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Old 05-07-2014, 01:29 AM   #32
Questdog
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: In a dark, damp cave where I'm training slugs to run the bases......
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Wolf View Post
Me too. But who is to say that the AI is not making a better choice? I have seen some real-life GM's make some really serious errors when choosing closers before, and I bet you have too.
If, as the sabermetricians proclaim, it does not much matter who the closer is since an average one will let his team win 85% of the time, how can you make a serious error in choosing one?

Personally, I think the only error to be made is deciding to choose one in the first place. When relievers first came to the fore, they were called fireman because they came in when the other team was threatening a rally and quickly doused the flames. From the 6th inning on, in a close game, the relief ace was expected to be ready to come in at a moment's notice. And just because he came on in the 7th inning yesterday and finished out the game is no reason the manager wouldn't call his number in the 7th inning again today. And tomorrow, too, if needed. And usually there were already men on base. Thus the term "Save" came to be, because the game was very definitely heading for the loss column. What a "Closer" is doing when he comes in to start the 9th inning of a 4 to 2 ballgame, is not in any way in the spirit of "Saving" a game headed for a loss. He is merely closing out the work started by others.
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