Heimlich Season

[kq76]

I really enjoyed reading this! Someone's thread on the Baker Bowl got me to watch a short doc on Phillies history a day or two ago, the Jays just played the Phils IRL, and then I stumbled onto this thread. Funny how things intersect sometimes.

Question: are you using your "stopper" as a multiple innings closer or as a high leverage and out of the game guy? If it's the former, why have a closer and setup guys with a stopper? I thought it was more of an A or B matter.

[Pelican]

As to the “Stopper”, for me it’s the latter, a guy with great stuff to come in and face the heart of the lineup. Sort of a high risk and high reward guy, with relatively low ball movement, so prone to HR. But I’m not sure the AI sees it that way, in terms of actual usage. I usually have it set at “seventh inning or later”.

Actually, there was a version of this approach last night in the Phils-Jays game. Rob Thomson brought in his usual closer, Kimbrel, to face the heart of the Toronto lineup in the eighth inning, and then used Soto in what turned out to be a non-save situation in the ninth. I would have used my “Stopper” in the 8th and either save the Closer or use him in the ninth.

Another one of my Phillies sims is the 1938 Season. That’s the year they left a decrepit Baker Bowl in midseason for Connie Mack Stadium. It’s striking to see how the IRL HR totals decreased, in a much larger facility with no short porch in RF. [They did hit a few more 2B and 3B, with all of that real estate….] In my sim I have redesigned Baker Bowl and pushed back the RF fence onto Broad Street, so the dimensions are not so extreme. [Presumably pedestrians on the west side of Broad would have to walk underneath the field - which is totally possible, because the street is elevated there, over railroad tracks. So I put in some bleachers behind a much lower fence.]. Also have done away with the color bar, so an influx of Negro League players in MLB, including Josh Gibson signed by the Phils.

[kq76]

Ahh, yeah, the game uses the former definition. If you're happy with the results, keep going with it, but if you end up not, try setting his primary to MR and his secondary to High Leverage. I wish they'd call that role the Fireman. I know, Fireman and Stopper were largely synonymous, but we could break them up for OOTP. When playing solo I make all the subs myself and don't really follow any set roles, but for PT I use a Stopper and a High Leverage MR now and it seems to work better than using a Closer and Setup guys did.

I'm surprised by your choice to sacrifice Movement for your Stopper, the guy who's facing the heart of the opposition's lineup as you put it, which probably includes their best power guys. If you were going to sacrifice anything, why not Control? Yeah, Control is really important for Starters so they can go longer, but if a Reliever shows he just doesn't have Control that game, just yank him early. Maybe you're onto something, I just thought it curious. I do doubt they thought much, if anything, about these things back then though.

[Pelican]

At first, it was like the beginning of the 1964 sim was a re-enactment of the end of the '64 Season IRL, as awful as that was. A crowd of 30,213 showed up at ancient Connie Mack Stadium, to see Chris Short face off against Carlton Willey of the Mutts. It was a clear and cold Wednesday, with the wind blowing out to RF.

Short would have one of the oddest pitching lines of his long career, when he exited in the fourth inning. 86 pitches thrown (51 for strikes), five strikeouts, two walks, three hits (all singles), one hit batsman, and three unearned runs. Those runs can be traced directly to three bad throws to 1B by rookie 3B Dick Allen (whose defense had been flawless through thirty games of Spring Training). The bullpen (Boozer, Jackson, Shantz, Wagner, Duren) picked up their starter, with only newcomer Ed Roebuck allowing a run.

Meanwhile, the Phillies were outhitting the New Yorkers, 7-6, but stranding most of those runners (a total of 19 LOB! Ruben Amaro was thrown out at the plate by Jim Hickman on a single by Cookie Rojas. [Amaro, like Rojas, is one of those "sneaky slow" guys, who looks quick, should be fast; but is not. The 3B Coach thought he would score easily. He was wrong. The ball was waiting for him at home.] John Herrnstein pinch-hit, and grounded into a DP. Tony Gonzalez was 0 for 5. Wes Covington stranded four. Allen did not let his fielding lapses bother him at the plate, where he was 2 for 3, thus ending the game with a batting average much higher than his fielding average.

4 runs, 6 hits, 0 errors for New York. 2 runs, 7 hits, and 4 errors for Philadelphia. Willey the winner, and Short the hard-luck loser. Hold for Rob Gardner (MLB debut at 19) and save for Dick Selma. This was one you flush down the toilet. It ended in a crescendo of boos, and deservedly so.

