Double Headers

[rjk627]

One of the big reasons on a major league staff to have a spot starter is for double headers - this would also have more realistic fatigue for players during the season.

[Fibonacci]

I couldn't agree more. I'd also like to see schedules in which every team doesn't have the same schedule (e.g. different days off, etc.)

[Le Grande Orange]

I don't think the in-game scheduler will add doubleheaders automatically, since these are very rarely scheduled anymore and only exist to make up previously postponed games.

But it was announced that doubleheaders will be officially supported and work completely properly in OOTP7.

As to the schedule for opponents and such, I wouldn't think there'll be much improvement there since there are many other areas which will get attention instead. Plus, with the ability to import historical or fictional schedules into the game quickly and easily, there really isn't that much need. The schedule threads in the Mods forum are stuffed with plenty of good schedules to choose from.

[Fibonacci]

Originally Posted by Le Grande Orange

I don't think the in-game scheduler will add doubleheaders automatically, since these are very rarely scheduled anymore and only exist to make up previously postponed games.

Even though they double headers aren't in vogue as the once were, this is a fictional league and some people (Including myself) would like to see double headers. They are also important for replaying historical leagues.

You bought up another important point. Instead of just having rain delays, there should be rainouts. Double headers, would be one way of making those games up.

I agree with your contention that this is not the most important feature that needs to be addressed. I would like to see OOTP7 incorporate more choice in how the AI scheduler operates.

[professor ape]

Occasional rainouts would be great. That would be much more realistic and would get double headers back into play.

[Le Grande Orange]

I agree they would be quite neat to see, but for the game to handle the automatic rescheduling of these postponed games it would require a lot of clever programming.

It's easy enough for us to decide when to reschedule a game if there was a manual option, but having the game do it is a challenge because there are actually a lot of variables involved, which only get more complicated the more games that are needed to be made up.

[Fibonacci]

Programming to make up games may indeed involve some clever programming. I think it could and should follow human thinking which is probably as follows:

For the home team -
1) Look at current/future series against opponent. If there is a mutually open day immediately before, after or during a home series then schedule the makeup game. Otherwise -
2) Look at current/future series against opponent. If there is a game at home in which both teams do not have a doubleheader scheduled either two days before or two days after, then schedule a doubleheader. Otherwise -

If a suitable makeup date is not found, then repeat the process for the visiting team.

If a suitable makeup date is still not found, then the game needs to "make note" of the teams and a makeup will be played at the end of the season if and only if it would effect making the playoffs.

[Le Grande Orange]

Originally Posted by Fibonacci

If a suitable makeup date is not found, then repeat the process for the visiting team.

That's an important point to remember, since if a game cannot be made up in the originally scheduled park it will be replayed at the other team's park, provided there are suitable dates available.

A refinement to your rules would be that games postponed in the first meeting between the clubs would not normally be made up during that series, but would instead be made up in a later series between the clubs. In earlier years, when Sunday doubleheaders were an important part of a club's home games, postponed games were made up as often as possible by creating a Sunday doubleheader not on the original schedule. Indeed, because such Sunday twin bills were so financially lucrative, on occasion games were postponed on the flimsiest of pretenses.

Originally Posted by Fibonacci

If a suitable makeup date is still not found, then the game needs to "make note" of the teams and a makeup will be played at the end of the season if and only if it would effect making the playoffs.

Actually, that's only been true since 1951. Prior to that year, if a game was not made up before the scheduled end of the season, then it wasn't replayed at all.

This meant that a team could theoretically win or lose the pennant by half a game due to a rain out. If, say, two teams were tied for first heading into the final day of the season, and Team A played and won while Team B was rained out, then Team A won the pennant and Team B was out of luck.

It was precisely this kind of scenario which prompted MLB to change its rules so that postponed games having a bearing on the pennant race could be replayed after the scheduled end of the season.

[Fibonacci]

Originally Posted by Le Grande Orange

Actually, that's only been true since 1951. Prior to that year, if a game was not made up before the scheduled end of the season, then it wasn't replayed at all.

This meant that a team could theoretically win or lose the pennant by half a game due to a rain out. If, say, two teams were tied for first heading into the final day of the season, and Team A played and won while Team B was rained out, then Team A won the pennant and Team B was out of luck.

It was precisely this kind of scenario which prompted MLB to change its rules so that postponed games having a bearing on the pennant race could be replayed after the scheduled end of the season.

I like the points that you made.
I also appreciate the history lesson, I didn't know that that pennant determining games weren't made up prior to 1951.

[Eugene Church]

Doubleheaders work fine as long as you play them out and set each starting pitcher manually (to avoid starting pitchers pitching both games)...and use Le Grande Orange's great schedules.

[Fibonacci]

Originally Posted by Eugene Church

Doubleheaders work fine as long as you play them out and set each starting pitcher manually (to avoid starting pitchers pitching both games)...and use Le Grande Orange's great schedules.

That's not a major problem at the end of the 19th century/beginning of the 20th when pitchers did sometimes pitch both games of a double header. Other than for this special instance, you make a good point. What this tells me is that OOTP isn't set up for double headers, and that it updates fatigue at the end of the day. I think it would be relatively simple to have the AI update fatigue at the end of every game.

[Le Grande Orange]

Originally Posted by Fibonacci

I also appreciate the history lesson, I didn't know that that pennant determining games weren't made up prior to 1951.

There are a number of league-level rules like that I've come across that have changed over the years. Everything from tiebreakers to roster limits to when postponements and night games could be scheduled, and so forth. I've written up the ones I've found, but there are probably lots more still waiting to be discovered.

[Dan Theman]

Originally Posted by Le Grande Orange

There are a number of league-level rules like that I've come across that have changed over the years. Everything from tiebreakers to roster limits to when postponements and night games could be scheduled, and so forth. I've written up the ones I've found, but there are probably lots more still waiting to be discovered.

Yep - I enjoy giong over those, myself to see how the game has changed bit by bit.

PS - rainouts and doubleheaders would be a pretty enjoyable management challenge.

[notareus]

I agree. this is a good idea if it's realistic to program it into the game.