AI Decisions on Pitcher Assignments

[AstroDeke]

Is anyone else seeing this, where the AI is deciding to place a legit closer in the starting rotation? For me, I control one team and let the AI control the other 29 teams. The AI is determining this for all the other teams. These closers have been closing for most or their entire career and successfully, but the AI is determining that they should suddenly become starting pitchers regardless of their past. Some other AI pitcher setup decisions don't make sense either. I can't seem to get around this problem and wonder if there is a solution for it. I don't want to control the other teams. Any ideas?

[Rain King]

What type of league is this? Fictional? Standard? Historical? Did you import it from 25?

I ask largely to understand why the roles might have changed.

Generally, the only way to completely prevent a pitcher from being a Starter is to lower their Stamina rating to the point the AI won't consider it. The other main factor between Starters and Relievers is their pitch arsenal. In general, the more useful pitches a guy has the more likely they can start.

In the end, if you aren't controlling the teams you aren't going to have much say in how the AI utilizes the players.

If you don't think the AI should be putting the players in the roles they are...I'd recommend posting some examples.

[Rain King]

Additional comment to add that the AI does IMO move pitchers between roles more often than it should. The game does not force any adjustment period between roles, so the AI doesn't have any blockers to just switch roles around to what it thinks is best in the moment no matter how the pitchers have been utilized previously.

That's something I'd like to see improve in the future, but I'm sure that it is a difficult feature to add without causing AI issues.

[AstroDeke]

I use a fictional league based on MLB and the MLB schedule. The only difference is the cities and players. Other than that, it's pretty much the same. I've tried changing stamina among other settings, but nothing seems to work.

[Rain King]

I think we need to see specifics about the players in question.

[Guthrien]

It's not that unusual if you have a highly rated player with a 35/40 Stamina with lots of pitches. And often they excel though I will avoid the same. They also like to put very talented arms that could be starters in high leverage roles in the BP. I've had several closers go on to be Starters on other teams, what their expectation is also plays a role.

I think the AI is only ok here, so I'm not making huge excuses, it's just not that unusual. Maybe it's hyper realism! We've seen a stretch of this occurring in real life, ala Clay Holmes.

[szathkey]

Just curious…I’ve seen this before in historical games as well. Is there anything built into the AI logic prioritizing filling the closer role with pitchers that have saves already? Historically there has always been some inertia keeping guys in/out of this role.

Maybe this side question belonged in another thread, but in historical games this leads to things like Dave Righetti thriving as a starter even though he failed at that but then became a great reliever. The game doesn’t know how to rate people like him, Eckersley, etc. since its ratings are based on peak performance (as a reliever), but then they are given just enough STM for the AI to try and start them.

[AstroDeke]

Originally Posted by Rain King

I think we need to see specifics about the players in question.

Here are some screenshots of one player, Sean Wilson, that the AI has decided the pitcher is a starter. I tried adjusting several ratings but the AI would not place him in the bullpen. It just seems that there is some rating either internal or external that's making the decision. I don't know this for a fact, but in previous versions I was able to slightly adjust some ratings to get the AI to place the pitcher in its preferred role. Currently, I have to personally adjust the roles prior to the AI playing the game, which is a pain in the butt.

Remember, I play a fictional league based on MLB/MLB schedule. All teams and players are fictional.

[Rain King]

He has enough good pitches to be a starter.

What is his Stamina rating?

[Rain King]

In fictional leagues, the number of quality pitches and/or just the quality of the pitcher themselves are typically what determines their role because most pitchers have plenty of Stamina to start. 4 above average pitches is generally going to be a starting pitcher as long as the Movement or Control ratings don't kill their overall value.

In Historical and the Standard leagues they generally use the Stamina rating to make sure players are used in their real life roles (i.e. relievers are given Stamina ratings too low for the AI to consider starting them).

[Guthrien]

Originally Posted by Rain King

He has enough good pitches to be a starter.

What is his Stamina rating?

Yes, if this guy has good Stamina I agree the AI is going to say he's superior to other lesser options.

What are his "expectations" on his role on the team? These sorts of pitchers that people like to make Stoppers/Closers with borderline stamina often want to be starters. That does influence the AI, I believe.