Wednesday dawned, a new day, cloudy and fifty degrees, wind still blowing out to RF. And the Phils found a new way to lose 4-2. Jim Bunning, welcome to the NL, and meet Jim Hickman (solo HR in the second and fourth innings). Plus the aging relic Eddie Kasko singled to start the game, and scored on a base hit by Joe Christopher. And that was all the runs they needed, as the crafty LHP Al Jackson smothered the Phils, on five hits and two runs into the eighth inning. Don Lock doubled and scored on a Triandos hit in the fifth. George Banks hit a long HR in the eighth to finish Jackson. Selma again finished up.

Bunning settled down to pitch into the 8th inning, eight hits, three earned runs, no walks, ten strikeouts. Ron Peranoski was nicked for an improbable run on a single by Chris Cannizzaro and a double by pinch-hitting Yogi Berra. [Yes, you read that right.]

So, two ugly games, no reason to panic, right? Yes, but it's important to note that the Mutts were still a very bad team in 1964. They lost some of the veterans (Richie Ashburn, Gil Hodges, Duke Snider) they took in the expansion draft, but their farm system had yet to produce the Seavers and Koosmans and McGraws and Ryans. Should be hard to lose two at home, with your Big Two pitching, to this team. But no choice but to move on to Chicago.

One happy note is that the St. Louis Cards, the eventual World Champs, have started out 0-4. Thus far two losses to the Dodgers, and two to the Giants, on the coast. The Redbirds traded pitchers Ron Taylor and Mike Cuellar to the Twins for veteran 1B Vic Power, which seems like an odd move, with Bill White at 1B. Minnesota was active, dealing 1B Don Mincher to Houston for SP Ken Johnson. And Minny dealt veteran CF Lenny Green for a young Santos Alomar. Minnesota was a team awash in 1B, with Harmon Killebrew moving there, sending Bob Allison to the OF. The pitching was an obvious need filled, and Alomar could soon supplant veteran Bernie Allen at 2B. Rod Carew not yet discovered.

[Pelican]

Phillies Get Past Chicago for 8-7 Win
The rain could not keep the home crowd from enjoying a good ballgame, as the visiting Phillies scored five runs in the ninth inning to defeat the Cubs in their home opener. The big blow was a long three-run home run to the Wrigley center field bleachers by Cookie Rojas.

The Cubs inexplicably stayed with beleagured starter Bob Buhl through 127 pitches and two long rain delays, into the ninth inning, before going to closer Lindy McDaniel, who was ineffective. Buhl started the ninth by walking Don Lock on four pitches. After pinch-hitter George Banks singled, Rojas hit his home run, to bring the Phillies within a run. McDaniel was then rushed into the game, and promptly walked Johnny Callison, who earlier had homered. After Dick Allen singled, Wes Covington was intentionally walked to load the bases. McDaniel then threw a wild pitch, allowing Callison to score. Cal Emery then singled to put the Phils ahead.

The Philadelphia win occurred despite a fine game by Chicago right fielder Billy Williams who was 3-4 with a home run and 2 singles. He scored 2 times and drove in 3. Philadelphia pitcher John Boozer got the win, and Jack Baldschun earned his first save. Lindy McDaniel got the loss.

Cal Emery was 2-4 with 2 singles and a walk. He drove in 2 runs. "We'll take this win and move on," said Emery.

The teams will face off again, weather permitting, on Saturday and Sunday.

That's from the game account, heavily edited. [I cannot stand the common AI approach of a lede reading "Despite a fine game by Moose Skowron and four RBI by Yogi Berra, the Pittsburgh Pirates bested the New York Yankees by 10-9 at Forbes Field on a home run by Bill Mazeroski...." Come on, man. Cut to the chase.]

This is, I suppose, why we play OOTP. Improbable, but it played out smoothly, to the point of seeming inevitable. All after Ray Culp was ineffective, and Bobby Shantz (in his Phillies debut) was worse. The Phillies still had an astounding 28 men left on base, including 8 by Ruben Amaro alone. Clay Dalrymple grounded into another DP, again with runner in scoring position. Eight runs sounds fine, until you consider the eleven hits and ten walks. Only one guy struck out. Weird game.

Reminder to self, gotta fix the AI staying way too long with a SP like Buhl, who was totally gassed, and not even warming up McDaniel. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Under Game Settings/Stats & AI, I have changed "Hook for Starting Pitcher" from "Normal" to -1 (-2 being "Quick"). For now I left Pitcher Stamina at "Normal", rather than chasing it to "Low", out of fear of the "doctrine of unintended consequences".

