slotting relievers

[theobscure]

I'm new to this game in the last few weeks with the free download. I'm enjoying it very much (except a few annoying things like trade AI- hopefully that has been improved in the last few years).

My question is though about how your relievers are used based on where you arrange them on the right side of the pitching staff screen. I've simulated half a season day-by-day and still can't figure it out. Maybe there is nothing to figure it out or I'm just obtuse.

For example, is the pitcher you put in the #1 middle reliever spot:
1) your best middle reliever who will be saved for the most useful times.
2) the first reliever that will be called upon in the middle innings.
or 3) the reliever that will be called on when a middle reliever is in need at the earliest time. Relievers lower on the list will be used at times in later innings of need.

Also, is there any value or detriment to putting a guy in two of the relief slots? (i.e. middle and setup or setup and close)

This won't matter much to me when the new version comes out and I manage every game myself (with pitch by pitch becoming available), but that's still a month away and I'd like to get through a few seasons with OOTP 5 and I'm having a hard time getting my bullpen used the way I want.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[ifspuds]

Bullpen usage is an issue that persists even in v6.5. The patterns and degree of usage, based on your bullpen order on the pitching staff screen, don't always make a whole lot of sense. There's no significant problem with putting a guy in two relief spots. In fact, it's common to make your closer both the closer and one of the setup men to ensure he gets enough innings.

I've always played it as if the order is the order in which you want them to be inserted into the game (1st middle if available, then 2nd, then 3rd, and so on). I can't tell that this is strictly followed or not when simming games, personally, but it seems to generally balance out the innings okay.

Not much help, I'm afraid, but know that you're not the only one confused.

[theobscure]

Originally Posted by ifspuds

Bullpen usage is an issue that persists even in v6.5. The patterns and degree of usage, based on your bullpen order on the pitching staff screen, don't always make a whole lot of sense. There's no significant problem with putting a guy in two relief spots. In fact, it's common to make your closer both the closer and one of the setup men to ensure he gets enough innings.

I've always played it as if the order is the order in which you want them to be inserted into the game (1st middle if available, then 2nd, then 3rd, and so on). I can't tell that this is strictly followed or not when simming games, personally, but it seems to generally balance out the innings okay.

Not much help, I'm afraid, but know that you're not the only one confused.

Thanks for your response. It does seem to balance out the innings appropriately. What I'm not getting all the time is appropriate usage, using guys in the right situations.

I'm seeing a little too much of Arthur Rhoades (and his miniscule ERA) being wasted in two innings of work on a game that, while not a blow out, is not very close. I've had him in both the 1st and 2nd setup slots and at times also on the bottom of the middle reliever list simultaneously.

I've also carried 7 relievers at various times as my bullpen has been chewed up (and has carried me) by a train wreck of a starting rotation (though it's stabilized some lately). So I can't figure out why he is used in that way (perhaps because he is a southpaw?).

I guess there are so many variables it's hard to put together a great AI for that. It's far from bad, however. And like I said, there won't be much reason for it to bother me much at all when I manage each game in the new version myself.