Bullpen logic flaw?

I've now seen over several teams the following error that is problematic: HAL replaces hard LH and RH relief pitchers with pitchers equally biased from the same side when there are no fatigue issues. As an example:
BOTTOM OF INNING 9
0 H.Greenberg 5-6 Fly Out (LF) b-0 F0
1 A.Beltre 3-12 Walk b-1 F0
SUBSTITUTION at P: Michael Jackson (R) (role: RH Specialist)
1 1 V.Guerrero 2-10 Fly Out (LF) b-0 bpSI 1-12 F9
2 1 E.Banks 1-6 Double (CF) 1-3 b-2 F9
2 23 G.Hartnett Int Walk b-1 F9
SUBSTITUTION at P: Kent Tekulve (R) (role: RH Specialist)
2 123 R.Acuna 2-5 Single (CF) 3-H 2-3 1-2 b-1

I could post a whole bunch of these types of moves. There's no rational to replace Jackson with Tekulve unless HAL is deliberately trying to burn through pitchers. I've seen this where hard-bias RP faces one batter and is replaced by an equivalent hard-bias RP from the same side. Has anyone else seen anything like this? If so, worth fixing?

Since it shows as a RH specialist, that means Jackson is set as Quick Hook. With a DOUBLE and IBB, it seems, depending on score at the time, HAL thinks he is honoring your quick hook guidance. Though it is weird to do it after the IBB, the IBB counts as a runner reaching base for the purpose of fatigue accumulation.

You could change Jackson to "Do not relieve before Fx" but that defeats the purpose of a hard specialist and could be a disaster.

The changes made to the game engine most recently certainly seem to point to a need for more relievers than before, in order to avoid hitting mismatches or fatigued arms. And the more settings that are set, the worse it gets because HAL gets confused as to what your priority is if two conflict. For instance, "Quick Hook" and maybe others are set for Do not Use before, or other examples, and then quick hook is intended...but not if another righty is coming up.

You could remove the quick hook part and just leave the Avoid Lefty on, to see how it plays out. Tough to say without seeing how your team has played out so far.

Thank for the reply. The part that makes me think there is a flaw is that I’ve seen this happen after a hard-bias RP is removed after one batter to be replaced with the same kind of hard bias RP (meaning same side). Maybe the auto “quick hook” for those hard relievers is part of the issue? The issue does not seem related to fatigue (even at F9).

Yes this is a problem, well actually this is the solution to keeping innings from accumulating in a few pitchers and the best way to go I found is to get 6 or more relievers that are either 6L or 6R or higher mark them all avoid whatever side you want and just have enough pitchers for HAL, there is no use fighting him and he will utilize them all. From what I gathered from watching the play of the individuals that all "helped" the bullpen logic, and this is not anything official just my anecdotal experience, they all are employing more pitchers than ever before so I do too, just being forced to be competitive.

I have seen the same problem, but in some cases I even had removed the quick hook after setting him as a righty specialist. That would keep him from coming in to face a lefty, but then leave him in there if the lineup is righty dominant. Or so I thought.

I have tried letting HAL have free reign over my bullpen. That has not worked out so well either. I am really struggling getting my bullpen to do anything I want in 9.

Examples teams from the leaders in Barnstormers:
https://365.strat-o-matic.com/team/1585732
https://365.strat-o-matic.com/team/1545680
https://365.strat-o-matic.com/team/1572646
https://365.strat-o-matic.com/team/1584478
https://365.strat-o-matic.com/team/1571989
https://365.strat-o-matic.com/team/1585799

This is my recommended bullpen
https://365.strat-o-matic.com/team/1583984

so its basically 4 studs strategy all around. Grab 4 big starters, grab a whole bunch of extreme bullpen guys and let HAL do the work.

Effective perhaps, but so dang boring.

I have seen the same thing happen in high cap leagues, even when the move doesn't involve a specialist role or a quick hook setting. I've seen stud RP pulled after only 2-3 batters when there is no fatigue issue or other settings influencing the move.

I can't stand using specialists because of the way HAL deploys them. I've tried 2 bullpen variations with mixed success. 1 is to have a cheapish but decent closer, cheapish but decent mop-up, then 2 reasonable relievers set to no roles but do-not-remove-until-F8, the idea being they'll do most of the work.

A slight variation on this, shown below, is one guy set as mop-up and no other roles assigned, with 3 decent relievers all set to F8:

https://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/1585770

I’ll highlight that this is new to ATG 9. Didn’t see this in ATG 8.