Help Playing Out Games

[Hkim]

I've been playing OOTP since the 15 version and the game is fantastic! It's really feels like a good look into the office of a general manager. And when it comes to that side of the game, I feel I know it decently well.

Recently I've decided to try and play out a few games as a manager, particularly the postseason games because, well, it's postseason. With the new 3D feature, the games feel pretty immersive.

Unfortunately, I'm getting the feeling that I'm worse at managing my team than the AI.

I know it's a small sample size, but despite putting together a decent team each year, I seem to struggle in all of the games, more than I feel should be the case. Now I could be unlucky, but it's probably more that I just don't know what I'm doing.

Do you veterans have any tips when it comes to managing a game? When you like to pitch, pitch around, or pitch to contact? When you generally substitute players and your offensive strategy? How you shift players around?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Number4]

Pitching:
Pitch is standard
Pitch around is when you are can accept a walk, usually with a runner on 2nd or 3rd so you will set up the double play, or against very dangerous hitters.
Another option is to use pitch around with pitchers with elite control - as they give up walks rarely, the drawback of this option is not as pronounced.

Pitching to contact: If you don't want to walk a guy - either bases loaded, or a low-power hitter where a walk will be comparable to a single (for example I would not want a walk with bases empty, as the result is the same as a single, though with a runner on 3rd a single and a walk is different).

Shifts:

Outfield deep: If you cannot allow any doubles, winning run at 1st
Outfield in: If the winning run is at third with less than 2 outs
Outfield left/right: against extreme pull hitters. Lefty hitters pull to right and vice versa!

Infield in: Either: winning run at third less than 2 outs, or runner only at third and also less than 2 outs. Don't use it if the run does not matter.
Corners in: To protect against a sacrifice bunt
Third baseman in: To protect against a bunt for hit
First in: Something with bunts I guess, but I never use or see it.
Guard lines: If you don't want a double (winning run at first)
If deep: Winning run a fast runner at second with less than 2 outs, or any runner at second with 2 outs. However, I'd usually rather set up the DP with less than 2 outs.
Shifts left/right, hard shift, infield in shift etc.: against pull hitters, hard against extreme pull hitters.
Shift right, guard 3B: Against pull hitting lefties that could otherwise bunt themselves on for hit.

Substitutions: Don't overdo it! I'd pinch-hit either as part of a platoon, or for a much weaker hitter in a good spot to do it. Defensive substitutions late in the game when the replaced player won't come up soon.

And remember: Very often the best managerial choice is simply doing nothing - meaning vanilla pitch and swing away.

[Hkim]

Wow, thanks Number4! I didn't think about most of that stuff. That's really useful!