[Pelican]

Originally Posted by kq76

I'm surprised by your choice to sacrifice Movement for your Stopper, the guy who's facing the heart of the opposition's lineup as you put it, which probably includes their best power guys. If you were going to sacrifice anything, why not Control? Yeah, Control is really important for Starters so they can go longer, but if a Reliever shows he just doesn't have Control that game, just yank him early. Maybe you're onto something, I just thought it curious. I do doubt they thought much, if anything, about these things back then though.

It’s a good point. With the way OOTP relates movement to home runs, a guy with great stuff but low movement is prone to the long ball. That’s a a risk. That’s why I look for movement as well as stuff and of course control for my closer. Although some great closers - “Wild Thing” Mitch Williams - have had poor control. But for my “stopper”, I want a guy with great stuff, who can (I hope) miss bats with heat (or sneaky changeups) and avoid home runs.

Actually, to me the key question for RP is whether they are coming in at the start of an inning, bases empty (typical closer pitching the ninth), or entering in a situation in the middle of an inning with men on base. With the former, I’m not terribly worried about walks. But with the latter, I probably can’t afford even one walk. The bases may be loaded. Unfortunately game strategy and usage doesn’t break it down that way. I either have to manage each game, or use the tools we have to set up the bullpen.

[Pelican]

The Philadelphia Phillies topped the Chicago Cubs, 5-4, in NL action at Wrigley Field. The game was highlighted by the performance of Philadelphia pitcher Dennis Bennett, who allowed only three hits, and no walks, and pitched into the ninth inning. Jack Baldchun earned his second save. The win gives Philadelphia a record of 2-2.

Cookie Rojas had four hits, including three doubles, and scored twice for the Phils. Johnny Callison hit his second home run in the fifth inning, and drove in three. Ruben Amaro had a rare home run in the second inning.

The Cubby Bears rallied in the bottom of the ninth, as Ron Santo hit a bases-clearing triple to deep CF off of Grant Jackson. Santo scored on a ground out by Ernie Banks. After pinch-hitterJimmy Stewart singled, Baldschun retired Don Landrum on a pop-up to end the game.

"Closer than we wanted. Bennett deserved that win," said Philadelphia Manager Felipe Fernandez.


Too close for comfort there at the end. Rojas, perhaps overwhelmed with slugging, made an error to prolong the inning. I went out to the mound with the winning run at the plate, and Baldschun assured me he was fine. That's what closers do, I guess.

I would rather have avoided using the bullpen in a 5-0 game. Bennett was cruising in the late innings, and deserved a chance to finish. But then he got up over a hundred pitches, and Duren and Jackson were warmed up and ready - or so I thought. It was almost the mirror image of our come-from-behind miracle a day earlier. The magic of Wrigley.

The Cards finally won, an epic ten-inning victory of Bob Gibson over Juan Marichal. Roy Seivers won it with a pinch-hit homer off of Masanori Murakami.

In other games, rookie Sammy Ellis out-pitched Sandy Koufax, and the Reds prevailed by 5-1. Willie Stargell, comfortable at 1B, hit two more home runs (total of four for the year), to lead the Corsairs over the Mutts. Before the game, Pittsburgh traded Donn Clendenon to the Orioles for OF Ron Gaines and 18-year-old Jim Palmer. Not sure what Baltimore has in mind for Clendenon, who had a strong rookie year in 1963, with Boog Powell at 1B. And Palmer, with decent potential and 59/62/32 ratings, was listed as the Closer at AAA, apparently due to lack of stamina. An odd deal all around.

Over in the AL, then Orioles blasted the Yankees, 8-2. Tony Taylor had a HR. Detroit beat the Angels by 8-5, with Denny McClain getting a two-inning save. Carlos Bernier is hitting .111 for Los Angeles. Ken Johnson was solid in his first AL start, leading the Twins over the hapless Senators.

On to Sunday's games. My plan is to play game by game, at least through the expanded roster expiration on May 31. I'm curious which of the young guys will secure spots on the Phillies' active roster by then. And we'll see if any adjustments have to be made to the starting rotation. I'm watching the AAA season with interest.

[Pelican]

Williams Hits 3 home runs in Cubs Win

Billy Williams was instrumental in his team's 7-2 triumph over the Philadelphia Phillies. The right fielder belted 3 home runs, while adding 4 RBI and scoring three times for the Chicago Cubs. Larry Jackson, the winner, improved to 1-1. He held the Phillies to 2 runs on 6 hits over 9 innings, while striking out 6 and walking 0. The victory makes Chicago 2-3.

