Proper settings for your closer in ATG8

How can I get HAL to actually use my closer in, well, closing situations?

Thru 1/3 of the season my team has blown 11 saves, only 2 by my closer. A couple of recent examples:

Two run lead top 8th with a man on and the closer does not come in. Then my set up guy gives up a walk and a single to start the top of the ninth - no closer. Next guy hits a 3 run bomb...... Now I get the behind and late guy.

Next game, top of the 8th and my starter gives up a lead off home run to relinquish the lead. Walk and single follow and he gets two guys out. So 1st and 2nd, 2 outs and in comes my closer. Pitches to one batter, gets him out and leads off the next inning. Except, no, he gets pinch hit for. End up scoring 2 to take the lead, but no closer to shut the door in the 9th. This has happened several times where my best pitcher is burned getting one out.

Closer is set to slow hook, F6 , do not use B4 8th, do not use in blowouts. He is the only one tagged as a closer and is also tagged as set up. Early in the season I couldn't even get him in a game until I put him in as set up. Team settings are closer usage Regular and relief usage Normal.

Can anyone help me figure this out?

Thanks

If you switch from Closer Usage Regular to Closer Usage Maximize, HAL will hold that guy out to ONLY use in Save situations, if at all possible. This will lower the pitcher's innings, and use him only in Save situations.

I don't play ATG much, so not sure how HAL handles bullpens with ATG, but I think Hal will NOT bring in a closer, (especially set at Maximize closer usage) until the 9th--if you want him in the game in the 8th inning, I would set him as the 1st setup, set my closers to regular, and maybe not even define a closer role.

I don't play ATG much, so not sure how HAL handles bullpens with ATG, but I think Hal will NOT bring in a closer, (especially set at Maximize closer usage) until the 9th--if you want him in the game in the 8th inning, I would set him as the 1st setup, set my closers to regular, and maybe not even define a closer role.

Yep. And if you only want him to be a 2 inning closer, set him to first setup and "do not use before 8th inning"

Thanks everyone for the help. We'll give it a try. The more I play, the more I realize that it is tough to make a computer reason like a real person and stuff happens.......

Good luck!