what does it take to get HAL PH

My biggest complaint is in the no DH leagues where Hal will let the pitcher bat in a inning only to replace him on the mound to start the next half inning late in games with pinch hitters all available

Hi Allan,

We agree that Young would have been a much better option there than leaving Schwarber in. Everything in the game is done by percentiles, the various options do increase/decrease chances of something happening but nothing is automatic. Although this percentile chance missed, the majority of the time Schwarber would have been pinch-hit for in this situation. Having said that, we are looking into ways to improve the pinch-hitting decisions in the game.

I have written to SOM on multiple occasions over the past several months about HAL not PH in higher cap leagues despite more extreme platoon situations than you describe. Not sure what the cap is in this league, but I've had essentially no luck getting HAL to pinch hit in these situations. At first SOM customer service explained that the situation didn't reach the threshold percentage that's programmed. When provided with more extreme examples they said they would look into it. The past few times they just don't respond at all.

I was shocked they replied, not by BS answer

just go by the numbers a 6L vs 7R or 7L numbers should say 7L

I honestly don't know if this is true or not, or what the $ threshold is...whether this is a relative or an absolute computer logic point...

but...

I've heard it said by one of us gamers somewhere that HAL is reluctant, or even won't pinch hit for high value players, even if it's logical to do so. If I'm right (even in a relative way - i.e. that HAL is *less likely* to pinch hit for a high value player), then it is a disadvantage to a platoon lineup strategy that involves high-value left-handed hitters, like Schwarber (or like David Ortiz for example, in this 2015 card set as well as some others in the last 10 years).

Your game example might be an example of this computer logic at work.

If I'm right, and all other things being equal, it would mean that a lefty specialist pitcher is more useful and valuable than a righty specialist pitcher, since the (usually) lower-value right-handed platoon hitter (e.g. Young) *could* get pinch-hitted for, while the higher-valued left-handed player (e.g Schwarber) wouldn't.

I'm not saying that I'm right for sure - I'm interested in comments that other strat-gamers might have on this thought as to HAL's "behavior" with pinch hitting.

I've heard it said by one of us gamers somewhere that HAL is reluctant, or even won't pinch hit for high value players

Reluctant, yes, but it does happen from time to time. In 200M ATG, where no starting players (except for a few cases) is paid under 8M, Hal called for 3 pinch-hitters so far with my team, after 108 games.

Here: Bourroughs pinch-hits for Walker (10.85M) when Fryman (3L) comes in.
http://365.strat-o-matic.com/game/playbyplay/430518/188

Here: Zobrist (3L) pinch-hits for Morgan (10.30M) bottom of the 8th facing SP Randy Johnson (5L)
http://365.strat-o-matic.com/game/430518/205

So it does happen, but much more rarely than in 2015 (around 40 AB from pinch-hitters per season)

What's weird though is that some players are NEVER pinch-hit. Last year, in a 200M 2014 team, despite a roster of 17 players and 3 shortstops on the bench, HAL never ever pinch-hit for Alcides Escobar (a 1-ss, 6.08M, injury-rating of 0, good speed)--> team had 39 AB form pinch-hitters.

For some reason HAL likes using the backup C as a PH.

Great comments. So the consensus is that Hal is reluctant to pinch hit for high-salaried players - even shortstops with high salaries. I think this might be the practical answer to the original question in the strat world- even if it isn't logical or good strategy.

If you set a player to avoid leftys, they should avoid leftys. like The scenario I 1st posted, Anything else is a flawed system