New Bullpen Problems - easy fix- won't hold breathe

Hmm. Thanks for sharing. This is more than i thought possible in Atg9.

You're welcome. Barnstormers 2020 gives us a very rich and interesting test-bed for ATG9, doesn't it? Pretty much any supposition or assertion made about ATG9 can be tested against the Barnstormer results. There are twenty leagues in the first round, at all different price levels. I think we will have a lot to learn as we watch the seasons unfold.

Looking at the team, perhaps Sherry is his Righty specialist. Shirley his lefty killer. Martin on quick hook. Wolfgang setup and middle man with slow hook? Just a thought.

Looking at the team, perhaps Sherry is his Righty specialist. Shirley his lefty killer. Martin on quick hook. Wolfgang setup and middle man with slow hook? Just a thought.

From what I can see, the settings are pretty minimal.

Wolfgang is set as Middle Man and Setup. HAL is frequently putting him in without designating a reason. I don't think anyone is set as closer. This means that when R5 Wolfgang is pitching well, he is frequently finishing the games he enters.

Meanwhile, I don't see any specialists settings on Shirley or Sherry. Here's the 9th inning of game 28 https://365.strat-o-matic.com/game/playbyplay/447311/167
SUBSTITUTION at P: Bob Shirley (L)
0 W.McCovey 4-5 Walk b-1 F9
0 1 M.Ott 2-11 Strike Out b-0 F9
SUBSTITUTION at P: Larry Sherry (R)
1 1 T.Lazzeri 4-5 Force Play (SS) 1-o b-1 gb(SS)x F9
2 1 M.Marion 6-5 Walk 1-2 b-1 F9
2 12 K.Berry 5-3 1 Base Error - P 2-3 1-2 b-1 gb(P)x F9
2 123 D.Green 3-2 Ground Out (SS) b-0 F9

So HAL puts in 8L Shirley to pitch to McCovey and Ott with no specialist setting. Then HAL brings in 6R Shirley to pitch to righty Lazzeri. Shirley finishes the game and gets the save while pitching to 3 additional RHB. I don't know how typical this is of HAL's reliever performance in the new ATG9 system, but that isn't a bad piece of bullpen management on HAL's part, in my book. I'm going to start taking a close look at how HAL is managing my own bullpen.

I got 27 saves out of Mark Clear and 8 out of Andy Hassler in one league. They were my righty and lefty specialist's respectively. I let Hal choose my closer. Same team had a guy get 17 saves.

I have not set bullpen roles in about 15 teams running. Very happy with results. No longer a source of heartburn. Very good decisions when HAL has freedom to make choices without static restrictions that are applied out of context.

Yes maybe setting avoids and quick/slow. Maybe a mopup, depending.

I have not set bullpen roles in about 15 teams running. Very happy with results. No longer a source of heartburn. Very good decisions when HAL has freedom to make choices without static restrictions that are applied out of context.
Yes maybe setting avoids and quick/slow. Maybe a mopup, depending.

So maybe fewer control gadgets are better? Let HAL's revised bullpen logic do its thing? It's worth exploring....

BTW, here are the official records for Innings Pitched by Relievers, taken from the SOM webpage: https://somonline.fandom.com/wiki/Record_books:_All-Time_Greats_V/VI/VII/VIII
Innings Pitched

436.0 - Adams, Babe (1909), True West
418.1 - Murray, Dale (1974), Miami Marlins
412.1 - Moore, Wilcy (1927), San Francisco Giganticus
403.2 - Adams, Babe (1909), Upside Downers
396.2 - Moore, Wilcy (1927), San Carlos Transcendentals

Since SPs are they limited to 41 starts, it's not even possible for them to pitch these kind of innings.

In the context of these numbers, if Wolfgang reaches 245 IP, that wouldn't be all that surprising—since the new BP rules are only supposed to limit RP innings by about 30%.

How many innings do you think people will be able to get out of R2 RPs with the new rules?

I always filled all the roles, that's what they are there for. Now I won't be able to, but I will manage.

Why have all the roles if they can't be filled?

Interesting that many of you agreed with me but many more said, they don't want control, they want the computer to make the decisions. That surprised me. Do you guys also leave the batting order blank?

Only running 2 leagues at a time, so I watch most every replay.
There's more of the RPs being put in with no role listed. Part of that is new BP logic, part that we can only list a limited number of roles due to new limitations. We can't set behind/late, tied/late any more unless we don't list setup/middle or carry 7 RPs.
The 3 specialists are logging multiple innings when brought in with no role, and the R3 setup/middle man rested.

Hmm. Thanks for sharing. This is more than i thought possible in Atg9.

ATG8 Record was 450 innings for relief pitchers. If we can now top out at 250, with higher prices, that feels like a good adjustment by strat.

I do wonder if relievers will get injured more when they have high innings.

They won’t. I’ve brought up this very subject, only for people to shoot it down because “I didn’t spend $20 to...” etc etc etc. I’m. An advocate for super advanced injury from the computer version, but this won’t occur because people pay money for their teams, which entitles them, evidently, to no risk pitchers (the hitters have their own risk built in via variable injury ratings). There’s a real life price for abusing arms. But not in Strat.

Now, that said, if someone wants to blow 6-7M on one of these mega-relievers, then the exploit seems, I dunno, a bit more fair. They’re paying for a decent SP, basically, who would give you 250 IP anyway (though not across 100 games). I’m probably in the minority, but I feel the price hike plus usage control is absolutely fair, since exploited relievers cap in the 6-7M range, rather than what they’re actually worth. If we want to use just pricing, then Bruce Sutter needs to cost 10M+, same as an elite starter. Further, if you think about it, a topflight pitcher who can trot our there for 2/3’s of your game is a steal, even at 7M. They probably should cost more than they do, even with reprice. It’s an exploit, and it should cost more to do so. Either that, or reduce the IP ratings, with all pure RPs rated at 1 or 2. Of course, then we’d see people just use S/R’s as their bullpen studs, because this strategy, rare IRL, is ubiquitous in our notional leagues. Players find the exploits. It’s the nature of the beast.

More control is better. Relief pitching decision making is the worst part of this great game. RPs have been priced higher, let them pitch