Add long relief option to in-game management

[Lekniz]

Currently, reliever stamina really doesn't matter, as all pitchers will be gassed around 30 pitches when coming in from the bullpen. This makes long relief impossible, unless they are able to have multiple innings with less than 10 pitches thrown. If your starter gets blown up in the 1st, you know your entire bullpen is going to be used that night.

I propose adding a way to decide that you want the incoming reliever to not go all out, allowing their stamina to decide how long they can go instead of being capped around 30 pitches. Maybe their stuff ratings and/or velocity takes a small hit when you choose this option.

Perhaps a checkbox as they are warming up, or adding a "Yes as Long Relief" option on the dialog box that confirms you are bringing the reliever into the game.

[Rain King]

Do you have any pitchers set as a "Long Relief" role? I don't manage games typically, but I thought that role allowed them to pitch longer (although not as long as a starter).

[Lekniz]

I just ran some tests and checked out some stats for real long relievers in the MLB in 2023.

Tested 2 pitchers that each had 50 stamina (98 in the editor), and each tired out around 40 pitches instead of 30 like I thought. Although it did not matter whether their role on the bullpen screen was Long Relief or Middle Relief, they ran out of gas around 40 either way.

A pitcher with 25 rated stamina (15 in editor) ran out of gas at 30 pitches.

A pitcher with 80 stamina ran out of gas around 55 pitches in relief.

So I was incorrect saying stamina does not matter, so perhaps a dedicated Long Relief option in-game may not be necessary. But I do think the upper limit for long relief appearances does need to be higher.

IRL, a few pitchers had a handful of relief appearances with 70+ pitches thrown (Nick Pivetta, Dane Dunning, Javier Assad to name a few), with Pivetta reaching 87 pitches in relief and Dunning 97 pitches. I don't think I'd rate Pivetta or Dunning as 80 stamina (FWIW, Pivetta is 60 and Dunning is 55 in default rosters). As starters they each had less than 5 games with 100 IP, but could almost reach that in relief as well.

[coolfish2]

there is a glitch - if a reliever set to SP then he will pitch like a starter. many pitches & less stuff. he don't need to be in rotation.
I don't try this at 25 yet but it works in 24.

I hope this is an official function.

+) if reliever set to Emergency SP roll, his pitch count almost double than when he is just a normal bullpen reliver. I don't know how to/What is trigger this but Ai do this.

[Lekniz]

Originally Posted by coolfish2

there is a glitch - if a reliever set to SP then he will pitch like a starter. many pitches & less stuff. he don't need to be in rotation.
I don't try this at 25 yet but it works in 24.

I hope this is an official function.

+) if reliever set to Emergency SP roll, his pitch count almost double than when he is just a normal bullpen reliver. I don't know how to/What is trigger this but Ai do this.

This is not the case in the testing I did. Whether a pitchers position was SP/RP and their role in the bullpen had no effect on how many pitches it took to wear them down in relief

[coolfish2]

Originally Posted by Lekniz

This is not the case in the testing I did. Whether a pitchers position was SP/RP and their role in the bullpen had no effect on how many pitches it took to wear them down in relief

Oh I think i got confused that time. you actually put him in rotation no matter he set to SP or RP he will perfom as starter. I mis told between of them.

so I use 5 man rotation usually, then I change to 6 man rotation and put my LRP when I need it.

I just tested on OOTP GO25, still works.