HAL and relief pitching

Can anyone tell me if there is any sense to what HAL does with relief pitching?

Specifically, I am in a mystery 90's league. I picked up Mike Maddux and have had him for 12 games. He hasn't pitched at all, while HAL has used lots of relievers during this time. It is a no DH league so lots of pinch hitting and replacing pitchers. My only setting on relievers is to designate a closer. Does this mean that I have a bad year for Maddux or does it mean that HAL is just choosing randomly to a degree and Maddux isn't being used? Does anyone know?

Really hard to tell with relief. If a pitcher is taken out constantly against righties or lefties, that usually tells you something. Also, if he is always putting the same pitcher in when you are up or down by 9 or more runs, it is probably a bad card. Otherwise, he could have a good year, but there are better options in HALs mind.

In other words, I am not being any help.

It's nearly impossible to tell for certain what the heck HAL is doing. If you really want to get an idea, set a relief designation for Maddux for a series or 2. Since he has seasons that go both righty or lefty, make him the closer, or the 8th inning guy, or whatever, for a few games so that HAL is more likely to put him in. Of course, this depends somewhat on how your team is doing and other factors.

Thanks the responses. The next 3 games, Maddux made one appearance, faced Rickey Henderson who got a base hit and then he was removed....