How do I know if AI opponent is holding my runner?

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Originally Posted by Cinnamon J. Scudworth

My understanding is that defensive positioning with respect to runners is automatically factored into whatever algorithm determines the outcome of the at-bat. That is, the sim treats your first baseman as playing on the bag generally when you would expect him to be doing so, and behind the runner when you wouldn't (runner on second, 3-2 count with two outs, etc.). It probably treats your second baseman as playing closer to the bag with a runner on second, though I'm less sure of that.

"...generally when you would expect him to be doing so..." That sounds like a subjective strategy that any number of OOTP players or baseball fans could interpret in a hundred different ways. I think, however, we could all agree that a 1B playing behind a runner, giving him a half or full-step extra lead would be more likely to allow that runner to steal second or advance an extra base on a hit.

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I'm not looking to read the mind of the pitcher. I only want to know if the first baseman is on the bag or not. I want to know if a middle infielder is shading toward my runner on second, or the third baseman is cheating close to the bag.

I don't want to know the pitcher's intentions. I just want to know what every person in the ballpark would see - a defensive player doing things that keep baserunners close to the bag.

And that being known, I feel it should be a variable in the success rate of stolen bases, or moving from first to third on a single, things like that.