Tsunami and FUDU) are probably all correct....it just sounded like such a great idea.....but if in fact the guys need 4 days rest to relieve, I would be be looking at best at missing my great relief staff for 2 out of 4 games, and that may spell trouble.

I'm still cogitating on it all though and any other experiences would be welcome.


Harry, I do like Brooks Robinson, and have used him many times. Still thinking on that. For now I have swapped out Werber for Horner at 3b which gives up the D a bit and takes a little injury risk, but should amp up the HR power in the same price range.

Thinking about....Frank Howard, Greg Luzinski or Don Baylor at DH or a platoon (Galaraga and Covington maybe). The division parks are so varied it is making my decision difficult (Pemnar, Petco, Forbes 57....and mine which is Minute Maid)

i believe you meant to say "downgrade" pedro to his *S card. as it is the least useful and the only one of his cards that i have EVER seen a sub .500 season from.

I will do some digging through my teams. Generally at the old site, could never get Babe Adams used in both roles but seems like once here he was being used as a starter and a reliever with some frequency.