So there are now 19 games left in an OL season, and I have a team that has been in first place since nearly opening day, with an 8 game lead in the division and a magic number of 12. 

I had ten quality pitchers thanks to a move I made early in the season when I realized I had a gem of an AAA second baseman (Ken Boswell 1969 Mets) which allowed me to WW my drafted 2B and get more pitching.  I used AAA guys for some spot starts early on but stupidly got distracted and missed bringing them or at least one of them back down before the transaction deadline. 

I now have almost an entire staff in the blue. Three of four starters are at 83% the other, starting tonight at 97%. Two relievers in the low 80s and two around 75-77%. The other two, Nehf who has already thrown 105 innings and Sampson who has thrown 35 are at 90%. 

I can choose two or even three guys to burn out for the last 6 or 7 or even 10 games resting the rest and then going into the playoffs with a 3-man rotation and four good relievers that are rested. But I can't do that yet as I need to win enough games to clinch early enough to do that. 

My best options ? I have taken the following steps: pushed the TPC of all my pitchers up to the MPC for the stretch run, hoping those that are in better shape take up the slack, though I could push the key ones back down and leave the other 3 or so higher instead. 

I have checked the available for relief box for all my starters in an effort to distribute the fatigue and keep key individual pitchers from burning out. That may be merely spreading the fatigue to everybody and making the problem worse. 

I have put all the autorest settings to 80 for the whole staff (and team). 

I basically have two contradictory problems: winning the division down the stretch run and resting the pitchers (position players are all at 100% thankfully). 

What are my best options here - if I can that magic number I can sacrifice a few pitchers for the team and rest the remainder - but how do I make it from here to there?

Wow...tough spot to be in, but you do have a cushion in the division thankfully. Here's the one issue...pitching fatigue will not get better and unlike hitters fatigue that doesn't have a major affect on performance until you really see fatigue (less than 65%), pitchers will absolutely pitch terrbily if fatigued in my experience.

Essentially, the steps you have taken will help, but you are going to still wind up with a staff of guys who only get more and more fatigued.

Personally, I'd pick out the weakest opponents left, pick two sacrificial lambs to be starter 1 and 2 with call bullpen of 1 and no maximum PC and put the entire staff on "REST" for a three game series. Hopefully your offense can carry you and can still win the games. Then go back to your regular rotation and pen. If they drop below 90, put them on REST and repeat the sacrificial guys if needed.

My two cents anyway.

VERY good advice frazzman80. I thank you. I do have two relievers I can use as starters - one is Reuschel 1987, the other Quails who will burn out much more quickly because his IP/G is basically 1.00, but his ERA is over the top so if I need to sacrifice anyone it's him. I will look at the upcoming schedule. 


Appreciate it. Don't see much better that I can do. Just thought: "team looks fine" as the TD neared (it did at the time) and didn't even think to look in AAA at the two AAA pitchers I had there. Live and learn. 

I would suggest you blow games now and get your pitchers rested up.  The last 12 games of the season are divisional games, and the easiest way to clinch the division is going to be to win those.  I'd take Reuschel and your worst starter and make them starter #1 and starter #2, pull of 5, no pitch counts, and put everybody else on rest.  Abuse the hell out of those 2 guys until you get into divisional games, and maybe even do the same thing against the team(s) in your division that aren't a threat to catch you.  Once you clinch only those 2 guys pitch for sure unless you really see an opportunity to do something important seeding-wise, but I'd say definitely just abuse the 2 and have most of a staff for the playoffs when you really need them.

EDIT: NOT pull of 5, sorry.  Wrong end of the spectrum, you know what I meant.

Few other settings I didn't think to mention:

Uncheck the PH and PR boxes for your 2 sacrificial starters.
Set both of them as available for relief in the 6th or 7th.  You're going to have a high probability of injury, and if they get hurt you want your next starter coming in and not a randomly-selected guy out of the bullpen.
Set everyone in your bullpen to be available in the 9th.  Pick your next guy up for sacrifice and make him available the same inning as your starters.  In case the 2nd guy in gets hurt and Sparky has to pick a guy, it's best for you to decide who that guy will be.  Sparky will probably pick the best pitcher in many situations, and you obviously want the worst.  If it's the 9th inning then Sparky will still pick, but you'll only be using the guy for 1 extra inning.  Not the end of the world.

Thanks dahdebater - I had set the bullpen call to 1 which I know is what you meant, and I unchecked the PH/PR boxes. 

 

I am using them for 4 games straight right now, then we will see if I can put regulars in until clinching and then back to these two. 

I appreciate the good advice. Yes, it's important to set up who can relieve and who not, we forget that too easily and Sparky hates a vacuum.

Better to blow games now, let the divisional lead whittle away a little and then start winning again.