Hey guys, I was wondering if you all had any managerial advice on how to improve records with one run games. My most recent team appears to be cursed and I'm at a loss of what to do.

I have been waiting it out thinking it was an anomaly but it just keeps happening. I've restructured my pitching rotation, my bullpen, and my lineup. I can't find a pattern to why I lose these games. My team ERA is Top 10 and I lead the league in runs scored. I've lost high scoring 1 run games, low scoring 1 run games; blown saves by the pen and just bad starts where I trailed the whole game to lose by 1. I have the worst record in my league in 1-run games and my expected win percentage is now .221 points higher than my actual.

Will this eventually correct over the course of 162?

West	W-L	PCT	GB	Division	1-Run Games	Extra Inning	RS	RA	Exp. Pct.	Owner	LIVE
Maybe?	20-21	0.488	-	9-3	4-4	0-1	199	185	0.534	ELOFAN
Hilltoppers	18-23	0.439	2	6-6	3-12	2-2	269	193	0.660	cbarkley101
GRAND SLAM KIDZ	15-26	0.366	5	5-7	5-8	2-5	183	214	0.426	pruman1992
Angels	13-28	0.317	7	4-8	5-6	1-3	167	233	0.346	Bob725

https://www.whatifsports.com/mlb-l/playerstats.asp?teamid=1414292&ltid=0

I have a lot of experience with negative luck in one runs games. One thing I have noticed although I haven't quantified it yet. Try drafting more A+++ range fielders. Take a look at your leagues and check out teams leading in "+" plays and compare to teams' record in 1-run games. It's not perfect correlation, but I'm fairly certain there is positive correlation.

Also, does the end of your bench have some decent pinch hitters or or you simply filling out your roster with 200K scrubs? Spend a little bit less on your starting batters and save a couple of million for 2-3 solid pinch hitters.

Despite whatever steps you take, keep in mind that 1-run games are mostly luck and I would be shocked if you could find somebody who consistently overachieves at winning these close games.

Though it doesn't happen often, there are also the misleading "reverse blowout" games. Games where you're down by like 7 runs and your opponent brings in a mopup. You score a pile of runs to make it close, but ultimately come up short. That will make it look like you lost a close game that wasn't actually close.

I've found myself in the same fix many time, including currently with a team that has played 6 games and 5 have been one run affairs (1-4 in those as I recall without looking). I generally chalk it up to "bad luck" and recognize I have many teams running at once, and the number who have adverse one run decisions are often offset by teams that are doing well in such affairs. I think it's luck (and management of bullpen staff to assure tired guys can't come into a game, at least the best you can). schwarze and Jtpsops make excellent points and I'm not refuting them (and actually agree with schwarze's post regarding luck).

Get better luck. You could draft strong setup and closers and a couple great pinch hitters, you may do better in 1-run games but worse in non 1-run games because the rest of your team won't be as good.

Don't ask Bud Harrleson. 1990 Mets scored exactly 162 more runs then given up. 23-twenty eight in one run games 29-11 in blowouts (5or more runs)
Finished in 2nd place 91-71

I suppose you would want to identify first if your losses are coming from not being able to score on their bullpen, or whether your bullpen is giving up leads late in the game.

Both of those have different scenarios that could be assisted by managerial tweaks, but if its a mishmash of both than it could be poor luck.

I run my 2 Setup A guys as 6 inning available 10-20 with my closer as 8 inning available 20-30 and I rarely blow saves. Trying to catch up in games I'm losing in is a little harder since I typically run pitching / defensive teams, so I don't really have tips for that.