TEAM STRATEGIES DIALOG
The Team Strategies Dialog lets you set a variety
of strategic tendencies for your team throughout the season. These are
not as important as selecting the right players for your team, but they
do give you more control over how your players are used.
To adjust individual strategy settings for each player on your team, use the Player Strategies Dialog.
Strategy Descriptions
Hit and Run
The hit and run is a play designed to advance
baserunners and prevent the double play. Like an attempted stolen base,
the runner takes off with the pitch. But unlike the stolen base, the batter
attempts to swing at the pitch and put it in play. If the batter misses
the pitch, the runner is often thrown out (especially since the hit and
run is executed with all types of runners, not just fast ones). If the
batter connects, the runner is already most of the way to the next base.
This will decrease the number of double plays, and increase the frequency
with which the runner can take an extra base (such as going from first
to third on a single). However, the hit and run frequently forces the
batter to swing at bad pitches, thus getting him behind in the count and
somewhat reducing his overall performance. To some extent, this disadvantage
is ameliorated by a hole in the infield created when the shortstop or
second baseman covers second base when the runner breaks from first.
Situation: The hit and run is normally
executed with a runner on first (but not with the bases loaded) and less
than two outs (when there is a double play threat). An average team calls
the Hit and Run about 100 times per season. This is lower on teams playing
with a designated hitter.
Strategy: The hit and run is best used
by a team with good contact hitters where advancing the runners and staying
out of double plays is a higher priority than simply waiting for the long
ball.
Sacrifice
Bunt
A 'bunt' is an attempt to put the ball
in play in the infield without swinging the bat. The sacrifice bunt is
an attempt to use this strategy to advance one or more base runners. The
batter is usually thrown out at first, but the runners are able to advance
into scoring position about 85% of the time.
Situation: The Sacrifice Bunt is called
with a runner on first (and/or second) and less than two outs. It is used
most often in close games.
Strategy: Like the stolen base, the sacrifice
is best used by teams without much power that need to manufacture runs.
Generally speaking, players with good Contact and Speed ratings will be
good bunters, while those with high Power ratings will be less effective.
When executed by good bunting teams, the sacrifice can have other positive
outcomes such as an infield hit or fielding error.
Squeeze Play
The Squeeze Play is a bunt with less than
two outs and a runner on third base. Although the batter is expected to
be thrown out at first, the runner on third will usually score on the
play. The average team only calls about five squeeze plays per year, but
the call can win or lose the game.
Situation: The Squeeze Play is called with
a runner on third and less than two outs in a very close game where the
runner on third is crucial to the outcome.
Strategy: Like the sacrifice bunt, the
squeeze play is best used by low-scoring teams for whom one sure run is
more valuable than the chance of a big inning.
Extra Bases
This strategy affects the team's willingness
to go for extra bases. The most common attempts at extra bases are: going
from first to third on a single; scoring from second on a single; scoring
from first on a double; and stretching a single into a double.
Strategy: Teams that hit a lot of home
runs shouldn't risk baserunners by attempting to go for the extra base.
Additionally, teams without much speed can do more harm than good by being
aggressive on the base paths.
Steal Bases
The average team attempts to steal approximately
150 times per season. About 85% of these are steals of 2nd base. This
obviously varies with the speed of the team's players. However, it also
varies with managerial strategy. The most aggressive teams attempt over
200 steals per season while the least aggressive attempt less than 100.
When considering the penalty for getting
thrown out, a statistical argument can be made that attempting to steal
with a success rate of less than 65% is actually counterproductive. However,
an argument can also be made that positive effects (such as distracting
the pitcher, forcing errors and opening up the right side) outweigh some
of the costs of being caught stealing.
Attempting the stolen base less will allow
players to pick the best times to steal and thus increase overall success
rates. However, such a team may not be taking full advantage of the stolen
base.
Strategy: Teams with a lot of power, and/or
those that play in power-friendly stadiums, should hold back on the stolen
base and let their big hitters bring runners home.
