Are 4 man rotations effective?

UtahGamecockFan · 06-28-2005, 12:50 AM

In version 6, is it smart or crazy to go with a four man rotation? I have four legit starters and a fifth who has ratings to be dominant, but just isn't performing. We are in the middle of June in the season and I am wondering if moving to a four man rotation is crazy or a smart thing to do. Advice from those who have done it or know how it usually plays out would be greatly appreciated.

sahyder1 · 06-28-2005, 01:08 AM

I don't go with a 4 man rotation per say but everytime an off day arrives I do like to move everyone up a spot. Good way to minimize the # of outings your worst starter gets. June might be a little too early to go to a permanent 4 man rotation.

Hammer755 · 06-28-2005, 01:24 AM

Up through OOTP4, I used nothing but a 4-man rotation, even in modern leagues. But the game has been changed since then, and rightly so in my opinion, to make a 5-man rotation almost necessary.

Astros33Resurrected · 06-28-2005, 01:38 AM

In V 6 and 6.5 the 4man rotation is not a good way to go. Do 5man and do start highest rested starter.

mauboy · 06-28-2005, 03:39 AM

Try different things, see what happens! I know you're trying to get opinions, but do what floats your boat, not what floats other boats! We're all different.

Heck, if you want my opinion, try 4-man with a spot starter for 10% of the time. *shrug* Can't hurt ya that bad.

arod23 · 06-28-2005, 09:34 AM

A spot starter with 10% time may only get 1-2 starts in a season. It is not 10% of the games played, I believe it is more like 10% of the available starts, which only occur when all starters are tired in this case. I tested it last night with a 4-man and spot starter. At 25%, the spot starter only got 4 starts. At 100%, they only got 12 starts, compared to 30-40 for the main 4. A 5th starter with 'start highest rested' will get more starts over the course of a season than the spot starter.

Dan Theman · 06-28-2005, 09:59 AM

Arod is correct. An easier way to go is to set your rotation to go for the highest rested starter. Sometimes, it'll be a 4-man. Others (when needed) it'll be a 5-man. If you want, you could even throw that 5th starter in as a long man on top of his part-time starting duties.

Elendil · 06-28-2005, 10:59 AM

In my current fictional league, everyone uses a 4-man rotation, and it seems to work fine.

mlyons · 06-28-2005, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elendil

In my current fictional league, everyone uses a 4-man rotation, and it seems to work fine.

Some fictional leagues are set up for that, though -- using the era settings to favor a 4-man rotation. Is that the case in your league, or is it set to default settings and people start a "tired" pitcher every time they have five or more games in a row?

Solonor · 06-28-2005, 11:16 AM

In our fictional league, one of the powerhouse teams (made it to the playoffs each of the last 5 seasons and all the way to the finals in 3 of those, winning 2 championships) has used a 4-man rotation for the last 2 seasons. We started on OOTP5, have been on 6 for 2 seasons, and are on 6.5a now.

Last season, his 4 starters went 25-5 (Pitcher of the Year), 24-8, 18-9 and 18-9. (And his closer won the Fireman award, too, the bastidge.)

We use the settings out of the box. Modern baseball. Never hitting the recalc button.

Solonor · 06-28-2005, 11:19 AM

I have to admit, though, that our schedule may have been the reason this worked. We used the OOTP-generated schedule every season. This is the first season that we have set up a more realistic, MLB-type schedule with fewer days off. So, we'll see if his pitching staff crumbles.

*Edit: Right after I wrote this, I checked his team. He's switched to a 5-man this week.

ChuckB · 06-28-2005, 01:11 PM

Yeah, the number of off-days is key to whether a 5 or 4 man rotation will work. Even with four studs, they're going to get tired and possibly injured when you're playing every day. If you have an off-day or two, re-adjust the rotation if you can, but keep that five man rotation (with highest rested) intact.

06-28-2005, 12:50 AM	#1
UtahGamecockFan Minors (Single A) Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 79	Are 4 man rotations effective? In version 6, is it smart or crazy to go with a four man rotation? I have four legit starters and a fifth who has ratings to be dominant, but just isn't performing. We are in the middle of June in the season and I am wondering if moving to a four man rotation is crazy or a smart thing to do. Advice from those who have done it or know how it usually plays out would be greatly appreciated.

