Lefty/Righty duel

[case]

Is there a way to increase the effect of lefty vs righty. That is increase benefit or success that a left handed batter has against a right handed pitcher. Can this be modified in the configuration files or anywhere else.

[Curve Ball Dave]

Not universally across a league, no, and I don't see why you'd want to.

Keep in mind, the effectiveness of opposite hand pitchers against a batter varies from pitcher to pitcher. There are some lefties who, because of what they throw and how, are better against righties. And of course, there are some right handed pitchers who are better against left handed batters. For that matter, some left handed batters hit left handed pitchers better, and right handed batters who do better against right handed pitchers.

It varies from player to player. That's baseball, that's the beauty of it.

[RchW]

But in general established platoon splits apply to whatever league type and baseball era one is playing. In other words it's built in.

[case]

Originally Posted by Curve Ball Dave

Not universally across a league, no, and I don't see why you'd want to.

Keep in mind, the effectiveness of opposite hand pitchers against a batter varies from pitcher to pitcher. There are some lefties who, because of what they throw and how, are better against righties. And of course, there are some right handed pitchers who are better against left handed batters. For that matter, some left handed batters hit left handed pitchers better, and right handed batters who do better against right handed pitchers.

It varies from player to player. That's baseball, that's the beauty of it.

Thanks. You are correct I want to universally change it across the league.

The reason is obvious to place more dynamic on the lefty, righty platoon.
What you are referring to though is only baseball played by those silly flesh and blood entities.The real game of baseball-- ootp does not work that way. All other things being equal between two identical hitters except for batting hand, AI managers are going to prefer a lefty hitter against a righty pitcher, even when you go in and edit the lefty so that he hits worse against right handers.

[Number4]

The scenario you describe - both batter and pitcher having reverse splits - is so unlikely, it is not worth programming.

The baseball world is righty-centric, especially pitching. For a lefty pitcher to develop a reverse split is not too uncommon - he's facing mostly righties, and there are pitches which are effective against the usual split - the screwball in particular reverses the normal advantages of pitcher/batter handedness. However, a righty pitcher will also focus on the more common righties - unlikely to have a reverse split.

From the other side, both lefty and righty batters are also facing mostly righty pitching. Though righties may seldomly develop a slight reverse batting split, lefties are very unlikely to do likewise. There's a strong survivor bias at work - righty batters who can't hit righty pitching plain suck at baseball and don't leave the minors, while lefty batters who are bad against lefties often survive if they hit righties well enough.

Therefore, the not too unusual lefty reverse split pitchers will almost never get a reverse split lefty batter, while righty reverse splits, both pitching and batting, are also rare.

And even if a such a situation would happen, especially in the pre-sabermetrics times, a human manager would still often believe in tradition and make the same error as the ai would do.

[ThePretender]

There are tons of RH batters that can't hit righties in the majors. They're your fourth OF, utility, and platoon bats. So I wouldn't say they don't reach the majors.

That being said, I don't think anything needs to be changed. As someone who typically runs 6-7 platoons in a lineup, I think the R/L balance is pretty well established and doesn't need to increase the benefit. It's already pretty pronounced.

[Number4]

Of course righties are better against lefties and so you could say that a righty backup can't "hit righties". However if he were completly useless against righties, he wouldn't even get that far.

Imagine 2 otherwise identical players with a strong platoon split, one (L) will with full development be hitting .300 against righties and .150 against lefties, the other (R) .150 against righties and .300 against lefties.

L is going to get a lot of chances because of his impressive stats, R might not even get enough attention to get drafted. Even if he manages to get drafted, he might wash out going from R to A, A to AA etc, because you'd rather invest your time in players who will be more than the junior partner in a platoon at most! You get close to or into the show on overall talent, you might stay as a platoon hitter or backup if that is what you end up.
So there is a strong survivor bias at work.

