Very Limited Bullpen Help.

[dave2309]

I'm currently playing the 1973 Detroit Tigers season. I'm play the season in the manager only format. I'm only provided with 4 relief pitchers. I take into account in that era starters usually threw 115-125 pitches per start. Still, I'm at a point in the schedule where I have 2 double headers within a week! All of my relief pitchers are exhausted with the starters working on 4 days rest! There's no way to acquire help from the minors, correct?? It's very frustrating and the only unrealistic part of the game sending relievers out exhausted, seeing them get pounded and losing the game. Any imput regarding this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[David Watts]

That Tiger team actually had 4 starters, Lolich, Coleman, Perry and Fryman make 145 starts that season. Lolich started 42, Coleman 40, Perry 34 and Fryman 29. The remaining 17 starts were spread over 4 pitchers, with Mike Strahler making 11 start. So, what you might think about doing is skipping your number 5 guy in the rotation more often and let that 5th guy pitch out of the bullpen. Also, John Hiller was a horse in 73, throwing 125 innings out of the pen. So, I would use him a lot.

[dave2309]

Thanks for the response. What I failed to mention was Lolich and Fryman were both injured 3 weeks into the season. Fryman for the year and Lolich for 3 months. Therefore, I had to plug Strahler and Niekro into the rotation. My bullpen consists of LaGrow, Perranoski, Hiller and Seelbach. A couple times since the season started, I'll get sent Scherman for Niekro or Perranoski. But never a SP from the minors to fill one of the starting slots.

[David Watts]

Originally Posted by dave2309

Thanks for the response. What I failed to mention was Lolich and Fryman were both injured 3 weeks into the season. Fryman for the year and Lolich for 3 months. Therefore, I had to plug Strahler and Niekro into the rotation. My bullpen consists of LaGrow, Perranoski, Hiller and Seelbach. A couple times since the season started, I'll get sent Scherman for Niekro or Perranoski. But never a SP from the minors to fill one of the starting slots.

Oh man losing those guys would make it really tough. Ugh!

[Pelican]

You need more than four guys in the bullpen and more than only eight pitchers total. Even in that era, guys need a day off. And with two studs out, your bullpen will see lots more innings pitched. I would go with ten pitchers total.

[Caridnals-BK]

Originally Posted by dave2309

I'm play the season in the manager only format. I'm only provided with 4 relief pitchers.

I don't think the AI handles the 70s pitching staffs very well. I've been playing as the A's manager for about 8 seasons now and have wanted to quit the team and run away from the AI GM since he was hired. Only having 1 or no lefties in the bullpen; promoting pitchers who I would use as a reliever who had started the previous day in the minors; demoting pitchers up next in the rotation.

Pitcher's stamina could probably be handled better. Lolich, Coleman and Perry pitched on 2 days rest 7 times that season. Half of those were after normal 6+inning starts, the other half after short starts 4 innings or less. I don't think an OOTP starter can go with 2 days rest, although I admit I've never tried it.

My suggestions:
1. Go with a strict 4-man rotation, using the #5 guy to start doubleheaders. If you get a 2nd doubleheader in a couple days, either go bullpen, or really go with 2-days rest.
2. Run your top 2 workhorse starters every 4 days, and the fill the other 3 in other games. Use them in the bullpen if they have more than 3 days until their next start.
3. Change the game settings from 5 starters-4 relievers for DH-leagues to 5s and 5r. That will probably relieve a little AI GM frustration.

[BBGiovanni]

Originally Posted by David Watts

That Tiger team actually had 4 starters, Lolich, Coleman, Perry and Fryman make 145 starts that season. Lolich started 42, Coleman 40, Perry 34 and Fryman 29. The remaining 17 starts were spread over 4 pitchers, with Mike Strahler making 11 start. So, what you might think about doing is skipping your number 5 guy in the rotation more often and let that 5th guy pitch out of the bullpen. Also, John Hiller was a horse in 73, throwing 125 innings out of the pen. So, I would use him a lot.

That is a heck of a staff of workhorses. I remember Lolich, Coleman, and Fryman from their baseball cards, which by the time I had them all had the teeny tiny font on the back for their stats because they'd been pitching so long I never realized they were all on the same team at the same time.