The Cubs picked up the win with a combination of good hitting and good pitching. In addition to Williams, Ernie Banks had two hits, scored two runs, and drove two runs across.

"We'll pop the top on a cold beverage and get back to work tomorrow," Williams said.

Phils' Manager Felipe Fernandez admitted he was concerned about starter Robin Roberts, who allowed four runs before getting his first out in the game, and was pulled in the second inning and charged with five runs on seven hits. "You saw it. They were hitting everything. I can't keep running him out there. He's not hurt. Our options are limited."

Not sure what the game is telling me here about Robin Roberts at age 37. He is coming off a decent year with the Orioles [14-13, 3.33]. IRL he would be effective again for Baltimore in 1964 [13-7, 2.91]. His ratings are not overwhelming [40/33/82]. Still, it was reasonable to see him as a fifth SP on this team. Wasn't it?! He shows no signs of injury - or of any ability to get hitters out. Should I send him to AAA to work things out? Put him in the bullpen??

[Pelican]

Two persistent issues have cropped up in this sim.I’d appreciate it if anyone who has similar experiences would offer their impressions.

First, I have noticed that all - as near as I can tell - minor league players without major league service have degraded values for baserunning, stealing, and speed. On the 0-100 scale, every player is in single digits. This is true, even of players with lots of SB and RS. Once they reach the majors, more realistic numbers appear. Is this a defect in my scouting (which is on high accuracy)? I suppose it means that there will be few if any SB in minor league games, one base at a time, fewer runs scored. I have edited some of my minor leaguers, to see if it makes any difference.

Second, the AI managers, at least in head-to-head games, are leaving SP in the game for far too long, well over 100 pitches, when they are losing and ineffective, with a full, rested bullpen available. Incredibly, the AI manager has failed to pinch-hit for a SP (or RP in some cases) where the team is losing, and runners are on base. Obvious PH situation. The last time this happened, I tried to go into the opponent roster and name a pinch-hitter, but I cannot do that. This is making the games less competitive. I have tried dialing back the strategy setting on pulling SP, and the setting for SP endurance in general. Nothing works.

These both seem like bugs. I don’t think changing various settings is a viable remedy. Has anyone else run into this problem?

[Pelican]

Having lost the first two games of the season at home to the Mets, we journeyed to new Shea Stadium for another two-game set. In the first game, Chris Short matched up with Al Jackson. From the game summary: "Lefties Short and New York's Al Jackson matched zeros for eight innings, until Jackson tired in the ninth . He loaded the bases with none out, on singles by Alex Johnson and Cookie Rojas, and a walk to Dick Allen. Johnny Callison grounded out to force Johnson at home for the first out. Don Lock then stroked a two-run single to center field, scoring Rojas and Allen."

Chris Short threw 124 pitches, 85 of them strikes. He walked two and struck out seven, with only three NY hits. I find it hard to fathom why Jackson, over a hundred pitches, was left in, after he walked the bases loaded with no outs. That is gross negligence on the part of the AI manager. This is 1964; not 1904.

The following night, the Phils scored five runs off Tracy Stallard in five innings, with nine hits, including a solo HR from Wes Covington, a triple and a double from John Herrnstein, and a Dick Allen double. Allen later hit his first MLB HR off a dude named Grover Powell, a lefty who IRL pitched in twenty games for the Mets in 1963 (1-1, 2.91). Powell inexplicably remained in the game for four and a third innings, batting twice, once with a runner on. Why no PH? It was extreme mop-up duty. Every player in the Phils' lineup got a hit, twelve in all.

Meanwhile, Jim Bunning pitched a complete game shoutout, duplicating Short's feat by allowing only three hits, all singles. He struck out seven and didn't walk anybody. The Phillies will have a rested bullpen for the series with the Pirates.

The Giants lead the NL standings in the early going, at 6-1, followed by LA at 5-2. Slow starts from the Braves and Cardinals at 2-5. Everybody else is bunched in the middle. Only 1 and 1/2 games separate the top and bottom of the AL. Parity?

[Pelican]

Pittsburgh starter Bob Friend and Phillies starter Ray Culp pitched to a draw, and then pinch-hitter Bill Mazeroski singled in Roberto Clemente with the winning run in the eleventh inning, leading the Buccos to victory over the Philadelphia Phillies at Connie Mack Stadium. The final score was 3-2. The loss makes Philadelphia 4-4.

The Phillies tied the game with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, on a double by Tony Gonzalez that scored John Herrnstein and George Banks. But Gonzalez failed in the eleventh, then Gus Triandos struck out and Johnny Callison hit a weak fly ball with the bases loaded to end the game.

