Posted by rangerup on 12/27/2012 10:59:00 AM (view original):
Being no pucker factor in HBD, closers are pretty much a waste of time. Even with a lights out low stamina/durability guy, I usually look to trade them if I can, as other owners will put more value in a "closer" than I will so I can get a better return for my team.
Closers are stupid in a sim game because of situations like this: Hardball Dynasty – Fantasy Baseball Sim Games - Player Profile: Luis Pena
This guy is a career closer in one of my worlds, and he has an outstanding amount of saves. Big deal, he should have been a career SuA, giving 150 innings a year, instead of the lights out 40 he has been giving. His owner has been sucking up the additional 100 innings with a lesser arm, and it is costing him games.
I kind of disagree with this. Now, keep in mind, I have 4 teams and none of them have a designated closer, but given the aforementioned low stamina/durability guys I would use them in a closer role. Mainly because in that last inning of a close game, you know the other team is going to give you everything they have to win. Pinch runners, Pinch hitters, etc., so when possible, it seems to make sense to have a really high quality pitcher available for those situations to be able to give you a chance to get strikeouts and double plays. In those cases those guys are not capable of too much more than 30-50 innings anyway, so its not like there is a great opportunity cost.