Pitching Madness in Baseball Mogul Online

[Schaefling]

I just finished placing some posts in the bug reports section regarding the use of pitching rotations at the end of the season and the playoffs.

I was informed by Tom Kaplan that if a team clinches with more than a week to go before the playoffs begin the number one and two and three starters are automatically rested the last week of the season.

On the surface this seems like a good idea but at least where you are using a strict five-man rotation like I do this means your number four and five starters pitch every game during the last week of the season. Not only is this highly unrealistic it also creates potential problems for your pitching staff.

First, unless the number four and five starters are artificially put back to full rest by the computer(which I dont know about) then they are going to be exhausted going into the playoffs. Second, these starters tend to pitch fewer inning the last week from being used so much which tends to make your team use your relievers a lot the last week which can make your relief staff very tired for the playoffs.

I think this system was initiated to help those players out who can't or won't micromanage their teams through the playoffs. While well-intentioned it's not really working as now players will have to micromange their teams before the playoffs to make sure their four and five starters and their relief staff do not become overused.

And did I mention it's totally unrealistic!

Anyway I hope other players will post here asking for a change. Please give me and the people at Sports Mogul some serious feedback. Let's hear from you!

My very first and hopefully my last thumbs down!

Edit:Link To Schaefling's Post In Bug Reports (http://forum.sportsmogul.com/showthread.php3?s=&threadid=4030)

[Godard]

I have avoided this problem by playing Minnesota and San Diego.

Because of this, I have never made the playoffs! :(

I don't think that the starters should be automatically rested; that seems ridiculous. If I ever made the playoffs, I'd put my starters in AAA and put scrubs in for the last week, then switch em back.

No wonder the closers blow so many games in the playoffs...they're pooped!!!

[Clay Dreslough]

The problem is that if your league is simming 20 or 30 games per day (at 6:00 am) you may not have the chance to manually rest your starters.

So here's my proposed solution:

In the last 5 days of the season, if the team has clinched the manager will automatically replace the #1, 2 and 3 starters with the first three starters from AAA (because these pitchers are actually on the 40-man roster in September).

This way, your #4 and #5 starters, and your bullpen, don't get over-used.

Clay

[sudden]

If you've clinched, I like the idea of using AAA starters in the last week to make sure that your rotation is set up for the playoffs. In the majors, they go to the 40 man roster so they can start those AAA players. So far I have always switched my pitchers so that I can set up my rotation for the playoffs (when I make them) but I can definitely see a situation where I would be away from the computer for a day where I wouldn't be able to micromanage this.

[John]

2050 Dictionary

MICROMANAGING- n mike-ro-man-o-gin- 1. To closely take care of, to look over again and again.



Derived from Clay Dresolough in the year 2001. It seemed to have come over an old-fashioned computer game. :o

:D

[Schaefling]

I like the solution and I'll make sure to keep at least three starters in the minors just for this purpose.

Not only will this increase realism but it should also help rest the bullpen. Very quick thinking!

[Slugger222]

I'd love to see a Disabled List feature which would pull a player from AAA whenever a player gets hurt for more than 14 days.

[Schaefling]

I know you guys are really busy but would you let us know when your proposed solution has been put in the code and implemented?

Thanks.

[Clay Dreslough]

Schaefling,

I got burned last time rushing a patch into the online game that I hadn't fully tested.

I believe I have implemented my AAA pitching solution, but I'm still running it through it's paces. I'm exploring some other complaints about continued problems with offense/defense imbalance.

If anyone owns Baseball Mogul 2002 on CD and wants to help out, I'll post my changes here and you can test the changes in the CD-ROM version.

Clay

[Clay Dreslough]

There is a new unofficial patch posted at http://forum.sportsmogul.com/showthread.php3?s=&threadid=4172

If you download this and run it in the CD-ROM game, it will let you look at the new code for handling pitchers just before the playoffs.

Clay

[Schaefling]

I have absolutely no problems with your taking some time to get it right. That's the way I would do it.

I just wanted to know so I could prepare my teams for the playoffs. For the time being I will just make sure to put some reserve starters in the four and five pitcher spots the last week of the season when I clinch early.

Thanks for the update.

On another note, I posted some questions on the Personal Pages on Sunday in the General Questions section. I was asking about the Quit Rating and Mogul Scores.

Could someone please answer them even if it's just to tell me there is no definite answer at this point. It would be much appreciated.

I would love to check out your patch but it's all I can do right now to manage six teams online. Besides I just bought Civ III. Sorry about that.:)