Tag Up
"Tagging up" is the act of advancing
a base on a fly ball caught in the outfield. The runner is allowed to
leave his base when the ball is caught and must beat the outfielders throw
to the next base.
Strategy: Since a runner is usually already
in scoring position when the opportunity to tag up presents itself, the
strategy is best used by teams that would otherwise be less effective
in knocking runners in. In other words, teams with low batting averages
and fast runners are best suited to an aggressive strategy of tagging
up.
Pitchout
A pitchout is a strategy used by the defensive
team with a potential base stealer on base. The pitcher throws the ball
up and out of the strike zone where the catcher can more easily throw
out the base stealer. Although the pitch is an automatic ball, if the
runner is going there is a greatly increased chance the catcher will be
able to throw him out.
An average team calls about 30 pitchouts
over the course of a 162-game season, catching the runner going about
20% of the time.
Strategy: Pitchouts increase the number
of opposing runners that are caught stealing, but also cause the pitcher
to get behind in the count more frequently. Pitchouts are most useful
for teams with a weak throwing arm behind the plate, but good control
pitchers on the mound who can fight back from being behind in the count.
Intentional
Walk
The intentional walk is a purposeful throwing
of four successive balls by the pitching team in order to deny the batter
any chance at swinging at the ball. It is used in situations when the
pitching team would rather face the on-deck batter than the current batter.
It is also primarily used in a situation where a runner is already in
scoring position but first base is unoccupied. Furthermore, most intentional
walks are called when the defense is ahead by just one or two runs and
it is crucial to get out of the inning without allowing a run to score,
even if the chances of a big inning are increased in the process.
Strategy: Opinions vary as the usefulness
of the intentional walk: some managers rarely use it while others employ
it over 50 times per season. By putting another runner on base it can
often turn a small run-scoring threat into a big inning. However, by creating
a double-play situation, the intentional walk can be put to good use by
teams with a strong infield defense.
Pitch Around
Like the intentional walk, the strategy
to "Pitch Around" is an attempt to not give the batter a good
pitch to hit. However, instead of simply throwing four balls, the pitcher
attempts to 'nibble' at the strike zone, hoping to entice the batter to
swing or get a few lucky strikes.
Strategy: Although an intentional walk
does not tire out the pitcher, the decision to pitch around does require
the pitcher to throw several more pitches. Thus, in comparison to the
intentional walk, it is best used by teams with high endurance starters
and/or a deep bullpen.
Infield In
Bringing the infield in is a strategy used
with a runner on third in a close game. By moving the infielders closer
to home plate, the chance of throwing the runner out at home (or at least
preventing him from scoring) on a ground ball are greatly increased. In
return, the batter has an increased chance of grounding a single through
the drawn in fielders.
Strategy: Low scoring teams are best off
doing whatever they can to prevent the run on third from scoring while
higher scoring teams should probably play the infield back in most situations
to reduce the chance of a big inning. In addition, teams with excellent
infield defense who don't bring the infield in have a better chance of
getting out of a jam with a double play.
Guard Lines
The strategy to guard the lines is a bit
like the "prevent defense" in football (which some people argue
simply "prevents" you from winning). It reduces the chance of
an extra base hit, while increasing the overall chance of a base hit.
It is used at the end of close games when the defense is willing to allow
a single if they can reduce the change of the batter getting into scoring
position.
Strategy: This varies with personal preference.
Teams with good outfield range and arms are usually good at cutting down
extra base hits, even without having to explicitly guard the lines.
Cutoff Throws
On a throw to home from the outfield, the
infielder acting as the "cutoff man" often has . The decision
to increase cutoff throws (and also increase the outfielder's effort to
actually hit the cutoff man) will reduce the number of outs at home but
will decrease the number of batters that take an extra base on the throw.
Cutoff throws will also occasionally catch the trailing runners by surprise
and result in a tag out.
Strategy: Teams with excellent outfield
arms are best off letting their fielders gun down the runners at home.
Also, teams that play low-scoring games are usually more focussed on getting
the runner at home than cutting off the throw.
