Bullpen/Pitcher Settings

Interesting take.

True enough I don't think anyone knows the "fatigue function" that is applied between F9 and F0. I don't even know if it is clear in the online version if it is all the @ symbols applicable at F8 on down with progressively extreme results to F0, or if it is all result possibilities but only some of the @ symbols with increasing splits for pitcher/hitter card, or if the fatigue system eventually becomes more than just, say the 11 @results on one side of a Maddux card and is almost all pitcher lookups getting reversed by that point.

What I can share anecdotally is I have seen two teams' seasonal data that had overused relief-only pitchers continually coming in at F0 and pitching through F0 every outing. Their splits were much worse than just accounting for @symbol rolls--it was in some long stretches only hitter card splits, which bounced back toward expected coin flips as roster/settings changes were made.

So with that, to each their own. At low caps maybe it is worth it. And maybe it adds an element of uncertainty the same way a manager has to make limited information decisions on whether his pitcher is out of gas. Either way, good luck and if you note any trends, dare to share them!

Frankie,

It's worth quoting this in full here:

Pitch Count Fatigue is a special system found only in SOM Online and the CD-ROM game that is a replacement for the board game's Super-Advanced Point of Weakness (POW) rules. It improves upon the all-or-nothing fatigue state of pitchers in the POW system by more realistically and gradually tiring pitchers as they throw more pitches and give up baserunners in a game.

In the Strat-O-Matic Online game, PCF is in effect for all leagues, and has been since the game's inception.

Suggested Pitch Count

A Suggested Pitch Count is determined for each pitcher at the start of each game. This represents the approximate number of pitches he may throw before his condition starts to deteriorate.

It is possible that a pitcher may have his Condition altered well before or well after the suggested number of pitches for him. For instance, if he gets his doors blown off early in the game he might have his Condition affected earlier. Conversely, if he is pitching a gem he might be able to go many more pitches before his Condition deteriorates.

Pitcher's Condition (F0 - F9)

The pitcher's Condition can be from F0 to F9. F9 means that he is operating on all cylinders, whereas F0 indicates that he has nothing left in the tank. Normally pitchers start their appearance as F9 and maintain that level until they approach or exceed their Suggested Pitch Count.

If a pitcher's Condition drops to F0 he will continue to fatigue the longer he stays in the game. His Condition rating will remain displayed as F0, but he will start to give up hits and walks at a higher rate if you leave him in the game.

The situations wherein a pitcher can reach his Point of Weakness (POW) as per the Super-Advanced POW rules do still apply, but in these cases he is not to be considered suddenly "tired", nor do all "@" readings automatically turn into SINGLE**. But this DOES significantly speed up the pitcher's Pitch Count Fatigue deterioration.

Otherwise, in general, if the pitcher hasn't reached his POW per the Super-Advanced POW rules, he will gradually start losing points in his Condition (e.g. F8 -> F7) as he throws more pitches, once he has exceeded his Suggested Pitch Count for the game. However, if he has been pitching particularly well in his most recent innings, this rate of deterioration will be slower.

How Condition Affects Gameplay

Similar to POW, PCF affects readings on pitcher cards preceded by an "@", but it doesn't automatically turn them all into SINGLE**. Instead, it is a more gradual effect, and the variety of the resulting penalties is greater. Basically, once a pitcher's Condition falls below F9 (full strength), the chance of an "@" reading turning into a hit or a walk increases incrementally with each point descending towards F0. The hits can be singles, doubles, triples, or homeruns.

https://stratomatic365.fandom.com/wiki/ ... nt_Fatigue

Not exactly a model of clarity, eh?

Does this mean that it is still going by the @ symbol, but not with an all or nothing, single when hit FO, effect? Or is there something in the system, the programming, that has the rolls starting to favor the hitters as a pitcher's condition lowers or when it hits F0 as well?

As I said, not a model of clarity.

Ah well that is the million dollar question my friend. But it assuredly results in much more than singles, and it seems to reverse results to the batter's card at times (likely a lot when at F0). Seems like F0 is not the lowest category...appears there is an F(-1), F(-2) etc

"If a pitcher's Condition drops to F0 he will continue to fatigue the longer he stays in the game. His Condition rating will remain displayed as F0, but he will start to give up hits and walks at a higher rate if you leave him in the game.

How Condition Affects Gameplay
Similar to POW, PCF affects readings on pitcher cards preceded by an "@", but it doesn't automatically turn them all into SINGLE**. Instead, it is a more gradual effect, and the variety of the resulting penalties is greater. Basically, once a pitcher's Condition falls below F9 (full strength), the chance of an "@" reading turning into a hit or a walk increases incrementally with each point descending towards F0. The hits can be singles, doubles, triples, or homeruns."

I also have a team where I want to maximize my starters and minimize my relievers. I have been experimenting with this. I would be afraid to use don't remove B4 F0, particularly without a quick hook. Right now I have it at don't remove B4 F7 and they usually pitch to one or a few batters after that. My starters are so much better than my relievers so I don't have the quick hook set with it. Don't know if this is the best strategy as I'm still experimenting.

Somewhere along the lines I thought I had read or heard that there came a point where every roll goes to the hitters card ... But I could be totally wrong.

rich that is consistent with the anecdotal data showed in those couple teams I saw.

JG--it is a matter of tracking and tweaking rolls and results to convince yourself what is right for your situation. I would think F7 seems reasonable in the situation you described.

This is not exact, but it's close enough:

Greg Maddux don't relieve B4 -- F4 is like $2.00 reliever when he gets yanked

Greg Maddux don't relieve B4 -- F3 is like $1.00 reliever when he gets yanked

Greg Maddux don't relieve B4 -- F2 is like 55 cent reliever when he gets yanked

So I personally, would NEVER set an ELITE SP below F6 (and only if I have a sucky pen)

A $9.00 SP never below F7

This is not exact, but it's close enough:

Greg Maddux don't relieve B4 -- F4 is like $2.00 reliever when he gets yanked

Greg Maddux don't relieve B4 -- F3 is like $1.00 reliever when he gets yanked

Greg Maddux don't relieve B4 -- F2 is like 55 cent reliever when he gets yanked

So I personally, would NEVER set an ELITE SP below F6 (and only if I have a sucky pen)

A $9.00 SP never below F7

Not sure where you gleaned those numbers, but if correct that's good because I typically set my stud starters to F5 ...

nomadbrad--not that it matters, but that seems to jive with my gut...not sure how it was estimated but it makes sense and is a pretty useful piece of analysis to share.
Granted, always caveats etc...as some may ignore if they can't see the "how", but it subjectively aligns with my experience and it was gracious for you to share your bottom line assessment.

And rich--Man I can't go F4!...but then again I don't typically do the stud starters with scrub pen (though ATG9 provides different value propositions than previous)
Cheers

I'll go back and look in more detail (sometime ), but I've almost always (probably 99%) until recently (Im experimenting with the bullpen thing) 'gone with 4 stud or very good starters set with don't relieve before F0. I'm often in the top 2 or 3 teams in ERA, if not at the top.

Most recent example: Rich and I are going into the playoffs against each other tonight. We both have staffs with 4 stud aces. Rich leads the league in ERA, and I'm in second. Rich's bullpen pitched a total of 42 innings, mine 25.

I'm not saying Nomad is wrong, but if he's right, it apparently hasn't made a difference in terms of its effect.