Those of you have regularly used the LH/RH specialist setting for your whole bullpen, which I am trying out with some of my teams now, how do you calculate their in-game pitch count? Since pitch counts, once you determine the number of pitches allocated to a pitcher using Elbirdo's classic formula, then have to be based on expectations of use.

We know roughly how to guess the usage of Setups, Long Relievers, Closers, etc. but the calculation of 80 appearances for LH/RH specialists is based on the idea that they would be used as specialists. But if they are essentially taking the place of all other roles in the bullpen - e.g. they will be used as Setups, Long relievers, mopups, closers - how do we make an educated guess about how often they appear so we can then spread the allocated seasonal pitch count across a more or less predictable number of appearances?

Thanks.

I give them all normal pitch counts based on their IP/G, same as I would in any other bullpen role. The only thing changing is their designated role, not their actual usage.

The advantage of the specialist bullpen is that they should always have the platoon advantage for the first batter they face. The goal is that over a full season that helps their overall effectiveness by tipping their RH/LH splits towards a beneficial ratio. The goal is not that they throw only 5 or 10 pitches at a time.

Thanks skunk206 !

I tried this strategy on a couple recent teams, but I ran into a couple things I didn't understand.

For one, Sparky occasionally used a SP in relief even when there were RP available at 100 and set for any inning. I don't know why.

Also, I still wanted to designate a long man, and I couldn't figure out how to have the specialists available in any inning and get the long man to be used correctly. Should I have the specialists only available after a certain inning?

Posted by skunk206 on 6/15/2020 11:12:00 AM (view original):
I give them all normal pitch counts based on their IP/G, same as I would in any other bullpen role. The only thing changing is their designated role, not their actual usage.

The advantage of the specialist bullpen is that they should always have the platoon advantage for the first batter they face. The goal is that over a full season that helps their overall effectiveness by tipping their RH/LH splits towards a beneficial ratio. The goal is not that they throw only 5 or 10 pitches at a time.

Skunk do you designate your whole bullpen as specialists? I briefly tried a bullpen with all specialists except for long relief and mopup; Sparky put the Long A in first in the 8th with a 6-2 lead, then clung to him as he nearly blew the game. With relievers designated “setup” I believe the long man wouldn’t have entered in that situation; and even if he did, he would have been yanked for “setup” or “closer” if either were available once he put a couple of men on in the ninth.

I would love to make the specialist strategy work, or in the alternative to be able to set the exact order I want when tied or winning/losing by more/less than a certain number of runs. But the micromanagement there might be too much even for me.

I miss live play.

Everyone in my bullpens is LH/RH Specialist except a Mop Up if I happen to have one. While you can't set the exact order in which pitchers will be used, staggering the Inning Available setting can help, knowing that OAV is the tiebreaker between any pitchers in the same designated role.

Posted by skunk206 on 6/17/2020 6:52:00 PM (view original):
Everyone in my bullpens is LH/RH Specialist except a Mop Up if I happen to have one. While you can't set the exact order in which pitchers will be used, staggering the Inning Available setting can help, knowing that OAV is the tiebreaker between any pitchers in the same designated role.

Would you mind sharing if you allow SP to be used in relief? I have had Sparky bring in a SP a day or two after a start when there are plenty of available relievers designated as specialists.

Posted by redcped on 6/17/2020 5:42:00 PM (view original):
I tried this strategy on a couple recent teams, but I ran into a couple things I didn't understand.

For one, Sparky occasionally used a SP in relief even when there were RP available at 100 and set for any inning. I don't know why.

Also, I still wanted to designate a long man, and I couldn't figure out how to have the specialists available in any inning and get the long man to be used correctly. Should I have the specialists only available after a certain inning?

I usually set all my Specialists to 8th or 9th inning availability. I don't want any pitcher coming in until my SP has hit has max.

Long A or B would probably take priority over a Specialist, so I'd guess you see the long man enter the game before any other reliever in that situation. Whenever I have a guy with a lot more IP and I need to catch him up a bit I'll switch him to Setup A for a few games. Setup always enters the game before a Specialist, so I know that pitcher will be used and I can get their IP usage back on track.

Posted by redcped on 6/17/2020 7:14:00 PM (view original):

Posted by skunk206 on 6/17/2020 6:52:00 PM (view original):
Everyone in my bullpens is LH/RH Specialist except a Mop Up if I happen to have one. While you can't set the exact order in which pitchers will be used, staggering the Inning Available setting can help, knowing that OAV is the tiebreaker between any pitchers in the same designated role.

Would you mind sharing if you allow SP to be used in relief? I have had Sparky bring in a SP a day or two after a start when there are plenty of available relievers designated as specialists.

I rarely ever check an SP to be used in relief. Until one WISC team recently, I can't even remember the last time I allowed an SP to be used in relief. I keep tight control over SP pitch counts with all my other settings and don't want them to enter a game out of turn.

Thank you. I'm going to experiment with this in a league I'm not doing well in anyway.

Thanks skunk. Going to test drive it with my next team.