Managing the Bullpen.

[ELDoro]

Another thread about constructing your batting order my me thinking about the pitching side of the game as well.

I think the starting rotation is pretty straight forward. Rank them in order of your best to worse so that the best gets the most starts.

HOWEVER the bullpen is always great discussion!
Use the closer for only the 9th?
Use a bullpen ace? aka bring in your best arm when you really need to get out of a jam, facing the meat of the order in the 8th inning, ect?

My major question is how could you implement a bullpen ace in OOTP? Is it possible? I currently put my best reliever as my #1 middle relief, #1 set-up, and #1 closer. My thought is he will be put into the game at the first sign he is needed. BUT I'm not really use how OOTP handles this?

Any insight, ideas, ect?

[slugga27]

I like the way bullpens are utilized in real-life, with the exception that I don't save the closer to simply "close" the game.

Example:
7th inning, tie game, bases loaded, two out...I'm bringing in my closer to get me out of the jam.

I live by this Leo Durocher quote: "You don't save a pitcher for tomorrow. Tomorrow, it may rain."

In other words, if you save your closer for the ninth, you may ultimately be trailing in that ninth inning if you use a lesser pitcher in the aforementioned situation.

[ELDoro]

I guess my question is more how do you get the computer to use a reliever like that if you don't manage out your games?

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by ELDoro

I guess my question is more how do you get the computer to use a reliever like that if you don't manage out your games?

I play out most of my games, so I cannot state with authority. However, I think it might be some combination of the settings for Primary Role, Usage, and Secondary Role. See how I did different things with my closer below. As a matter of fact, maybe the next-to-last one, changing him to "Stopper" instead of "Closer" as his primary role, might be what you are looking for.

EDIT: As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure that is it. See the last screen print, where you can select a "Stopper" to enter the game as early as the 7th and still close.

[Fyrestorm3]

Yeah, the addition of "Stopper" as a bullpen role is one of the best features of OOTP14. I personally have not used it yet (I'm playing an MLB league, so for realism purposes I have a modern bullpen setup), but I'm fairly certain that will get you the results you want.

[Honorable_Pawn]

Originally Posted by slugga27

I like the way bullpens are utilized in real-life, with the exception that I don't save the closer to simply "close" the game.

Example:
7th inning, tie game, bases loaded, two out...I'm bringing in my closer to get me out of the jam.

I live by this Leo Durocher quote: "You don't save a pitcher for tomorrow. Tomorrow, it may rain."

In other words, if you save your closer for the ninth, you may ultimately be trailing in that ninth inning if you use a lesser pitcher in the aforementioned situation.

Man, I have to completely agree with your sentiments about not saving the closer to just pitch the 9th.

A couple of nights ago Jake McGee came in during the 7th with the bases loaded and no outs against Texas.

He gets out of it without allowing a single run...Jeremy Hellickson is totally saved and the Rays go on to win the game. What's he get? A stinking hold. Rodney closes out the 9th and gets the save.

Someone really needs to take a good look at that stat. It should be a little more subjective to the official scorer. Like determining an error vs a hit. The save should not be bound by the letter of the law but, instead, by the spirit of the law. If the save stat was "fixed" maybe we would see the best reliever come in when it matters the most.

Right now, it's all about contracts, the players union, and not messing with tradition I guess.

Anyway, those are some of my thoughts about the save stat and the use of closers.

[Fyrestorm3]

Saves are worthless as they stand right now. I agree with HP, Saves and/or Holds should be subjective, it would make them matter a lot more.

When I evaluate closers, I look primarily at two stats: WHIP, which gives me a baseline as to how many baserunners the pitcher allows - for a closer or a stopper, I want as few men on base as possible; and Blown Saves. The save stat is worthless, but blown saves can tell you a lot, I've found. If two pitchers have 20 save opportunities each, and one has 1 blown save and the other 4... I'm not putting my faith in the second one with the game on the line.

[fistina]

Weird, I don't have the "stopper" role listed in my bullpen roles. I double checked that I have the latest version, too.

[Garrett67]

This topic leads me to a question about OOTP.

In real baseball you often hear of a manager putting in a closer to give him some work in a non save situation because he hasn't pitched in a few days.

In OOTP, does it matter how long a pitcher sits or does the game recognize the fact that the pitcher hasn't been active and giving him work will 'refresh' his ratings?

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by Garrett67

This topic leads me to a question about OOTP.

In real baseball you often hear of a manager putting in a closer to give him some work in a non save situation because he hasn't pitched in a few days.

In OOTP, does it matter how long a pitcher sits or does the game recognize the fact that the pitcher hasn't been active and giving him work will 'refresh' his ratings?

You are addressing the topic of "rust." In a rare appearance in these forums to give a definite word on a certain topic, Markus Heinsohn declared this:

Originally Posted by Markus Heinsohn

Rust is only applied in two cases: 1) Coming back from a longer injury (14+ days, the longer the more rust) and 2) entering Spring Training.

So no, I don't think the time spent on the bench or in the bullpen during the season would affect his ratings or performance.

[Jeff Reed]

Rust is another subject which I'd like to get at...maybe some day.

I too play out my games and am somewhat unorthodox with the bullpen. Maybe if I had a really top notch closer I would be more strict, but often I end up using a right/left platoon. My main guy had 31 saves the last year, the alternate 12.

Blown saves hurt my soul.

[byzeil]

Originally Posted by fistina

Weird, I don't have the "stopper" role listed in my bullpen roles. I double checked that I have the latest version, too.

Same here.

I don't see 'Stopper' but I see 'Specialist'.

Is 'Stopper' vs 'Specialist' based on the era you are playing?

[fistina]

Originally Posted by byzeil

Same here.

I don't see 'Stopper' but I see 'Specialist'.

Is 'Stopper' vs 'Specialist' based on the era you are playing?

Good call. I started a game in '77 and indeed the Stopper role is listed.

[RchW]

Originally Posted by Fyrestorm3

Yeah, the addition of "Stopper" as a bullpen role is one of the best features of OOTP14. I personally have not used it yet (I'm playing an MLB league, so for realism purposes I have a modern bullpen setup), but I'm fairly certain that will get you the results you want.

No "stopper" available in a modern era mlb game.

[Fyrestorm3]

Originally Posted by RchW

No "stopper" available in a modern era mlb game.

Forgive my ignorance; as I stated above, I haven't used it yet. No idea it changed based on the era.

[rocknfire7]

The online league I'm in ( TBC) has the stopper option but also I see specialist.
I'm Curious why stopper isn't an option for modern play ( If someone were to want to buck the current trends of MLB) and specialist IS an option in 1915; the current season in TBC?