Question on defensive substitutions

[buffalo_pete]

This is finicky, bear with me.

In a recent game with my 2015 Twins, the simulation pulled 1B Joe Mauer for a pinch runner in extra innings. In the following inning, bench player Eduardo Nunez took over 1B, even though he had no 1B rating.

I understand why the simulation did that, that's not my question. But what I would rather have had happen was to shift 3B Trevor Plouffe (who also has no 1B rating) over to 1B and put Nunez in at 3B.

So that's my question: can I set my lineups up such that the simulation will know to shift a player from his current position as a defensive sub and insert a bench player for his old position? Most importantly, I don't ever want to actually start either Nunez or Plouffe at 1B, or insert them as a straight defensive replacement, only in a situation like this one, where Mauer was pulled for a pinch runner (or gets injured or otherwise removed from the game).

[awick]

Originally Posted by buffalo_pete

can I set my lineups up such that the simulation will know to shift a player from his current position as a defensive sub and insert a bench player for his old position?

The short, quick answer is: No, you can't control this.

This is the kind of improvement to the manager AI that we all hope to see in a future edition of the game. Defensive substitutions under the conditions you describe have improved over time but there's lots of room to get better -- through more detailed manager settings and better AI decisions.

[buffalo_pete]

Originally Posted by awick

The short, quick answer is: No, you can't control this.

Thanks for the reply. I'm not surprised, it's a weird edge case, but such is baseball.

As a follow-up question, do you know any conditions under which the AI will shift players around the diamond? I don't know if I've ever seen it happen.

[RchW]

Originally Posted by buffalo_pete

Thanks for the reply. I'm not surprised, it's a weird edge case, but such is baseball.

As a follow-up question, do you know any conditions under which the AI will shift players around the diamond? I don't know if I've ever seen it happen.

I'd say it moves too many players around too often and have campaigned to get it reduced. I've also whined incessantly to reduce the number of players who can play multiple positions. Maybe you can blame me.

Bottom line is that Plouffe didn't have a rating at 1B. If he had the AI might have done the right thing. The people who make the roster set can't win. If they gave Plouffe a rating at 1B he might end up playing there when Mauer get's injured and that is another can of worms.

[PSUColonel]

I agree...too many players can play too many positions.