06-28-2005, 01:08 AM	#2
sahyder1 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 150	I don't go with a 4 man rotation per say but everytime an off day arrives I do like to move everyone up a spot. Good way to minimize the # of outings your worst starter gets. June might be a little too early to go to a permanent 4 man rotation. __________________ ayazhyder@yahoo.com AIM- sahyder1 A Sports Forum I run

06-28-2005, 10:59 AM	#8
Elendil Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: the dynasty forum Posts: 2,318	In my current fictional league, everyone uses a 4-man rotation, and it seems to work fine. __________________ Heaven is kicking back with a double Talisker and a churchwarden stuffed with latakia.

06-28-2005, 11:16 AM	#10
Solonor Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Maine Posts: 4,459	In our fictional league, one of the powerhouse teams (made it to the playoffs each of the last 5 seasons and all the way to the finals in 3 of those, winning 2 championships) has used a 4-man rotation for the last 2 seasons. We started on OOTP5, have been on 6 for 2 seasons, and are on 6.5a now. Last season, his 4 starters went 25-5 (Pitcher of the Year), 24-8, 18-9 and 18-9. (And his closer won the Fireman award, too, the bastidge.) We use the settings out of the box. Modern baseball. Never hitting the recalc button. __________________ Solonor's Groovy Computer Baseball League - Making baseball a hobbit since 2003! "Beings will come, Frodo. The one constant through all the years has been baseball. Middle Earth has rolled by like an army of Mumakil. It has been erased like a slate, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Frodo. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again. Oh... beings will come Frodo. Beings will most definitely come." - Gladden Field of Dreams Last edited by Solonor; 06-28-2005 at 11:18 AM.

06-28-2005, 11:19 AM	#11
Solonor Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Maine Posts: 4,459	I have to admit, though, that our schedule may have been the reason this worked. We used the OOTP-generated schedule every season. This is the first season that we have set up a more realistic, MLB-type schedule with fewer days off. So, we'll see if his pitching staff crumbles. Edit: Right after I wrote this, I checked his team. He's switched to a 5-man this week. __________________ Solonor's Groovy Computer Baseball League - Making baseball a hobbit* since 2003! "Beings will come, Frodo. The one constant through all the years has been baseball. Middle Earth has rolled by like an army of Mumakil. It has been erased like a slate, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Frodo. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again. Oh... beings will come Frodo. Beings will most definitely come." - Gladden Field of Dreams Last edited by Solonor; 06-28-2005 at 11:23 AM.

06-28-2005, 01:24 AM	#3
Hammer755 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 2,348	Up through OOTP4, I used nothing but a 4-man rotation, even in modern leagues. But the game has been changed since then, and rightly so in my opinion, to make a 5-man rotation almost necessary.

06-28-2005, 01:38 AM	#4
Astros33Resurrected Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Lufkin, TX Posts: 2,213	In V 6 and 6.5 the 4man rotation is not a good way to go. Do 5man and do start highest rested starter.

06-28-2005, 03:39 AM	#5
mauboy Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 2,906	Try different things, see what happens! I know you're trying to get opinions, but do what floats your boat, not what floats other boats! We're all different. Heck, if you want my opinion, try 4-man with a spot starter for 10% of the time. shrug Can't hurt ya that bad.

06-28-2005, 09:34 AM	#6
arod23 Major Leagues Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 378	A spot starter with 10% time may only get 1-2 starts in a season. It is not 10% of the games played, I believe it is more like 10% of the available starts, which only occur when all starters are tired in this case. I tested it last night with a 4-man and spot starter. At 25%, the spot starter only got 4 starts. At 100%, they only got 12 starts, compared to 30-40 for the main 4. A 5th starter with 'start highest rested' will get more starts over the course of a season than the spot starter.

06-28-2005, 01:11 PM	#12
ChuckB Minors (Single A) Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 67	Yeah, the number of off-days is key to whether a 5 or 4 man rotation will work. Even with four studs, they're going to get tired and possibly injured when you're playing every day. If you have an off-day or two, re-adjust the rotation if you can, but keep that five man rotation (with highest rested) intact.