Phils' Manager Felipe Fernandez lamented the futility of the hitters at the heart of his batting order, Callison, Dick Allen, and Wes Covington, who went a collective 1 for 13 with ten runners left on base. "That's not what we expect from the heart of our lineup, and we didn't go out and acquire [losing pitcher Ron] Perranoski to lose a game like that.."

Maybe that's a bit harsh; but the failure to hit with runners in scoring position is an early sign of trouble with this team. They can certainly hit; but it's timely clutch hitting that wins games.

Solid game from Culp, who is a dependable third starter in what should be a very good rotation - if they stay healthy. The depth is still suspect.

The first bases shuffle between Herrnstein, Emery, Herrera, and Banks (others?) should resolve itself at some point, either with a reliable starter, a regular platoon, or the current merry-go-round. Of course, a trade for an established 1B could be a possibility, if nobody hits well.

One more with the Corsairs, and then the Cubs are in town for three games.

[Pelican]

A chorus of loud boos descended upon the field as the game ended at Connie Mack Stadium. The Philadelphia Phillies got a superb performance from pitcher Dennis Bennett, but the Pittsburgh Pirates still won the game, 4-3. The Phillies coughed up their 3-1 lead in the ninth inning, when Pancho Herrera fumbled a throw that would have been the first out. The Pirates went on to score three unearned runs, and the Phillies went quietly in the bottom of the ninth.

Bennett threw 7.0 innings of 6-hit ball. The winner was Steve Blass in relief. His record improves to 1-0. Jack Baldschun blew the save and took the loss. Philadelphia drops to 4-5.

Pittsburgh used a timely hit from Bill Virdon to get the win. The pinch hitter stroked a bases-clearing double in the top of the ninth inning to put the Pirates ahead, 4-3. It was his only hit in 1 at-bat, but it made an impact.

"I really like what we did out there today," Virdon said after the game.

Phils' Manager Jack O'Lantern was visibly disgusted with his team's defense and the bullpen, after timely hits by Cookie Rojas (3 for 4 with two doubles), Dick Allen (2 for 4), and Herrera had given the Phils the lead. "You can't just give away games to good teams like that!"

[Pelican]

Chicago starter Larry Jackson had a strong outing against the Philadelphia Phillies at Connie Mack Stadium. The right-hander was a big part of his team's 6-2 win. Jackson went the distance for Chicago. He gave up 2 runs on 6 hits. The loss drops the Phillies to 4-6.

Early in the game, Jackson had a 2-run double for Chicago. It was his 2nd double of the season and put the Cubs on top, 2-0.

"I liked his command," said Chicago manager Bob Kennedy. "Larry was throwing strikes."

The Phillies indured another poor start from Robin Roberts, who gave up third inning RBI doubles to catcher Bertell and Jackson. Fellow veteran Bobby Shantz was equally ineffective, giving up another double to Jackson. Shantz was charged with three earned runs in one inning.

Rookie Phil Ortega came on for early mop-up duty, and proceeded to subdue the Baby Bears on one hit and two walks and no runs in five innings. After the game, Phils' Manager Jack O'Lantern confirmed that Ortega would take Roberts' place in the rotation. "He earned it today. And Roberts has earned a trip to the bullpen, until he figures ths out. I can't keep running him out there like this."

[Pelican]

Philadelphia beat Chicago on the strength of starter Chris Short's fine effort. The left-hander led his team to a win, 5-1. The loss has the Cubs at 5-5.

George Banks drove in one run for Philadelphia. The 25-year old third baseman had a key at-bat in the bottom of the fourth. With one out and runners on 1st and 3rd, he broke a 1-1 tie with a run-scoring ground out off Dick Ellsworth. It was his 2nd RBI of the season. Pancho Herrera went 3 for 4 and drove in the first run. Don Lock cleared the bases with a triple in th eighth inning.

"Nice win for us," said Banks. "Now we'll go after the next one and build a little winning streak."

[Pelican]

The Chicago Cubs were no match for Jim Bunning of the Philadelphia Phillies. Bunning totally shut down and shut out Chicago at Connie Mack Stadium as Philadelphia cruised to a 3-0 win. In the 9-inning effort, he gave up 5 hits, struck out 8, and did not walk a batter, throwing 75 of 108 pitches for strikes.

Caly Dalrymple had a key two-out RBI for Philadelphia. Tony Gonzalez, emerging from a slump, had a single and a double. The Phils even their season record at 6-6, and take the home series from the Baby Bears, before 17,228 adoring fans at Connie Mack Stadium.