AI playoff starting pitchers

[Hasta la vista pelota]

My league is in 1959 (though the same thing I'm about to describe also happened in my 1957 season). In the playoffs, the AI's team uses Upchurch as the starting pitcher in Game 1 and Nelson in Game 2. Fine. But in Game 3, he trots out Upchurch again, on two days rest (Game 2 and a travel day).

Upchurch shows 100% rested, despite 108 pitches in Game 1 and two days rest, but I decide this is unrealistic and the only way I can find to keep Upchurch from pitching is to go into Commissioner mode and suspend him. I start Game 3 up again and now the AI inserts Game 2 starter Nelson, 74% rested, as his starter!

It's not like there aren't other rested starting pitchers available. And it's not particular to this series, as the same thing happened two seasons earlier. I let it go that time but it certainly seems wrong.

Anyone else have this happen? Is there a better solution?

[kinnerful]

Originally Posted by Hasta la vista pelota

My league is in 1959 (though the same thing I'm about to describe also happened in my 1957 season). In the playoffs, the AI's team uses Upchurch as the starting pitcher in Game 1 and Nelson in Game 2. Fine. But in Game 3, he trots out Upchurch again, on two days rest (Game 2 and a travel day).

Upchurch shows 100% rested, despite 108 pitches in Game 1 and two days rest, but I decide this is unrealistic and the only way I can find to keep Upchurch from pitching is to go into Commissioner mode and suspend him. I start Game 3 up again and now the AI inserts Game 2 starter Nelson, 74% rested, as his starter!

It's not like there aren't other rested starting pitchers available. And it's not particular to this series, as the same thing happened two seasons earlier. I let it go that time but it certainly seems wrong.

Anyone else have this happen? Is there a better solution?

Under present-day settings AI uses 3 pitchers for a series, while in reality managers use 4. This sounds like the same problem to me.

[Hasta la vista pelota]

I'm fine with three starters in a seven-game series but the guy who starts Game 1 shouldn't be rested until Game 4. In my example, the AI starters should be (in order) Upchurch, Nelson, (travel day) Noreiga, Upchurch, Nelson, (travel day) Noriega, Upchurch.

Instead, the AI wants to go Upchurch, Nelson, (travel day) Upchurch, Nelson, Noriega, (travel day) Upchurch, Nelson.

[SteveP]

The explanation is simple. In the 1950s the League Strategy setting for pitcher stamina is "High" (using game defaults). In 1960, it drops to "Normal". That is a big shift, with big consequences. The other factor involved is a change in OOTP10, in which the default setting for pitcher rotation goes from "Strict order" to "Highest rested" in the playoffs. This is a good change, but these two factors working together produce the results you are seeing. With the World Series format including a rest day after the first two games, the #1 pitcher is rested and ready to go when game #3 rolls around, so he gets the start. If this bothers you, then you need to manually adjust the league strategy setting for stamina to "normal" before the Series starts. You may also need to adjust the League Total Modifier for SP stamina downward as well -- I haven't tested it.

[Hasta la vista pelota]

Thanks, SteveP. Good information.