AI Bullpen Management

matt2053 · 04-03-2017, 07:51 PM

If you've ever been in an online league, especially one with real time sim, I'm sure you know how frustrating it can be to watch the AI trot out your worst middle reliever to start his third inning of relief in a tie game in the 8th inning, while your stud high-leverage guy, your setup guy, and your closer all sit watching from the bench.

What can be done about this? I've tried endless tweaking of settings to get something approaching mildly realistic bullpen management from the AI, but it just seems impossible.

I think maybe what happens is the guy just has a low pitch count and isn't tired. But in reality an MLB manager would not leave a reliever in for more than two innings unless it's a blowout. Typically guys pitch in one inning chunks. Sometimes they might go two innings. I wonder if this behavior can be added into the AI decision making.

If not I'd like to be able to set INNING LIMITS for relievers, similar to pitch count limits. I don't want my MR going more than an inning, two innings if needed.

pstrickert · 04-03-2017, 07:55 PM

Keep complaining about it! That's what you can do. The more people who raise the bullpen AI issue, the better chance we have of getting something done.

NoOne · 04-03-2017, 09:49 PM

~25 pitches would probably cover most innings and limit how often the enter a 2nd... reduce more and you can assure they never get to 2nd inning but then may tax your bullpen a bit, too. depends on context what would be best, eh? i have used 20-25 in the past. it has costs and benefits. setup and closer i'd use 25-35+ish. the closer shoudln't be less than 35, imo. a few years ago they said they improved bullpen use to not pitch as many multi innings, i haven't used pitch counts since - although more about maintenance involved, lol.

anyway, i get a good stratification with 'lesser' bullpen arms by using the roles. if you got 5sp avareging 200ip, your top 4+ rp can get most of the innings (includes whomever fills those roles through injuries during that time only). if you have 1cl 2su, then 1 mr and the others use less often is fine... it will deviate from the set frequency when others are tired, but will use them the absolute fewest times possible. don't put secondary roles on any pitcher that's not reliable.

if the starting 5 isn't that strong, then consider better quality a long reliever / sec: high lev. - instead of a weaker/est arm or whichever has 3 pitches.

cl 2su and a good mr (varying qualities according to role - "the reliable ones" if more are rated for the task, cool beans, but i assume with real competition it's more life-like expectations and most relevant perspective).

04-03-2017, 07:51 PM	#1
matt2053 Minors (Single A) Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 55	AI Bullpen Management If you've ever been in an online league, especially one with real time sim, I'm sure you know how frustrating it can be to watch the AI trot out your worst middle reliever to start his third inning of relief in a tie game in the 8th inning, while your stud high-leverage guy, your setup guy, and your closer all sit watching from the bench. What can be done about this? I've tried endless tweaking of settings to get something approaching mildly realistic bullpen management from the AI, but it just seems impossible. I think maybe what happens is the guy just has a low pitch count and isn't tired. But in reality an MLB manager would not leave a reliever in for more than two innings unless it's a blowout. Typically guys pitch in one inning chunks. Sometimes they might go two innings. I wonder if this behavior can be added into the AI decision making. If not I'd like to be able to set INNING LIMITS for relievers, similar to pitch count limits. I don't want my MR going more than an inning, two innings if needed.

04-03-2017, 09:49 PM	#3
NoOne Banned Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 7,273 Infractions: 0/1 (3)	~25 pitches would probably cover most innings and limit how often the enter a 2nd... reduce more and you can assure they never get to 2nd inning but then may tax your bullpen a bit, too. depends on context what would be best, eh? i have used 20-25 in the past. it has costs and benefits. setup and closer i'd use 25-35+ish. the closer shoudln't be less than 35, imo. a few years ago they said they improved bullpen use to not pitch as many multi innings, i haven't used pitch counts since - although more about maintenance involved, lol. anyway, i get a good stratification with 'lesser' bullpen arms by using the roles. if you got 5sp avareging 200ip, your top 4+ rp can get most of the innings (includes whomever fills those roles through injuries during that time only). if you have 1cl 2su, then 1 mr and the others use less often is fine... it will deviate from the set frequency when others are tired, but will use them the absolute fewest times possible. don't put secondary roles on any pitcher that's not reliable. if the starting 5 isn't that strong, then consider better quality a long reliever / sec: high lev. - instead of a weaker/est arm or whichever has 3 pitches. cl 2su and a good mr (varying qualities according to role - "the reliable ones" if more are rated for the task, cool beans, but i assume with real competition it's more life-like expectations and most relevant perspective). Last edited by NoOne; 04-03-2017 at 09:53 PM.

04-03-2017, 07:55 PM	#2
pstrickert Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 17,010	Keep complaining about it! That's what you can do. The more people who raise the bullpen AI issue, the better chance we have of getting something done.