Leaving Lineup Empty

I hate this part of the game.
They should be able to change this so everyone does not leave their lineups blank.
You have to do it or you will be at a disadvantage to everyone else in your league.

Why can't HAL make the lineups based on the 5-year average?
That is what you see when you look at free agents.

Or, why can't the lineups just be the most expensive position player at each position in a static order?
(if there is a tie, then defense or some other statistic would be tiebreakers)
It could go C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, LF, CF, RF, DH (DH would be the highest paid hitter not in the lineup).

You should be penalized for not setting a lineup, not rewarded.

HAL will make some really bad decisions when you let him make the lineup. He also may reveal some cards but it's tricky. I have Clemete's 1970 season, .352 average and vs. righties HAL batted him last because of lack of power. I've had Chris Bando's best card HAL didn't play him, even at DH. He has a penchant for batting Kingman leadoff in the 80s. He will play a one over everyone almost all the time. He constantly puts Rickey Henderson in odd spots. You have to watch how he plays guys in different types of parks or with different pitchers. BP homers make a big difference. It's definitely not a science. Certain spots in the batting order are very difficult to tell.

I let HAL choose lineup quite often, at the start of the season, when my team hits a loosing streak and when the other team has a mix of pitching. Often he will pick a ldifferent hitter based whether he is RH or LF. So whether the pitcher is a 3L or 5R will impact the hitters and the position in a lineup.

I tried the empty lineup last night in the the first series of a new team. In game 2 vs Jon Matlack (LHP) HAL started Bill Stein at 3B and batted him 7th.

R. Stennett 2B 4 1 1 0 .250
C. Lemon CF 3 1 2 2 .429
D. Parker RF 5 1 2 1 .222
A. Oliver 1B 5 0 0 0 .222
R. Zisk DH 4 1 2 1 .250
B. Robinson LF 3 2 1 1 .333
B. Stein 3B 5 0 1 0 .200
B. Dent SS 5 1 3 2 .375
M. Sanguillen C


In game 3 vs Jerry Koosman (LHP) HAL started Richie Hebner at 3B and batted him 8th.

R. Stennett 2B 6 0 2 1 .300
C. Lemon CF 4 0 0 0 .273
D. Parker RF 5 1 2 0 .286
A. Oliver 1B 6 0 1 0 .200
R. Zisk DH 5 2 2 2 .308
B. Robinson LF 4 0 1 0 .286
B. Dent SS 5 1 3 0 .462
R. Hebner 3B 3 0 1 1 .429
M. Sanguillen C 3 0 1 0 .273

The ballpark was Candlestick which is a BPHR rating of 2 for L&R hitters. I had Stennett and Lemon fixed at #1 and #2 in the order. The rest was left up to HAL. I also have Brian Downing on the roster but Sanguillen was used to bat 9th both times. I guess that means I have a terrible Downing card and a bad Sanguillen card. Stargell was not used in either game vs LH SP.

When I try this I just can't read what is being told to me.

I read quite a lot from those lineups. Dent is on one of his two best years, 74 or 77. Like Tom Foli, Dent is really underpriced for how good a shortstop he is. Stargell is not 75 (his 1L year). Likewise, Hebner is not his 5L year. Stein is 77, 78 or 79 (his better years so he is a poor fielding 3rd baseman with decent hitting v lefties). Parker is not 74 and is probably one of his two best years. Oliver is not 73 or 80 (I'd bet 75 but that's a guess). Jim Essian is excited about his upcoming opportunity in the big show.

Also the lack of Downing in the lineup does not mean a bad card for sure. Catcher is possibly the worst offender in where HAL will basically ignore offensive ability and play the better defender.

Jim Essian is excited about his upcoming opportunity in the big show.

You saw a lot more than I did but even if what you say is true I don't see any player moves to be made because of it. I think HAL playing Helms over Stennett at 2B vs RHP is a bad sign for Stennett but I don't have any other choices there. Essian arguably only has one card better than Sanguillen's worst card so I'm not sure he is worth that gamble. I may try Downing and see what he can do since he is already on the roster.

I guess I'll go ahead and place Stein as a platoon partner with Hebner at 3B. I can't believe that Stargell is only limited to platoon status. I think I'll put him in the lineup in place of Oliver vs LHP and move Robinson to 1B.

I can't believe that Stargell is only limited to platoon status.

I'm a devotee to the blank lineup for the first few nights, and have begrudgingly cut HOF'ers because of HALs lineups, it's good info most of the time, but not without mistakes on occasion. Late in the season if I need a position player, I'll grab 2 similar fielding players for a lineup spot and let HAL give me a clue or two.

Stargell's 70 card is definitely a platoon only card even though it is only a 2R, HAL plays his '69 card (5R) against lefty's in my experience. I would lean to it being the '70's card.

also with Bill Robinson on the roster virtually all of his cards are better than Stargell's vs LHP I guess.

also with Bill Robinson on the roster virtually all of his cards are better than Stargell's vs LHP I guess.

Nothing like a $14 mil platoon! Ouch. HAL doesn't consider the checkbook.