Relief pitchers & Closers roles improved?

[bleachercreature]

The issue that I have with closers is that there seem to be way too many blown saves.

[SDtwin]

Originally Posted by bleachercreature

The issue that I have with closers is that there seem to be way too many blown saves.

I never looked into it too much, but what do you mean by too many? like what percent are blown overall?

[Caporegime]

Originally Posted by Ktulu

In addition to something like this, I've always wanted an innning by inning "depth chart" where you could choose which reliever(s) you wanted to use in each situation. (Tie game, leading close game/not close, trailing close game/not close etc.)

That's a great suggestion. The only problem with this approach is that it might be too formulaic to work effectively in the game. I've noticed that most AI-managed bullpens in OOTP are terrible and are usually in perpetual flux....just like their real life counterparts, and this is probably how it should be.

As in real life, there never seems to be enough quality relief pitching to go around ensuring that most teams can simply lock themselves into a set, pre-planned situational strategy concerning their bullpens. Most teams do have a set closer, and some teams even have the luxury of knowing who their setup men will be most of the time. But for most clubs, including, ironically enough, the (real world) Yankees, every reliever below your closer is a big question mark on a day in, day out basis. That's why most bullpen depth charts that you see hanging in the manager's office tend to be very general and not situation-specific (with the exception of the closer role). In the end, I think OOTP generally reflects that "real world" instability rather well.

[CBL-Commish]

Originally Posted by Ktulu

In addition to something like this, I've always wanted an innning by inning "depth chart" where you could choose which reliever(s) you wanted to use in each situation. (Tie game, leading close game/not close, trailing close game/not close etc.)

I guess that's ok, but I'm betting 80% of everybody would use the "have the pitching coach do this for me" option, especially since it would change daily depending on injuries and rest.

[BigCity]

It seems to me that each time we get into these kind of discussions, we're arguing over how much "setup" the game should have.

"Give me the chance to say which players should be used in what innings" sounds like you want the game to know how YOU would play as manager for every detailed variable. Although I can see why you would want this - you do realize what your asking for is the AI to know what you want to the last detail - while you sit and watch rather than manage yourself.

Seems to me that's asking way too much.

[Rockpile]

Originally Posted by ctorg

In his Historical Abstract, Bill James broke down closers into several categories based on historical ways in which they were used. He used individual players as examples of each type, though I can't remember which players were used now (I think Hoyt Wilhelm was one, Mike Marshall another, but I'm not sure). Anyway, it would be great if the game could let us base closer usage on one of those strategic archetypes.

This is a DAMN good idea.

[sfgiants88]

[hopeful]

Will there be a LOOGY/left-handed specialist slot in the bullpen?

[/hopeful]

[Raidergoo]

Originally Posted by sfgiants88

[hopeful]

Will there be a LOOGY/left-handed specialist slot in the bullpen?

[/hopeful]

No.

[Curtis]

I'm not disappointed. The most famous lefthanded specialist was probably Jesse Orosco, and that was a guy who got a raw deal. For his last four seasons (and probably before) he was better against righthanders than against lefties, but managers had gotten it so ingrained in their minds that he was a lefthanded specialist that he rarely got a chance to prove it. The man was a closer! Closers have to be good against everyone.

[Ktulu]

"Give me the chance to say which players should be used in what innings" sounds like you want the game to know how YOU would play as manager for every detailed variable. Although I can see why you would want this - you do realize what your asking for is the AI to know what you want to the last detail - while you sit and watch rather than manage yourself.

That's exactly what I wan't, seeing as how you can't actually manage your team in an online league

[BigCity]

No argument about "wanting" the AI to do everything exactly as you would, just not convinced you can get coding down to a level that actually DOES manage the same way you do. Game situations are not black and white, and coding at this level, I think, would have just as much error as present.

[Ktulu]

No argument about "wanting" the AI to do everything exactly as you would, just not convinced you can get coding down to a level that actually DOES manage the same way you do. Game situations are not black and white, and coding at this level, I think, would have just as much error as present.

I'm not asking for the AI to manage my bullpen exactly the way I want, I'm asking for the ability to tell the AI who I would like to use in the 7 inning of a tie ballgame. If the pitcher on my depth chart is available I would like him used. The AI must already have a mechanism for deciding who to use in a given situation(ie when to use the closer, setup guy, long-man etc.)... all I'm asking for is to add a step where the AI consults my depth chart to see if the guy I want to use is available.

The AI already has code to determine when to use the closer. It checks the inning, whether the game is close, whether the closer is tired or not and then it makes a decision. Taking the same approach to a depth chart of various game situations isn't much different. Obviously it wouldn't be able to follow the depth chart perfectly in every game, but being able to give the AI more instructions than the current system would be a huge improvement over what we have now.

[1998 Yankees]

Originally Posted by Ktulu

I'm not asking for the AI to manage my bullpen exactly the way I want, I'm asking for the ability to tell the AI who I would like to use in the 7 inning of a tie ballgame. If the pitcher on my depth chart is available I would like him used.

This is more of a question than a response, posed to posters here or beta testers, whoever wants to answer.

We know, as Ktulu says, that the AI already has code to determine when to use the closer. Is that not also true for when to use the set-up reliever(s)? Does this not accomplish some of what Ktulu is looking for, while acknowledging that it does not provide the specific control that he describes?

I have sometimes wondered what the effect is of placing a reliever in this slot. Does this mean he is exclusively used in the 7th and 8th innings? If he is also listed as middle reliever, does AI use him in other situations as well?

Any light that can be shed at this busy time would be appreciated. Thanks.

[StyxNCa]

Originally Posted by Raidergoo

I had Rob Dibble save 52 games in 1990 for the Reds.

I had 52 pitchers with 1 save each.