Limiting Batters Faced
 

I read this in another thread and found it an interesting comment. In my current run I had a rash of SP injuries and wound up with a less than ideal couple of arms in the rotation. I have a strong LR with 40 stamina who I could have put in the rotation but I opted to use him in more games as a long reliever. As a result one of my starters has 35S/50M/60C with a 45 fastball, 40 curveball, and 20 changeup - hardly ideal.

He was getting shelled pretty regularly and I kept dropping his pitch count until I realized I could cap his batters faced. Just basing things on the generalized statement quoted I capped him at 18 batters faced. From that point forward he rarely got rocked and performed mostly around average with more good games than bad (I do have a great defensive C).

Does anyone have more experience limiting batters or best utilizing a P with high stamina but a limited arsenal? In a very small sample size this appears to be working. Obviously he isn't throwing many innings/start but the innings he throws are mostly good.

TL:
Is the option to limit a player based on batters faced in the Player Strategy settings then? Thanks for the idea, I need to start using a more focused approach with my players it appears.

I've used that kind of guy in long relief, and I never really worried about it because they'd usually run out of gas after 30-40 pitches anyway (modern settings). I suppose simmers can't really do that because they/you don't see the pitch count tick up after every AB, so this is probably a good idea.

You've limited him to 2 times through the lineup.

There is a 'bonus' for the batter each time they face a pitcher and it increases significantly on third time around just as in real life... google for such info for an idea of how ootp has it modeled.

maybe number of type of pitches impacts that?

in my experience a 2-pitch pitchers are a almost universally a horrible SP. Maybe a 2-pitch knuckleballer? If the majority of that damage is augmented more during that third time through vs SP with 3+ pitch types of some minimumal servicable quality, then you'd be avoiding that potential cause of what i see. just guessing here, but possible.

as an RP, there isn't as much range of pitch count... ~30 for all but the ones with minimal stamina. maybe 40 with a high stamina and ~20 for the lower?

if he has 3+ pitches and you need an SP, i'd use him as one. Even if you keep the 18BF limit. unless you know you can get more IP over time.. seems unlikely due to how each type recovers from fatigue.

It would be cool if OOTP could add a

First Time through the Lineup
Second Time through the Lineup (ect.)

to the stats page in Pitcher Splits.

Have you considered putting a pitch limit instead of pitches?

I've got a pitch count and limit to batters faced for the guy in question. Over a larger sample size it seems to work well limiting him like this as he's performing above average from a ERA+ and FIP- standpoint with around 1.2 WHIP and 2:1 K:BB ratio. Not a stud but works well in the 5 spot eating a few innings every start.

On a slightly different note, could you plan to use those high stamina guys with limited repertoire as relievers for 1 inning in games much more frequently? For instance, pitch one inning in 4-5 games a week?

Does having higher stamina reduce the effects on pitching “tired” the next day by making the pitcher less “tired”. It makes sense that an 80/80 stamina pitcher who threw 15 the night before should be able to go again when compared with a 20/80 stamina pitcher. Now I know there’s more to the recovery process in real life, but is this accounted for in game? If a high stamina guy can’t come around to pitch quicker than a low stamina guy, then OP’s strategy seems really good and I’ll likely be stealing it!