13.01 Bullpen Auto-sort

I've noticed that the bullpen doesn't auto-sort in a way that seems logical. For example, it looks to try and get a medium endurance (30ish) into the middle reliever slot, while using the long reliever slot for another random guy, ranging from a good endurance for that slot (such as 68) and a terrible endurance for that slot (such as 19).

For example, the Cardinals sort Josh Kinney (26 end) as their middle reliever and Dennys Reyes (19 end) as their long reliever. Clearly, Reyes isn't a capable long man. Even if I expand the bullpen to 7 pitchers, it calls up Blake Hawksworth (24 end) and puts him in the middle relief slot while keeping Reyes as the long reliever.

This does bring me to a suggestion - perhaps a "lefty specialist" slot should be added, as most teams carry one in real life, and the usage pattern would be one that tries to limit the reliever to facing lefties. This would be exactly where a guy like Reyes belongs.

A lefty specialist option would be a very cool addition. Obviously it shouldn't stick to forcing the guy into lefty-lefty matchups 100% of the time, but having the game primarily aim for that with a certain guy would be cool.

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Originally Posted by ChrisJNelson

A lefty specialist option would be a very cool addition. Obviously it shouldn't stick to forcing the guy into lefty-lefty matchups 100% of the time, but having the game primarily aim for that with a certain guy would be cool.

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I think so as well. I also don't believe in a strict Long man, mop up, short inning..your bullpen is based on the talent you have there... I would like to see some more "platooning" lefty and righty matchups on the bullpen screen.

I'd also like to avoid a player's endurance permanently dying if he pitches anywhere except long or middle relief, and I'd likewise like to be able to stretch guys out from relievers to starters, a la C.J. Wilson.

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Originally Posted by HoustonGM

This does bring me to a suggestion - perhaps a "lefty specialist" slot should be added, as most teams carry one in real life, and the usage pattern would be one that tries to limit the reliever to facing lefties. This would be exactly where a guy like Reyes belongs.

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Agreed. Maybe an official suggestion is in order

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Originally Posted by ChrisJNelson

I'd also like to avoid a player's endurance permanently dying if he pitches anywhere except long or middle relief, and I'd likewise like to be able to stretch guys out from relievers to starters, a la C.J. Wilson.

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You can do that by putting a player in the rotation. You can do it prior to spring training to get them stretched out then, and you can also make the conversion in the minors.

Another auto-sort issue:

The bench AI does seem much improved. However, there are still some things that need fixing. The Dodgers in my rosters for example have 4 bench outfielders. Granted, one of them is Amezaga, who also plays infield, but 6/7 outfielders is unnecessary. Their only backup infielder is Carroll. Amezaga is demoted if I switch to a 12 man pitching staff (as most teams IRL do)...which leaves the team with 3 pure outfielders on the bench and only one infielder.

The Rangers also have 7 outfielders - one being Vlad Guerrero, but, again, still, 6 pure outfielders is overkill.

Another example of the OF thing, is that the Orioles have 6 outfielders - this is with a 13/12 position player/pitcher split like most teams in real life do. Jeff Salazar is rated 71. Felix Pie, rated 79, is in the minor... so they're not even picking the right outfielders.... but, Julio Lugo is also in the minors, another infielder. I don't know why the auto-sort needs Salazar on the bench.

And the Red Sox use Darnell McDonald (73) on the bench, with Jeremy Hermida (79) in AAA.

The outfield bench auto-sort is more baffling to me than the bullpen.

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Originally Posted by HoustonGM

Another example of the OF thing, is that the Orioles have 6 outfielders - this is with a 13/12 position player/pitcher split like most teams in real life do. Jeff Salazar is rated 71. Felix Pie, rated 79, is in the minor... so they're not even picking the right outfielders.... but, Julio Lugo is also in the minors, another infielder. I don't know why the auto-sort needs Salazar on the bench.

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Racism.

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Originally Posted by ChrisJNelson

Racism.

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Everything about your pic, your name, and your user title reminds me of this developmentally disabled guy I used to work with. I can't come close to expressing just how much deja vu I get every time your post.

He was a cool guy

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Originally Posted by filihok

Everything about your pic, your name, and your user title reminds me of this developmentally disabled guy I used to work with. I can't come close to expressing just how much deja vu I get every time your post.

He was a cool guy

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That's so weird! Everything about your pic reminds me of a white trash redneck loser!

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Originally Posted by ChrisJNelson

That's so weird! Everything about your pic reminds me of a white trash redneck loser!

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You changed your user title and ruined everything.

Sorry you're such a dick though cause that ruined the effect as well. As I said, he was a cool guy.

Okay, now, let me get this one straight. Here are how things look at the start, with the Reds having 7 outfielders on the MLB roster:

LF Laynce Nix 75
CF Josh Anderson 75
CF Drew Stubbs 80
RF Jay Bruce 86
RF Wladimier Balentien 83
LF Jonny Gomes 81
RF Chris Heisey 79

Let's ignore the fact that 7 outfielders on the MLB roster is flat out absurd. It uses Anderson/Stubbs as a CF platoon - dumb. It uses Laynce Nix in LF over Jonny Gomes- dumb. It uses Bruce in RF. Now, this doesn't seem like its the stats influencing things, consideirng Stubbs and Gomes both had superior stats in 2009 as well as having vastly superior ratings.

Anyway, so, I make Chris Heisey a little worse to try and get Chris Dickerson (78) into the majors. So I make Heisey a 77. It works - it demotes Heisey and calls up Dickerson... BUT it then puts Dickerson as the starting left fielder against righties in a platoon with Jonny Gomes.

So, basically, Chris Heisey being a little worse means that Jonny Gomes and Chris Dickerson platooning are superior to Laynce Nix, while if Heisey is slightly better, Dickerson belongs in AAA and Nix > Gomes. What Heisey's ratings have to do with how the game values the other players, I have no idea, but I only changed Heisey's rating and it changed how it uses players other than Heisey.

Yet another auto-sort issue:

If I injure Huston Street for 40 days, it puts Franklin Morales into the closer role and Street on the DL. If I uninjure Street and click auto-sort, it moves Street to AAA. If I click auto-sort again, it correctly places Street into the closer role (and, I'd say incorrectly, demotes Morales to the minors). It shouldn't take 2 clicks to get there...

Of course, if you sent the file, it doesn't matter but I've seen duplicated players when switching an outfielder's position, e.g. change "Hamilton" from center to right, he's on the depth chart for both center and right.