Can't understand this one.

I have Garman set up as right-handed specialist on a quick hook, Dave Smith as closer, Piniero as tied and late. HAL, in his infinite wisdom, uses Garman in innings 8 and 9 against a predominantly left-handed team who blows the save.

http://365.strat-o-matic.com/game/433526/36

What did I do wrong?

do you have Pineiro set to avoid lefties? Who is ranked higher on your bullpen list, Laroche or Pineiro? If you have Laroche as LH specialist listed above Pineiro, HAL is likely to go to him and pull Pineiro, but then he has to go to someone else with a righty coming up.

Also, do you have maximize closer use on? If so, HAL is more likely to hold on to Smith for the save situation.

Finally, do you have Smith as setup and closer, or just closer? Since Garman gave up the lead in the 8th, it wouldn't get to Smith as closer.

Laroche is set as lefty specialist. Piniero is not set to avoid lefties. Hall is setup. Thanks for the advice. I'll play with my pitching setups to try and avoid this in the future. Maybe setting Piniero as right-handed specialist will do the trick.

I find that the more roles you assign, the less HAL has latitude to make proper decisions.

I find that the more roles you assign, the less HAL has latitude to make proper decisions.

I totally agree with this, but also note that the less opportunity HAL is given to make decisions, the less he makes crazy ones. I tend to utilize a lot of bullpen roles because I would rather have it be my fault that something crazy happens than have my ire raised by HAL making a boneheaded decision. My boneheaded decisions are ok with me..lol

I'm also sometimes mystified by one of my specialists facing several consecutive batter of the "wrong" side. It's probably good to consider whether there is an easy explanation, i.e. the other relievers are under forced rest due to previous usage, and this is usually the case, but there are times when it just seems like pure HAL sadism.

One small step to minimize this (I hope) is to set relief usage to "aggressive." This possibly gives Hal an even quicker hook. I always do this, then set my really good pitchers to "do not relive before" F8, which trumps the previous setting, so the guys I like won't be pulled too soon.

Really, though, in most cases I question the value of using righty-lefty specialists at all. Let's say you have Garman (.77) and Sambito (1.0). If you take that $1.77m and turn it into a $.5m scrub you keep out of all games and then use the remaining $1.27m on a passable reliever who can pitch multiple innings for you when needed, I suspect that is usually a better option.

If I could manage the game myself and deploy specialists exactly the way I want that would be one thing, but leaving it up to Hal too often ends in tears.

With a 5-man ATG pen, I usually have one reliever that I don't assign any role. I usually use my third best reliever for this. That way, HAL has a decent option when the need arises.

Simple: Hall was not available because he needed rest (was used in both preceding games).

Pineiro and Laroche were already used.

So Hal was left with your closer Smith and German. If he uses Smith in the 8th, then he's stuck with him for the rest of the game and Hal must forfeit any pinch-hitting for the reliever. In such situations, I've seen Hal try to force his next-to-last reliever to try to save a pitcher.

Besides, if you have clicked to maximize closer (which is the default setting), then this setting forces Hal to NOT use Smith in other situations than a save situation.

Using two specialists in a 5-men bullpen is putting a lot of stress on your bullpen. I would use one only, with two relievers not assigned any role (Hall and a cheaper one). Or I would go with at least 6 men in the bullpen if you want to keep two specialists.

Simple: Hall was not available because he needed rest (was used in both preceding games).

Pineiro and Laroche were already used.

So Hal was left with your closer Smith and German. If he uses Smith in the 8th, then he's stuck with him for the rest of the game and Hal must forfeit any pinch-hitting for the reliever. In such situations, I've seen Hal try to force his next-to-last reliever to try to save a pitcher.

Besides, if you have clicked to maximize closer (which is the default setting), then this setting forces Hal to NOT use Smith in other situations than a save situation.

<facepalm> Well, duh.