Use of Middle Man setting??

Good Morning,

How are people using this setting to their advantage?? I have been using an LHP with an R2 setting. Thus far I have used Avilan, Ross or Blackley in the role. I haven't restricted when he comes in or used a quick or slow hook. I then use a RHP, Balfour this year, and have him as both set-up and closer and not to come in before the 8th inning.

What are some of the other approaches that you are using??

Thanks Steve

I see what you are doing with that strategy, in terms of mixing up the handedness of your pitchers through the course of a game.

That can be a very effective strategy when your game opponent has a lot of platoons, with left handed batters as the left part of the platoon (as opposed to a S or RHB). My favourite RP for that role in the 2011 cards was Affeldt, because he was so extremely balanced against LHB.

However, I would actually change my pitching preferences from night to night when I was using that strategy, because not every team you face fits that platoon description. The strategy works best when the lefty middle inning guy will be facing 4 or 5 lefties at the time he enters the game. It works well because HAL (computer manager) doesn't usually (ever?) pinch hit through the middle innings.

BUT, in other situations where the opposing manager is NOT using platoons (say 1 or fewer), or there are lots of switch hitters, or heavily L balanced hitters, then this strategy doesn't work so well. In those game situations, I would change the lefty RP from "middle" to "lefty specialist" (and perhaps a mop up role as well). For these situations, I would simply determine (1) whether my starter was simply the best pitcher, or whether the bullpen was better, and (2) get my best pitcher into the game for the middle innings - whether he was the starter, the closer, or one of the other RPs. Note that I WILL put the closer in for middle innings if he is the best pitcher. What I like to do to make this strategy work is to have a second closer, who is cheaper but can still get the job done in a pinch (e.g. Hanrahan in the 2012 cards). I will get the closer in early (if he is my best pitcher available) so that I actually maximize his innings as much as I can. I used to get frustrated when my closer wasn't getting many innings, and I find that this middle inning strategy gets him much more innings. I also set the close as set-up, too. In these situations I will use a separate, non-closer RP, as my second choice for middle innings and set-up. Same goes for tied and late and tied and 9th.

So, I like the strategy your describing, but personally I wouldn't use it all season long, as a default setting. I would check from night to night whether I was facing a team full of Posey's and Stanton's, and, if so, check-off to a separate RP strategy, like a good quarterback reading a play and adapting on the fly!

Good luck!
Geoff

Thanks Geoff, You gave me a good way of looking at this approach. Steve