Sparky's Decisions with No-Hitter in Progress Topic

I checked the FAQ and did a search of the forums but couldn't find anything definitive.

It was always my understanding that if your starter had a no-hitter going through seven innings, Sparky would leave him in to try to complete it even if he was over his pitch count.

However Sparky just pulled my Verlander with two outs in the ninth:

https://www.whatifsports.com/slb/Boxscore.aspx?gid=33405064&pid=1&pbp=0&tf=10

I had Verlander's pitch count at 90/95, so perhaps it pulls the starter once he's gonna be more than 30 pitches past his max pitch count?

Anyone have past experience with this or know what the criteria is? I'm curious if the score of the game has an impact or if it's just 30 extra pitches regardless.

1/24/2020 1:51 PM
You will almost always see Sparky do exactly as he is told. He manages based on your settings.

An excerpt from the pinned threads

In summary, Sparky will manage according to your instructions EXACTLY as you have provided them to him. He is not going to override them, no matter how much you may want him to, or how much you think “common sense” should dictate otherwise, unless he has no other options.
This is the most important point in this entire thread: Sparky’s use of the bullpen is extremely logical. By “logical” I don’t necessarily mean that every decision Sparky makes is exactly the way I would make it, or you would make it, or a real manager would make it. By “logical” I mean that WIS has programmed him with very specific rules about which pitchers to use, in which order of priority, based on inning and score differential AND YOUR SETTINGS. There are – as far as I know – absolutely no documented glitches in this part of the algorithm. There is no line of code that says “disregard the settings here and make a random decision guaranteed to screw over the owner.” So, if you find that in fact Sparky did something you think is illogical, it’s always because he had no other options available based on the programming and the instructions you gave him.
1/24/2020 2:40 PM (edited)
Sparky didn't follow my settings, sorry I didn't make that clear

I had the max pitch count at 95 and Verlander was left in for 124 pitches because he had a no hitter going, then pulled with two outs in the ninth with the no hitter still intact.

I'm not complaining, I'm curious as to exactly how no-hitters in progress affect Sparky's decisions. My theory, based on this result, is the starter gets 30 extra pitches to complete the no-hitter as long as he has one going into the eighth inning. I was wondering if anyone else had any insight into this.
1/24/2020 2:43 PM
124 pitches seems a lot for a no-hitter.
1/24/2020 3:07 PM
Verlander also didn’t get player of the game!!
1/24/2020 9:04 PM
Posted by DoctorKz on 1/24/2020 2:40:00 PM (view original):
You will almost always see Sparky do exactly as he is told. He manages based on your settings.

An excerpt from the pinned threads

In summary, Sparky will manage according to your instructions EXACTLY as you have provided them to him. He is not going to override them, no matter how much you may want him to, or how much you think “common sense” should dictate otherwise, unless he has no other options.
This is the most important point in this entire thread: Sparky’s use of the bullpen is extremely logical. By “logical” I don’t necessarily mean that every decision Sparky makes is exactly the way I would make it, or you would make it, or a real manager would make it. By “logical” I mean that WIS has programmed him with very specific rules about which pitchers to use, in which order of priority, based on inning and score differential AND YOUR SETTINGS. There are – as far as I know – absolutely no documented glitches in this part of the algorithm. There is no line of code that says “disregard the settings here and make a random decision guaranteed to screw over the owner.” So, if you find that in fact Sparky did something you think is illogical, it’s always because he had no other options available based on the programming and the instructions you gave him.
That same thread (which I wrote :)) also says that one of the handful of known reasons why a pitcher will exceed his TPC/MPC is if he has a no-hitter going after the 7th inning.

However, that doesn't mean that a pitcher will be allowed to pitch indefinitely. I have always assumed (and I _think_ I can recall examples) when a pitcher with a no-hitter going was pulled in the 9th if the tying/winning runs were on base.

The example cited here (as noted by the OP) suggests that there may an upper bound on the pitch count (beyond the TPC/MPC) even if the game is not in jeopardy. Perhaps it's a fixed number (~25 pitches above MPC) or maybe it's a percentage (~25% beyond MPC). Thanks for posting this example. It adds to the body of information we can use to understand how the relief algorithms work.
1/24/2020 9:09 PM
This has come up before. Pitchers with no-hitters are allowed to exceed their max PC but apparently it's only by a limited amount. I've heard 20% though you got more than that.
1/25/2020 10:19 AM
happened again!

Roger Nelson was at 65/65 pitch count and got pulled two outs from a perfect game at 81 pitches

https://www.whatifsports.com/slb/Boxscore.aspx?gid=37502460&pid=1&pbp=0&tf=10

looks like it will give the pitcher 20 to 25 percent past the max pitch count with a no hitter going after the 7th inning

8/27/2021 6:16 PM
https://www.whatifsports.com/mlb-l/faq.shtm#overpc
2/2/2022 6:19 PM
I have always noticed the pitcher goes about 20% above max pc like noted by others..strange; they need a max (no-hitter) pc
2/3/2022 10:48 PM
Posted by 06gsp on 4/28/2022 7:09:00 PM (view original):
another one!

https://www.whatifsports.com/slb/Boxscore.aspx?gid=39032355&pid=1&pbp=0&tf=10
Johnson pulled after 94 pitches in 8-2/3rd of no hit ball. Too bad Hess gave up the no hitter! What were Johnson’s pitch counts set at?
4/29/2022 1:12 AM
75/75. Two man rotation.
4/29/2022 6:29 AM
well hell

i woulda pulled him too

and i hate scott servais and dave roberts
4/29/2022 6:39 AM
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