[case]

Originally Posted by Number4

The scenario you describe - both batter and pitcher having reverse splits - is so unlikely, it is not worth programming.

The baseball world is righty-centric, especially pitching. For a lefty pitcher to develop a reverse split is not too uncommon - he's facing mostly righties, and there are pitches which are effective against the usual split - the screwball in particular reverses the normal advantages of pitcher/batter handedness. However, a righty pitcher will also focus on the more common righties - unlikely to have a reverse split.

From the other side, both lefty and righty batters are also facing mostly righty pitching. Though righties may seldomly develop a slight reverse batting split, lefties are very unlikely to do likewise. There's a strong survivor bias at work - righty batters who can't hit righty pitching plain suck at baseball and don't leave the minors, while lefty batters who are bad against lefties often survive if they hit righties well enough.

Therefore, the not too unusual lefty reverse split pitchers will almost never get a reverse split lefty batter, while righty reverse splits, both pitching and batting, are also rare.

And even if a such a situation would happen, especially in the pre-sabermetrics times, a human manager would still often believe in tradition and make the same error as the ai would do.

That is not my scenario that is the scenario described from the poster I was quoting. None of the commentary about whether a lefty hitter with poor hitting against Righty pitchers would make it to the bigs etc., really matters. My question remains is it possible to increase the effect of righty/lefty play. Not wanting to change someone elses game or Ootp for anyone else, just mine. Why you ask, well I am not trying to mimic or create a carbon copy real life baseball, we already have that ie MLB. I just want to make my own baseball universe and I am gathering since no one has really addressed the question, and everyone is getting way out in left field it probably isn't possible.

[ThePretender]

Originally Posted by Number4

Of course righties are better against lefties and so you could say that a righty backup can't "hit righties". However if he were completly useless against righties, he wouldn't even get that far.

It happens all the time. OF Chris Young has an 83 wRC+ vs RHP and 122 vs LHP for his career. There are many players like this who can't touch RHP and crush LHP. Believe me, they make it to the majors far more than you suggest.

Imagine 2 otherwise identical players with a strong platoon split, one (L) will with full development be hitting .300 against righties and .150 against lefties, the other (R) .150 against righties and .300 against lefties.

You're describing my favourite OOTP players. I love platoons and I would love to have two players like this on my roster for 6/9 lineup spots. Go on.

L is going to get a lot of chances because of his impressive stats, R might not even get enough attention to get drafted.

Except that scouts would notice fairly quickly:

A) He can hit LHP
B) He's got good power/obp skills/defence and is worthy of a late draft pick
C) As I'll show later, guys who are eventual fourth OF don't struggle in high school and college, or the minors. So they'll still look good to scouts.

Even if he manages to get drafted, he might wash out going from R to A, A to AA etc, because you'd rather invest your time in players who will be more than the junior partner in a platoon at most!

If there's a guy with the upside to hit 300 vs LHP you better believe teams will invest time to develop them. Yes, it's better to have guys who hit RHP, the majority of pitchers, but you develop talent as best you can, and if that means you develop a fourth OF like Chris Young, then you develop him.

You get close to or into the show on overall talent, you might stay as a platoon hitter or backup if that is what you end up.

A fourth OF type in the majors who can't hit RHP is still going to do well against AAA pitching. Chris Young made the majors at age 22, and had a 272/363/511 line in the minors. A major league calibre hitter is always going to do well in the minors. But the guys who struggle vs RHP, you won't know till they hit the majors. They still do well vs RHP in the minors.

Your concept that a guy who can't hit RHP would be exposed in the minors is wrong. They excel in the minors, and get exposed in the majors, not the other way around.

As to the OP - the effect you are looking for is built into the game. If you try to increase it anymore, there will be a significant imbalance and you won't reach the result you want. As someone who platoons excessively, and looks at every LH/RH split imaginable for hitters and pitchers, I can tell you that if you could increase it, you'd be turning LH bats into Gods.