Pinch Hit
The frequency of pinch hitter usage varies
greatly by manager. Teams with a designated hitter can employ a pinch
hitter anywhere from 75 to more than 200 times per season. On teams where
the pitcher hits, this number is obviously much higher and can vary from
about 200 times per season to well over 300.
Strategy: Pinch hitters are best used on
teams with both a good pool of pinch hitters and enough defensive depth
that the team is not unduly weakened by the replacement of a starting
position player. In leagues where the pitcher hits, pinch hitters are
most useful on teams with a strong bullpen that can keep a game within
reach when the starter has been pulled for a pinch hitter.
Pinch Run
Pinch runner use can vary from less than
20 times per season to more than 60 depending on the team and managerial
strategy. Obviously, the decision to employ pinch runners is greatly affected
by the availability of suitable runners.
Strategy: Pinch runners are most effective
on teams that play tight baseball games that can be won or lost by a close
play on the bases. Teams with a deep bench can employ pinch runners more
frequently without being forced to field a weak team in the later innings
of a close game.
Defensive
Substitutions
Defensives 'subs' are used in the late
innings of close games. Position players are replaced by bench players
with stronger fielding skills but weaker offense. The use of defensive
subs will be affected greatly by the available on the bench of suitable
players. However, this strategy setting affect the frequency and the timing
of defensive replacements. Choosing to use subs more will also lead to
them being brought into a close game earlier (such as in the 7th instead
of the 9th inning).
Strategy: Well-rounded teams with a variety
of quality utility players and a strong bullpen are best served by bringing
subs into the game. Teams that tend to allow a lot of runs late in the
game may find themselves needing to catch up after having already replaced
their best hitters.
Start
on Short Rest
For most teams there is a significant difference
in quality between their ace and their #4 or #5 starter. Therefore, increasing
the frequency with which your best starters take the mound on short rest
will increase the average quality of the starting pitcher in any given
game. The downside of this is that repeatedly starting on short rest will
fatigue your top starters and increase their chance of injury.
Note: In the playoffs, the computer manager
is much more aggressive about using pitchers on short rest. Unless the
#4 starter is very strong, most teams will use a 3-man rotation in the
playoffs. If you wish complete control over this, simulate the playoffs
one game at a time and use the Push Buttons in the Bullpen Dialog to specify
the next game's starting pitcher.
Strategy: Starting on short rest provides
the greatest benefit to teams with a superstar ace but weak players in
the bottom of the rotation. It has the least detriment when the team's
top pitchers have a high endurance and aren't injury prone.
Pitch
Through Trouble
The tendency to allow a pitcher to 'pitch
through trouble' reflects a manager's tendency to leave a pitcher on the
mound even when it appears that he is having a bad outing. Moving the
slider towards 'MORE' will tell your manager to leave the pitcher on the
mound through bad innings, assuming he will settle down. The reverse will
cause pitchers to be pulled in bad innings, even if the pitcher isn't
showing signs of fatigue yet.
Strategy: This depends greatly on personal
preference. Some managers believe that a pitcher's effectiveness can vary
greatly from day to day and therefore a pitcher should be pulled early
if he's not being effective. Other managers believe that a few lucky hits
aren't necessarily a sign of poor pitching and will therefore leave a
pitcher for roughly the same number of pitches regardless of the number
of hits and runs allowed.
High Pitch
Counts
Letting your starting pitchers run up high
pitch counts may cause fatigue or injury during the season, and can contribute
to longer-term injuries. The average manager lets their starter throw
more than 120 pitches about 15 times per season. But this varies widely
by manager.
Strategies: Teams with weak bullpens often
have to leave their starters in late in the game just to win ballgames.
However, teams will strong bullpens and/or younger starting pitchers are
usually better off limiting their starters to lower pitch counts (by moving
the slider towards 'LESS').
Note: Coupling high pitch counts with frequent
starts on short rest can greatly increase the wear and tear on a team's
top pitchers.
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