- Posts: 523
- Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 1:35 pm
Thu Jun 04, 2015 4:25 pm
Hey guys,
Valen wrote in about an interesting thread here. In Game 6 of the Finals in this league, the computer manager decided to bring in Eric Gagne, which sounds fine until he starts at F0 fatigue rating since he's pitched in the last 3 games. Unfortunately for that team, Gagne ended up blowing the lead and costing the team the Championship.
First, why did Gagne come in when he was tired? In most circumstances, the computer manager would never turn to a pitcher to be used in a 4th consecutive game. However I think it's important to illustrate the reasons why he was here. Here's a link to the play-by-play for the game. John Curtis started the game and left with his team down 4-2 in the 6th, a runner on 3rd and one out. With left-handed Billy Hamilton coming up, Billy McCool was brought in. He hit Hamilton, and with Quick Hook/Avoid Righties checked was taken out in favor of Mark Littell to face Kiki Cuyler. Littell got the double play to get out of the inning.
The team scores 3 in the bottom half of the inning so they go up 6-5 heading into the 7th. Gagne was designated as the set-up man and as he would enter fatigued, he gets passed over and the computer manager stays with Littell to face Hornsby, who strikes out. Rod Carew comes up, and with Littell checked to avoid LHP he gets removed and is replaced with Dennis Bennett. He retires Carew but then a right-hander is scheduled to bat. At this point, the bullpen is down to Gagne and Mike Madden (set to avoid RH, Avoid <8th, Quick Hook, and Max 1-2 IP). The remaining 3 starter/relievers (Walter Johnson-started Game 5, Atley Donald-started Game 4, and Johnny Klippstein-scheduled to start Game 7) were not going to be used. With the limited relievers left, Bennett stays in to face Pudge Rodriguez and gives up a game-tying homer before ending the inning.
In the bottom of the 7th, Bennett is pinch-hit for but the team scores 5 runs in the inning, giving them a 10-5 lead. With the computer manager trying to avoid going to Gagne, Mike Madden is called in to pitch the 8th. He gives up 2 un-earned runs but the team still has a 3-run lead going into the 9th. Now, Madden is removed because the Max 1-2 IP box is checked and although Gagne would normally be avoided here, he is the last pitcher 'available' and is set as the closer. Gagne entered at F0 and the normally dominant closer gave up 6 runs and lost the game. If Madden did not have that option checked, he would not have been taken out. The MAX 1-2 IP box for relievers will remove the pitcher when starting an inning having pitched a full inning already, as was the case with Madden. Similarly, the MAX 2-3 IP box will remove a pitcher starting an inning who has already pitched at least 2 IP.
Now we know why Gagne was brought in at all in Game 6. In this thread, a interesting idea was brought up wondering if Gagne was forced to sit out Game 5 (possibly 'sacrificing' that game) would he be fully rested for Games 6 and 7? In order to have forced out Gagne, bullpen roles would have needed to have been set for the other pitchers while leaving Gagne out there. I would then have entered Avoid RHP and Avoid <8th to stop the computer manager from using him when a bullpen role didn't specify. Now this may not have totally prevented the computer manager from using him, Gagne is the best pitcher on the team! Unfortunately there is no option to pretend this pitcher isn't on the roster so if no other pitcher fit the situation and the computer manager decided Gagne was the best option, he may have come in anyway.
If you had successfully kept Gagne out of Game 5, then yes, he would have been fully rested for Game 6 and Game 7. I don't think I would have done it in this team's case (they were down 3-1 in the series going into Game 5), but if I was ahead in the series it's certainly something that seems to have merit. Up 3-1, if Gagne pitches but the team loses, I won't have him available for Game 6 unless he is forced to come in at F0 like the situation above. If he does come in Game 6 and I lose again, he's useless for Game 7. If he rests Game 5, he pitches in Game 6 at full strength and can come back in Game 7 if necessary. Of course, the rest of the bullpen could blow Game 5 without Gagne and if you get blown out Game 6 and 7 early, Gagne is never used but that's the chance you would be taking.
Moving over to a different topic, at the request of geekor, we have created a 2007-2014 Super League that's available to play! The league set can be found here. The set includes every card for 2007-14, including the unleashed players, and plays just like ATG does. If I own 2012 Mike Trout in the league, I have the rights to his other cards as well and they cannot be used unless I drop the 2012 card. All ballparks from the 2007-14 seasons are also included. It should be a pretty fun set if you are interested in setting up a league with it! For now, it can be found under ATG 8 "Shuffle the Deck" leagues when creating a new team. We do know of 2 players who are considered two 'separate' players: Tim Hudson and Roy Halladay. For now, the league will handle their 2007/2008 cards as separate from the rest of their cards. This is unfortunately a lengthy fix but for the most part the player set will work just as ATG does. We recommend handling Hudson/Halladay as a league to ensure that only one version of their cards can be used at a time.
That's all I have for this week. As always, please e-mail us with any questions to onlinegamesupport@strat-o-matic.com. Talk to everyone next Thursday!
