Broken Bat - Bug Reports: Inexplicable PH substitution

Forum >> Bug Reports >> Inexplicable PH substitution

Post ID	Date & Time	Game Date

#70165	12/14/2019 4:47:10 pm	Jul 27th, 2043
afreespirit Joined: 09/17/2011 Posts: 305 Inactive	The ph algorithm is described in the rules; If 7th inning and beyond Determine the criticality of the hitting situation based on inning, outs & score If current hitter's offensive value exceeds the minimum value determined by the criticality of the hitting situation Keep current hitter Pinch Hitter: Check bench players; evaluating offensive value only Determine best offensive player from the bench If bench player value is greater than current hitter + some margin Replace current hitter That seems sensible enough and it normally works this way. For example this game Top 8th With two on and two out, down by one run and a LHP Yip comes in to pinch hit for McFadden. Yip hits a ground ball single to short stop. This makes perfect sense since Yip is .297 lifetime vs LHP and this season is .327 But fast forward two games to the 8th inning of a tied game with the winning run on 2nd and two outs the inexplicable PH substitution occurs; Ishida comes in to pitch. Manning comes in to pinch hit for McFadden. Manning grounds to second base Manning? .242 lifetime vs LHP and this season an ugly .077 vs LHP Yip is not injured and is clearly the better offensive player so why is he not chosen to PH in this game? The choice of Manning over Yip makes absolutely no sense and does not follow the script. And this may have cost me the chance to take the lead. Updated Saturday, December 14 2019 @ 4:48:11 pm PST

#70166	12/14/2019 4:59:27 pm	Jul 27th, 2043
hurstdm Joined: 01/18/2017 Posts: 576 Murfreesboro Moo Cows VI.5	Off-topic, I love that you have a guy named "Yip".

#70171	12/15/2019 1:26:11 am	Jul 28th, 2043
MukilteoMike Joined: 08/09/2014 Posts: 3294 Inactive	I'm not saying I agree with the AI's pinch hitter selection, but I have the answer for you. In the first game, Manning was injured. If that wasn't the case, I bet he would have gotten the at bat instead of Yip. And there you have another maddening example of "there's absolutely nothing you can do about it." The game is long overdue for a substitution overhaul.

#70175	12/15/2019 9:24:11 am	Jul 28th, 2043
afreespirit Joined: 09/17/2011 Posts: 305 Inactive	No, not really. Yip has been the ph in the 7th or later innings when Manning has not been injured and has not been used in the game. See here and here for example. The AI seems to consider Manning (9/17/9) to be a better defensive player than Yip (8/18/10) since he gets to ph prior to the 7th like this game in the 6th. However, the consideration for 7th inning or later is offense only. And Yip (18/9/10/9/15) is a better hitter than Manning (13/9/18/13/14) and has better career numbers as well.

#70179	12/15/2019 2:21:13 pm	Jul 28th, 2043
MukilteoMike Joined: 08/09/2014 Posts: 3294 Inactive	The game manual is not well written in this area and may be part of the confusion. The examples with Yip coming in are at CF. The manual makes it sound like the AI doesn't consider defense when it's in the 7th or later, but I don't think that's the case. I bet Yip's 18 range combined with his offense gets him chosen. In LF, I bet it lessens the value of range and chooses Manning.

#70186	12/15/2019 5:54:21 pm	Aug 1st, 2043
afreespirit Joined: 09/17/2011 Posts: 305 Inactive	Well, if it considers defense is it fielding or range? I know we like to prioritize range for OF, but does the AI? Why would the AI decide that Manning is a better offensive choice than Yip? Yip is the better hitter, although he doesn't walk as often. It seems like it often comes down to coin toss.

#70187	12/15/2019 9:27:41 pm	Aug 2nd, 2043
MukilteoMike Joined: 08/09/2014 Posts: 3294 Inactive	You can be sure it's not random. If you scrutinize all in-game decisions, over time you can figure out what the heck the game is doing. There isn't much to be done about it, though, other than a few manipulations. For example, if you don't like who does the pinch hitting, you can keep the setting and live with it or remove the pinch hitting option and keep the starter in there. It's completely annoying, but everyone is in the same boat. I don't think the AI looks at stats or production. I believe it is based on displayed skills only, though that is only my best guess.

#70188	12/15/2019 11:45:16 pm	Aug 2nd, 2043
jezzat Joined: 01/27/2019 Posts: 113 Rockford Rhinos V.9	I believe it is based on displayed skills only, though that is only my best guess. My own guess (and bear in mind I've been playing the game for less than a year and am therefore far from an expert) is that it's based on a player's actual skills as they are now. I've noticed my older players pinch hit less as the season goes on. I suspect (although cannot of course prove) that there skills have dropped although I will not see that until the end of the season. I agree I don't think stats such as average or OPS are relevant to the decision.