Broken Bat - Help: bullpen by committee

Forum >> Help >> bullpen by committee

Post ID	Date & Time	Game Date	Function

#45946	02/23/2017 12:23:18 am
Herp Derp Joined: 02/21/2017 Posts: 132 Inactive	I'm not a fan of the highly specific modern bullpen roles. If I could make everyone in my bullpen either a long or middle reliever, I would. Since I can't do that, would it work if I left everyone in the bullpen unassigned but set the other parameters (first inning used, smallest/largest run differential)? Or would the 'pen just sit and leave my starters to pitch complete games? I guess I could experiment with this in spring games, but I'm not sure how injuries work... like if an overworked pitcher is more prone to injury. Trying to avoid unnecessary injuries, my team is going to suck enough without that.

#45952	02/23/2017 4:07:38 am
occham Joined: 11/07/2011 Posts: 258 Inactive	Good luck. Sounds like an interesting experiment.

#45953	02/23/2017 4:14:20 am
Yuri84 Joined: 10/14/2014 Posts: 640 Apple Valley Raccoons IV.4	I've had unassigned pitchers play in Spring Training games occasionally. Not sure what conditions should be met for them to come into play though.

#45956	02/23/2017 6:26:39 am
Tiger504 Joined: 06/17/2014 Posts: 1345 Kalamazoo Bloody Tigers III.3	Not sure how leaving everyone unassigned would work but I think you can accomplish what you want through assignments and management tools. Depends on how many relievers you want to use. I would say 6 is a good number. LR, MR, MR2, RHS, SET, SET2. Your LR, MR and MR2 will come in during games with large run differentials. In close games, your RHS, SET and SET2 would come in. If those 3 are fatigued, MRs do come in during close games. Then it's just a matter of assigning their first innings, # of pitches and hook. I run a variation of this and do not use a closer.

#45966	02/23/2017 12:25:59 pm
Garnash1970 Joined: 08/07/2014 Posts: 199 Inactive	I generally have one the best bullpens in my league and I use very specific roles. I only use the original management settings of pitch count, hook and first inning. If this viewpoint helps, here's how I do it: I set my LR to come in 2nd inning, with a hook of 3 and a pitch count of 60-75. My MR comes in 4th inning, hook of two and pitch count of ~45. My LHS/RHS are set to come in the 7th, generally have pitch counts less than 15 and a hook of 1 or 0. My set up guy is usually my second best reliever and comes in the 8th, has a pitch count of 15-20 and a hook of 1. My best reliever is my closer and has a hook of 2, a pitch count of 20 and never comes in before the 9th. I don't like two inning closers. ************** I did the unassigned method and found I hated how some pitcher were over used and some were under used. I've used my bull-pen set up for 5 or 6 seasons now and I really have faith in my 'pen. I also try to avoid guys with control less than 14 in my 'pen. I feel like there isn't time to overcome walks, so if I have low control pitchers, I prefer they start. My starters are really dependable, and can usually pitch into the 7th, so that has a lot to do with my thinking. Hope this helps a little. Updated Thursday, February 23 2017 @ 12:34:26 pm PST

#45967	02/23/2017 12:31:14 pm
Seca Joined: 05/05/2014 Posts: 5234 Waterloo Dinosaurs Legends	This is described in the rules. An unassigned pitcher only shows up as part of the decision process in excessive pitch count situations. If Excessive Pitch Count3 Check bullpen in the following order: SS, LR1/LR2, MR1/MR2, Setupman1/2, RHP1/RPH2, LHP1/LHP2, Closer, Unassigned If Pitcher Available (not injured) and Not Fatigued1 Replace current pitcher Check bullpen in the following order: SS, LR1/LR2, MR1/MR2, Setupman1/2, RHP1/RPH2, LHP1/LHP2, Closer, Unassigned If Pitcher Available (not injured) Replace current pitcher Where: 3 - Excessive pitch count is defined as above 155 for starting pitchers and 105 for relief pitchers. This is a different mechanism than the Pitch Count management setting. It's basic function is to limit pitchers from throwing an unrealistic number of pitches just because the bullpen is fatigued or thin. I don't think unassigning everyone is going to accomplish what you want.

