Relievers

Oxydizer · 03-10-2011, 05:47 PM

I have been wondering this for a long time, What things do you look at when deciding if a reliever should be a Mop-Up, Middle, Set-up or closer. Are certain things that will stand out when deciding. This would be very helpful to me as I would like to catagorize my relievers instead of letting the game do it for me.

eriqjaffe · 03-10-2011, 05:58 PM

Generally, I look for endurance from a mop-up guy, and everything else is secondary.

endgame · 03-10-2011, 07:23 PM

I used to look at IRS%, but I can't seem to find a way to solicit its return.

Curtis · 03-11-2011, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eriqjaffe

Generally, I look for endurance from a mop-up guy, and everything else is secondary.

More or less this. My answer would only work if you play your games out.

I usually set my spot starters to be the mopup relievers. I don't have a lot of call for either, so this gets them a little more playing time, hopefully making them less susceptible to rust. If I need an emergency reliever, I don't have to worry about calling someone up, having to pass them through waivers after, starting their option clock, etc. And if a game gets out of hand (5 run differential, in my book) they keep the 'good' relievers from getting tired out for no good purpose.

Curve Ball Dave · 03-12-2011, 08:49 PM

I look at whether or not the guy gets batters out, period. If he's pitching lights out as a middle reliever I'll make him a set up guy. I'll keep him there unless he proves he can't handle it. If a guy is in a set up role and not performing at a level I consider acceptable, I'll move him to middle relief. My closer is simply my very best reliever-the guy who gets the most batters out on the most consistent basis.

I'm big at looking at the game by game log if I'm decided on whether or not to change a role. One really bad game can wreck a reliever's stats to the point where they are not indicative of how well he's doing.

robc · 03-12-2011, 11:42 PM

Closer: Best reliever
Setup Men: 2nd and possibly 3rd best reliever
Middle Relief: Top 4 relievers that have enough stamina to go at least 3 innings.
Mop up: Worst reliever that has good stamina.

I don't use spot starters.

snepp · 03-13-2011, 05:13 AM

I *really* dislike modern day reliever usage. Too many innings thrown by inferior relievers while the best arms sit in the pen and watch leads melt away because it's "not the right inning" to put them in.

Depending on circumstances (qualities, stamina, handedness) there are times that I'll make my 2nd best reliever my closer. My best reliever then gets placed in both a middle relief spot as well as in one of the setup spots. This pretty much guarantees that your best reliever will throw the most relief innings in the league.

Another interesting setup I like is a kind of rotating committee of three good relievers. The best gets placed in CL1/MR2, the lowest stamina goes in SU1/CL2, the third goes in MR1/SU2. Any other relievers go in the bottom MR and mopup spots. Saves get equally split between two players, while total relief innings are heavily skewed toward the best arms, not the worst.

03-10-2011, 05:47 PM	#1
Oxydizer All Star Reserve Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: San Francisco, Ca Posts: 586	Relievers I have been wondering this for a long time, What things do you look at when deciding if a reliever should be a Mop-Up, Middle, Set-up or closer. Are certain things that will stand out when deciding. This would be very helpful to me as I would like to catagorize my relievers instead of letting the game do it for me.

03-10-2011, 05:58 PM	#2
eriqjaffe Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2003 Location: Under The Christmas Fish Posts: 7,736	Generally, I look for endurance from a mop-up guy, and everything else is secondary. __________________

03-10-2011, 07:23 PM	#3
endgame Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 16,842	I *used* to look at IRS%, but I can't seem to find a way to solicit its return. __________________ "Try again. Fail again. Fail better." -- Samuel Beckett _____________________________________________

03-12-2011, 08:49 PM	#5
Curve Ball Dave Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 2,393	I look at whether or not the guy gets batters out, period. If he's pitching lights out as a middle reliever I'll make him a set up guy. I'll keep him there unless he proves he can't handle it. If a guy is in a set up role and not performing at a level I consider acceptable, I'll move him to middle relief. My closer is simply my very best reliever-the guy who gets the most batters out on the most consistent basis. I'm big at looking at the game by game log if I'm decided on whether or not to change a role. One really bad game can wreck a reliever's stats to the point where they are not indicative of how well he's doing. __________________ "Hitting is timing. Pitching is upsetting timing"-Warren Spahn.

03-12-2011, 11:42 PM	#6
robc Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 2,095	Closer: Best reliever Setup Men: 2nd and possibly 3rd best reliever Middle Relief: Top 4 relievers that have enough stamina to go at least 3 innings. Mop up: Worst reliever that has good stamina. I don't use spot starters.

03-13-2011, 05:13 AM	#7
snepp All Star Starter Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,847	I really dislike modern day reliever usage. Too many innings thrown by inferior relievers while the best arms sit in the pen and watch leads melt away because it's "not the right inning" to put them in. Depending on circumstances (qualities, stamina, handedness) there are times that I'll make my 2nd best reliever my closer. My best reliever then gets placed in both a middle relief spot as well as in one of the setup spots. This pretty much guarantees that your best reliever will throw the most relief innings in the league. Another interesting setup I like is a kind of rotating committee of three good relievers. The best gets placed in CL1/MR2, the lowest stamina goes in SU1/CL2, the third goes in MR1/SU2. Any other relievers go in the bottom MR and mopup spots. Saves get equally split between two players, while total relief innings are heavily skewed toward the best arms, not the worst.