Why is my #1 rated pitching staff underperforming?

[mrjordanss]

last year I had the best pitching staff and one of the best defenses in the league but I wanted to be dominant.

In the off-season, I replaced whatever weaknesses were in the staff with an all-star player, one of the best starters in the game and two other top-notch relievers. Defensively, the changes were small. I upgraded or so I thought at second base getting a better zone defender. Otherwise about the same.

in preseason, I was predicted to have 95 wins and the best team in the league after finishing with 79 and 83 record last year.

Started off the year with the best record in the league after 14 games. Everything flowing smoothly... and now I sit at 12-14

The offense was supposed to be average, and that's what I've gotten BUT...

ALL of my good defenders are committing errors all over the place, I just had three errors in one game from very good defenders. One of them was a golden Glover.

The second baseman I traded for, who was supposed to be an upgrade, has now committed four errors in 26 games.

Not only that, but all my top pitchers are getting shelled almost every game. All-Star guys, top rated guys, doesn't matter.

Relationships are fine, everyone is happy, coaching staff is happy, I have 2 leaders and 2 spark plugs. Two players are outspoken but no one is a troublemaker and everything in the clubhouse is fine.

What is happening?

[Rain King]

The most likely answer is just randomness over a small sample size.

Beyond that, nobody is going to be able to provide a detailed answers without actually being able to look through your league and players. Maybe you are over-valuing certain ratings or types of players, for example, or maybe the players aren't actually as good as you think they are (i.e. your Scout is rating them higher than their actual under the hood ratings).

I would recommend letting thing play out over a much larger sample size.

[mrjordanss]

no it's not the scouts fault. My pitchers were at the top of the statistical leaders last year and they each have at least 50+ rating in each of the three main categories.

The players who are committing errors are doing so at a clip that would triple the amount of errors they had last season.

also looking at the rankings, my pitching staff is rated number one by far throughout the entire league

I hope it's random but when the best pitching staff in the league starts blowing games one after another you have to wonder.

[OutS|der]

Last year was last year, plus you were under .500. You having the best anything with that record is subjective.

As has been said 26 games is nothing. Look at where Judge was at after that many games and how he finished. Give it time and it might get better, or it might not.

[Hrycaj]

If everything is as you say (which I'm sure it is) then this will most likely self correct over time. Pitching is especially susceptible to performance swings. It happens in the game and it happens in real life. Baseball history is littered with examples of the best team on "paper" not living up to expectations whether that is being upset in the playoffs to not even making it. In the end though, let it play out. The best teams tend to figure it out.

[mrjordanss]

at what point would it make sense to trade away those underperforming players?

Trade deadline or before that?

[OutS|der]

Originally Posted by mrjordanss

at what point would it make sense to trade away those underperforming players?

Trade deadline or before that?

That's a question GM's have been asking themselves for decades. Myself I'd look at past performance and try and use that to judge how much rope to give them. Up to the #3 starter I'd likely let them get close to the trade deadline then decide then, also depends on where I'm in the standings.

I'd also consider moving them to the bullpen before shipping them out. Sometimes it'll be the shot in the arm they need to perform again.

[mrjordanss]

past performance of all my pitchers is excellent, all of them including the bullpen guys are below 3.00 ERA until now

[Hrycaj]

Originally Posted by mrjordanss

at what point would it make sense to trade away those underperforming players?

Trade deadline or before that?

If you are mirroring real life July would be the time. You would probably know by that point the team has worked its way out of the funk or if they are just a mix that never found their stride. If the players are historically solid and are just having an off year you may get a good return at the deadline. This though may be depending on your ratings weight. I play stats only so I believe it may be a little tougher to trade a player having a down year as my settings put heavy weight on current stats. However, if you have current ratings weighed heavily you should be able to deal. (In theory at least)

[mytreds]

Originally Posted by mrjordanss

past performance of all my pitchers is excellent, all of them including the bullpen guys are below 3.00 ERA until now

Ugggh I hate to be the evoker of Sabermetrics but…

What’s their FIP?