-John
Valen wrote in about an interesting thread here. In Game 6 of the Finals in this league, the computer manager decided to bring in Eric Gagne, which sounds fine until he starts at F0 fatigue rating since he's pitched in the last 3 games. Unfortunately for that team, Gagne ended up blowing the lead and costing the team the Championship.
First, why did Gagne come in when he was tired? In most circumstances, the computer manager would never turn to a pitcher to be used in a 4th consecutive game. However I think it's important to illustrate the reasons why he was here. Here's a link to the play-by-play for the game. John Curtis started the game and left with his team down 4-2 in the 6th, a runner on 3rd and one out. With left-handed Billy Hamilton coming up, Billy McCool was brought in. He hit Hamilton, and with Quick Hook/Avoid Righties checked was taken out in favor of Mark Littell to face Kiki Cuyler. Littell got the double play to get out of the inning.
The team scores 3 in the bottom half of the inning so they go up 6-5 heading into the 7th. Gagne was designated as the set-up man and as he would enter fatigued, he gets passed over and the computer manager stays with Littell to face Hornsby, who strikes out. Rod Carew comes up, and with Littell checked to avoid LHP he gets removed and is replaced with Dennis Bennett. He retires Carew but then a right-hander is scheduled to bat. At this point, the bullpen is down to Gagne and Mike Madden (set to avoid RH, Avoid <8th, Quick Hook, and Max 1-2 IP). The remaining 3 starter/relievers (Walter Johnson-started Game 5, Atley Donald-started Game 4, and Johnny Klippstein-scheduled to start Game 7) were not going to be used. With the limited relievers left, Bennett stays in to face Pudge Rodriguez and gives up a game-tying homer before ending the inning.
In the bottom of the 7th, Bennett is pinch-hit for but the team scores 5 runs in the inning, giving them a 10-5 lead. With the computer manager trying to avoid going to Gagne, Mike Madden is called in to pitch the 8th. He gives up 2 un-earned runs but the team still has a 3-run lead going into the 9th. Now, Madden is removed because the Max 1-2 IP box is checked and although Gagne would normally be avoided here, he is the last pitcher 'available' and is set as the closer. Gagne entered at F0 and the normally dominant closer gave up 6 runs and lost the game. If Madden did not have that option checked, he would not have been taken out. The MAX 1-2 IP box for relievers will remove the pitcher when starting an inning having pitched a full inning already, as was the case with Madden. Similarly, the MAX 2-3 IP box will remove a pitcher starting an inning who has already pitched at least 2 IP.
Now we know why Gagne was brought in at all in Game 6. In this thread, a interesting idea was brought up wondering if Gagne was forced to sit out Game 5 (possibly 'sacrificing' that game) would he be fully rested for Games 6 and 7? In order to have forced out Gagne, bullpen roles would have needed to have been set for the other pitchers while leaving Gagne out there. I would then have entered Avoid RHP and Avoid <8th to stop the computer manager from using him when a bullpen role didn't specify. Now this may not have totally prevented the computer manager from using him, Gagne is the best pitcher on the team! Unfortunately there is no option to pretend this pitcher isn't on the roster so if no other pitcher fit the situation and the computer manager decided Gagne was the best option, he may have come in anyway.
If you had successfully kept Gagne out of Game 5, then yes, he would have been fully rested for Game 6 and Game 7. I don't think I would have done it in this team's case (they were down 3-1 in the series going into Game 5), but if I was ahead in the series it's certainly something that seems to have merit. Up 3-1, if Gagne pitches but the team loses, I won't have him available for Game 6 unless he is forced to come in at F0 like the situation above. If he does come in Game 6 and I lose again, he's useless for Game 7. If he rests Game 5, he pitches in Game 6 at full strength and can come back in Game 7 if necessary. Of course, the rest of the bullpen could blow Game 5 without Gagne and if you get blown out Game 6 and 7 early, Gagne is never used but that's the chance you would be taking.
Moving over to a different topic, at the request of geekor, we have created a 2007-2014 Super League that's available to play! The league set can be found here. The set includes every card for 2007-14, including the unleashed players, and plays just like ATG does. If I own 2012 Mike Trout in the league, I have the rights to his other cards as well and they cannot be used unless I drop the 2012 card. All ballparks from the 2007-14 seasons are also included. It should be a pretty fun set if you are interested in setting up a league with it! For now, it can be found under ATG 8 "Shuffle the Deck" leagues when creating a new team. We do know of 2 players who are considered two 'separate' players: Tim Hudson and Roy Halladay. For now, the league will handle their 2007/2008 cards as separate from the rest of their cards. This is unfortunately a lengthy fix but for the most part the player set will work just as ATG does. We recommend handling Hudson/Halladay as a league to ensure that only one version of their cards can be used at a time.
That's all I have for this week. As always, please e-mail us with any questions to onlinegamesupport@strat-o-matic.com. Talk to everyone next Thursday!
-John