Spring Training--closers not used

Leo_The_Lip · 07-20-2016, 09:33 AM

After a half dozen or so STs in OOTP17 I don't see my closer EVER getting in a game.

Why?

wattqb08 · 07-20-2016, 10:20 AM

I've had the same problem. I just designated all my RP's as middle relievers with normal usage in spring training to ensure everyone has a somewhat equal workload.

Matt Arnold · 07-20-2016, 11:50 AM

They're intended to pitch less (no point in tiring them out as much), but should get into a few games. We'll tweak it a bit for the next patch.

Curve Ball Dave · 07-20-2016, 12:54 PM

This has been discussed a couple of times. Either make everyone a middle reliever or give the relievers no role at all. Everyone will pitch if you do that.

In real life, closers never pitch the last inning because there's no point in having them pitch against minor league guys. They are often the first pitcher after the starter so they are facing major league hitters.

Rain King · 07-20-2016, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curve Ball Dave

This has been discussed a couple of times. Either make everyone a middle reliever or give the relievers no role at all. Everyone will pitch if you do that.

In real life, closers never pitch the last inning because there's no point in having them pitch against minor league guys. They are often the first pitcher after the starter so they are facing major league hitters.

Exactly, until the last week or so of spring when they start using them in the traditional role because most of the minor league guys have been sent down by that time.

RchW · 07-20-2016, 06:20 PM

The problem is made worse when you have 19 or 20 ST pitchers. What I do is bench relievers who are tired or been used too often. This forces the AI to use the marginal relievers that it normally won't. Essentially every 2-4 games I take 3 or 4 RP out of the loop. My closers get plenty of work.

Leo_The_Lip · 07-20-2016, 09:16 PM

Thanks, all.

I did some checking with the 31 non-AI teams, and their closers all appeared. It seems hitting the 'ask bench coach for staff' is the root cause of the issue for me. Instead of '9th or later' the closer was set to '8th or later'. When I manually set him to '9th or later' he pitched! This was in game 23 of 28 for ST.

However, his first appearance in the 9th inning we had a 2-1 lead and two batters and two 430-foot homers later, we lost.

BIG17EASY · 07-21-2016, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RchW

The problem is made worse when you have 19 or 20 ST pitchers. What I do is bench relievers who are tired or been used too often. This forces the AI to use the marginal relievers that it normally won't. Essentially every 2-4 games I take 3 or 4 RP out of the loop. My closers get plenty of work.

This is similar to what I do. If a reliever pitches at all, I immediately sit him for one day. If he throws 20 or more pitches, he sits for two days. This allows me to have 20 or so pitchers on the spring training roster and they all get decent time until I start to send guys down 2/3 of the way through spring training. At that point, I only rest relievers who are tired.

Honorable_Pawn · 07-21-2016, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RchW

The problem is made worse when you have 19 or 20 ST pitchers. What I do is bench relievers who are tired or been used too often. This forces the AI to use the marginal relievers that it normally won't. Essentially every 2-4 games I take 3 or 4 RP out of the loop. My closers get plenty of work.

If I simmed ST this is exactly what I would do.

dcd111 · 07-21-2016, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curve Ball Dave

This has been discussed a couple of times. Either make everyone a middle reliever or give the relievers no role at all. Everyone will pitch if you do that.

This is a good suggestion, but will only work for your team, and only if you control the pitching staff roles. This won't fix the issue for AI teams, and it won't help GM-only players.

Curve Ball Dave · 07-21-2016, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcd111

This is a good suggestion, but will only work for your team, and only if you control the pitching staff roles. This won't fix the issue for AI teams, and it won't help GM-only players.

This is correct and I would agree it needs fixing for that reason.

Matt Arnold · 07-21-2016, 04:27 PM

Spring training AI for relievers essentially does the same thing. They basically always bring in a reliever who's rested. We just had separate logic for closers, which could cause them to not pitch for long periods of time in spring training.

07-20-2016, 09:33 AM	#1
Leo_The_Lip All Star Starter Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 1,801	Spring Training--closers not used After a half dozen or so STs in OOTP17 I don't see my closer EVER getting in a game. Why? __________________ "My name will live forever" - Anonymous

07-20-2016, 12:54 PM	#4
Curve Ball Dave Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 2,363	This has been discussed a couple of times. Either make everyone a middle reliever or give the relievers no role at all. Everyone will pitch if you do that. In real life, closers never pitch the last inning because there's no point in having them pitch against minor league guys. They are often the first pitcher after the starter so they are facing major league hitters. __________________ "Hitting is timing. Pitching is upsetting timing"-Warren Spahn.

07-20-2016, 06:20 PM	#6
RchW Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Toronto ON by way of Glasgow UK Posts: 15,629	The problem is made worse when you have 19 or 20 ST pitchers. What I do is bench relievers who are tired or been used too often. This forces the AI to use the marginal relievers that it normally won't. Essentially every 2-4 games I take 3 or 4 RP out of the loop. My closers get plenty of work. __________________ Cheers RichW If you’re looking for a good cause to donate money to please consider a Donation to Parkinson’s Canada. It may help me have a better future and if not me, someone else. Thanks. “Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition …There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect.” Frank Wilhoit

07-20-2016, 09:16 PM	#7
Leo_The_Lip All Star Starter Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 1,801	Thanks, all. I did some checking with the 31 non-AI teams, and their closers all appeared. It seems hitting the 'ask bench coach for staff' is the root cause of the issue for me. Instead of '9th or later' the closer was set to '8th or later'. When I manually set him to '9th or later' he pitched! This was in game 23 of 28 for ST. However, his first appearance in the 9th inning we had a 2-1 lead and two batters and two 430-foot homers later, we lost. __________________ "My name will live forever" - Anonymous

07-20-2016, 10:20 AM	#2
wattqb08 Bat Boy Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Syracuse, New York Posts: 10	I've had the same problem. I just designated all my RP's as middle relievers with normal usage in spring training to ensure everyone has a somewhat equal workload.

07-20-2016, 11:50 AM	#3
Matt Arnold OOTP Developer Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Here and there Posts: 15,857	They're intended to pitch less (no point in tiring them out as much), but should get into a few games. We'll tweak it a bit for the next patch.

07-21-2016, 04:27 PM	#12
Matt Arnold OOTP Developer Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Here and there Posts: 15,857	Spring training AI for relievers essentially does the same thing. They basically always bring in a reliever who's rested. We just had separate logic for closers, which could cause them to not pitch for long periods of time in spring training.