[szathkey]

In historical I’ve see. Starters with (scouted 100% accurately) STM of 30/80, 35/80, etc. Hate to keep bringing him up but Dave Righetti was in this boat. I don’t know why he sticks out the most to me…I play during Mariners expansion quite a bit and he is a prospect coming up

I mean I guess this tracks…he should be allowed to try being a starter in the minors, but his peak ratings are based on peak reliever years.

Maybe if stamina was a stat that had to be developed as well this issue would get better?

Sorry for thinking out loud just now.

[AstroDeke]

Originally Posted by Rain King

He has enough good pitches to be a starter.

What is his Stamina rating?

His stamina rating was 7. I adjusted it to be 4 and now the AI places him in the bullpen as a setup guy but not as the closer. But I have another closer with a stamina of 11 and the AI uses him as the closer. So, stamina can't be an overriding factor.

[Rain King]

The Stamina can be an overriding factor in whether the AI will consider the pitcher a Starter.

What are the Pitch Ratings of your 11 Stamina guy? The number of quality pitches is another major factor (a starter generally needs 3+ good ones).

If Wilson had a 7, he was fairly close to that borderline zone and so maybe it went up between his closing years and his starting year. This is even more likely to happen now if you have the Development Lab on as there are programs where the pitchers' Stamina can be increased.

[fredbeene]

Originally Posted by AstroDeke

Is anyone else seeing this, where the AI is deciding to place a legit closer in the starting rotation? For me, I control one team and let the AI control the other 29 teams. The AI is determining this for all the other teams. These closers have been closing for most or their entire career and successfully, but the AI is determining that they should suddenly become starting pitchers regardless of their past. Some other AI pitcher setup decisions don't make sense either. I can't seem to get around this problem and wonder if there is a solution for it. I don't want to control the other teams. Any ideas?

One is there only one AI? Why must it act the same for every team
Why can't there be various AIs, with random function so you don't know what the AI will do

[AstroDeke]

Originally Posted by Rain King

The Stamina can be an overriding factor in whether the AI will consider the pitcher a Starter.

What are the Pitch Ratings of your 11 Stamina guy? The number of quality pitches is another major factor (a starter generally needs 3+ good ones).

If Wilson had a 7, he was fairly close to that borderline zone and so maybe it went up between his closing years and his starting year. This is even more likely to happen now if you have the Development Lab on as there are programs where the pitchers' Stamina can be increased.

What I decided to do is to reduce Wilson's stamina rating to 5 and adjust his HR rating in the Resulting Stats to 8. In the STATS & AI, I tinkered around with the Relief Pitcher Stamina rate. Now the AI has him as the closer. I've had to do the same for a few other closers the AI has made starting pitchers. I guess that's the way I'll have to do it for the time being. Thankfully, it only affected about 6-7 pitchers. Hopefully, AI pitcher decisions will get addressed in future updates or maybe not.

[Matt Arnold]

Anytime a player has 3+ decent pitches, and an internal stamina rating over 50, the AI might consider them as a starter.

[Rain King]

Originally Posted by AstroDeke

What I decided to do is to reduce Wilson's stamina rating to 5 and adjust his HR rating in the Resulting Stats to 8. In the STATS & AI, I tinkered around with the Relief Pitcher Stamina rate. Now the AI has him as the closer. I've had to do the same for a few other closers the AI has made starting pitchers. I guess that's the way I'll have to do it for the time being. Thankfully, it only affected about 6-7 pitchers. Hopefully, AI pitcher decisions will get addressed in future updates or maybe not.

I do think there are things OOTP can improve in this area overall, but I'm not really sure what you are asking to be addressed specifically.

The AI should be able to change a pitchers' role occasionally...I just think it should be a process vs. being able to move them from role to role freely.

[MightyVotto]

See Nick Martinez, Reds. Middle reliever last year. #3 in the rotation this year.

[OutS|der]

Originally Posted by Matt Arnold

Anytime a player has 3+ decent pitches, and an internal stamina rating over 50, the AI might consider them as a starter.

Or two pitches with a Knuckleball. Otherwise this has always been the way.

Why has it always been 50 though when Stamina can go up to 250?