#45990	02/23/2017 10:13:25 pm
Herp Derp Joined: 02/21/2017 Posts: 132 Inactive	I guess it is mainly the closer role I don't like. Why only use my best reliever when I'm ahead and then only in the 9th? The other team's 7-8-9 hitters might be up in the 9th and I'd rather have my best guy in when my lead is in jeopardy or a tie could be broken in the other team's favor even if it's only the 6th inning... y'know, the old fireman role. Interesting read here: https://archive.fo/jwdfV Anyway, it looks like I may have a few sub-par seasons right off the bat to work out a bullpen strategy that makes me happy. Thanks to all for the thoughtful responses. --- Of course, I'm also toying with the idea of batting my traditional middle of the lineup guys at the top of the order and putting my speedier guys at the bottom on the theory that the best hitters will get more at bats over the course of the season and the speed will still be in front of them in every inning but the first. So you might not want to know anything from me. Updated Thursday, February 23 2017 @ 10:27:10 pm PST

#45991	02/23/2017 11:01:42 pm
Garnash1970 Joined: 08/07/2014 Posts: 199 Inactive	There are many different ways to win. I hate it when my closer blows a lead. Nothing gets me madder. LOL ... I rage-fired this guy because he blew one too many. My current closer has 1 BS last season. He also only allowed 4 runs and opponents hit 0.091 against him. As far as batting order ... I actually look for the guys with the best OBP to bat 1 through 3, then best SLG 4-6 in declining order. I do look to the throw in speed at the bottom, if I can, but I don't usually let it dictate batting order in place of OBP. I even experimented with my OBP guys hitting 1,4 and 7, my sluggers hitting 3,6 and 9 and filling in the gaps in between. I wasn't satisfied with it and have stuck with what I outlined above for most of my time here. GOOD LUCK!

#45992	02/23/2017 11:29:40 pm
MukilteoMike Joined: 08/09/2014 Posts: 3294 Inactive	I guess it is mainly the closer role I don't like. Why only use my best reliever when I'm ahead and then only in the 9th? The other team's 7-8-9 hitters might be up in the 9th and I'd rather have my best guy in when my lead is in jeopardy or a tie could be broken in the other team's favor even if it's only the 6th inning. I agree with almost all of that. I rarely use the closer role, and virtually never do at home. Why? At home the closer would never pitch in extra inning games (unless he blows the save and remains in the game), which are the most important innings there are. I completely agree about the matchups, too. An example--you're leading by one in the eighth with the 3-4-5 guys coming up. That's when and where I want my best reliever to pitch, not the next inning. The problem is there's no way to program that here, so you just have to make do. Regarding batting lineups, here's the way I look at it. The only inning I can completely control my lineup is...the first. I set it the way I think is most likely to produce the most runs in the first inning and let the rest play out however randomly it does. My secondary thought and approach, which basically applies to batters 6 thru 9, is that I don't ever want the game to end with a better hitter being stranded in the on-deck circle. (Obviously if the number 9 hitter makes the last out, a better hitter would be scheduled next. There's no way to avoid that, though.) The only exceptions I make at the bottom end are for massive base stealing threats, if I happen to have them. I try to position them in the spot that makes the most sense, meaning where I want to risk the out for stealing so a weak hitting singles hitter can still knock him in. That generally means he'll be around the 7 hole.

#45993	02/23/2017 11:35:06 pm
Herp Derp Joined: 02/21/2017 Posts: 132 Inactive	Thinking I'll try to eventually build a lineup with speed and fielding taking precedence over everything else most of the time... so most of this won't matter down the line. Then I'll want bat control so they can lay down bunts, then discipline for some walks and contact is always nice... but almost no emphasis on power. Have already maxed out the dimensions of my ballpark to help find out who works in that kind of system. I was a kid in St. Louis in the 80s. Lots of base stealers and good fielders. Can remember plenty of innings in which the Cards would score a run or two without ever getting a hit. Plus, the fielders made a lot of the pitchers look better than they really were. I'm also assuming that power numbers will increase a player's salary more than most other stats. Anyway, we'll see how it works out. Thanks again for the input.