Team Settings

= Manager Strategy =

Manager Strategy includes your general preferences for how the computer manager should manage your team on the field, as well as role designations like pinch-hitters, pinch-runners, and defensive substitutions. These settings can be reached via the Your Team -> Strategy link.

Base running
This setting dictates how aggressive your runners are at taking extra bases.

Base stealing
This setting dictates how aggressive your runners are at attempting to steal bases.

Closer Usage
Regular - Use this setting if you don't mind your defined Closer being used in occasional non-save situations.

Maximize - Use this setting if you prefer to restrict your defined Closer to save situations.

Relief Usage
Aggressive, Normal, Conservative - This setting dictates how eager the computer manager is to make pitching changes during games, in general.

Note: these three possible options are equivalent to the three most aggressive options in the CD-ROM game - "extremely aggressive", "very aggressive", and "aggressive", respectively.

Bunting
This setting dictates how willing the computer manager is to attempt either sacrifice or squeeze bunts in bunting situations.

Hit and run
This setting dictates how willing the computer manager is to attempt hit and run plays in appropriate situations.

Intentional Walk
This setting dictates how willing the computer manager is to use the intentional walk as a strategic tactic on defense.

Infield in
This setting dictates the earliest inning of a game you would bring your infield in in appropriate situations.

Pinch hitters
The players you set here are your first (earliest) options off the bench in appropriate pinch-hitting situations.

Defensive replacements
When you set players to be your defensive replacements, the computer manager will consider using them from the 7th inning on if you have the lead. The probability of them being used is based on how close the game is.

To define a "defensive double-switch":

Defensive double-switches must be defined as a pair. They can be defined as the first and second defensive replacements or as the third and fourth defensive replacement. Any other combination will not work. For instance, a double-switch cannot be defined as the second and third replacements because the computer manager will not recognize that you wish to make a double-switch.

Then, the player who is (expected to be) in the game already should be listed second, at the position he should move to. The defensive replacement on the bench who you want to come in should be listed first, at his desired position.

= Individual player settings =

Avoid left-handed pitchers / Avoid right-handed pitchers
This setting increases the chances that the hitter in question will be pinch-hit for, when facing the corresponding type of pitcher. At this point, I'm not sure exactly which situations this affects, though I doubt that it would take effect as early as the 1st inning of a game.

Sac bunt more
This setting increases the chances that the player will lay down a sacrifice or squeeze bunt in possible bunting situations. It does not affect the player's tendency to bunt for a hit.

Don't sac bunt
This setting keeps the player from (literally) ever sacrifice or squeeze bunting. It does not affect the player's tendency to bunting for a hit.

Hit and run more
This setting increases the chances that the player will attempt a hit & run play at the plate in possible hit & run situations.

Don't hit and run
This setting keeps the player from (literally) ever attempting a hit & run play while at the plate.

Steal more
This setting increases the chances that the player will attempt to steal bases. It is a general, across-the-board probability increase.

Don't steal
This setting keeps the player from (literally) ever attempting to steal a base.

Notes: 1) The definition of this setting was changed (made more strict) from the CD-ROM game, where it was (and still is, as far as I know) "Don't steal if held". 2) I recall a few reports of rare attempted steals by players for whom this setting is active, which obviously conflicts with its stated purpose. If this is still the case, it is a (minor) bug which I will need to address.

Don't PH for vs. lefties / Don't PH for vs. righties
This setting keeps the player from (literally) ever being pinch-hit for when facing the corresponding type of pitcher.

Avoid using as PH in blowouts
When this setting is active for a player, the computer manager will avoid bringing him in as a pinch-hitter in games with a score difference of 5 or more runs.

Remove for defensive sub with lead
This setting will always remove the player from the game at the start of an inning if 1) it is the 8th inning or later, 2) his team is winning, and 3) he is due to play the field in the inning. He will be replaced with a suitable player from the bench with defense in mind, shuffling fielders around the diamond as necessary to find an optimal alignment (an improvement that was included in SOM Online's Computer Subs v2 enhancement).

Don't PR for
(new as of 10/1/2009) This setting keeps the player from (literally) ever being removed for a pinch-runner when he's on base.

Don't Relieve Before
(available only for leagues using Bullpen v2 or later)

For each of your pitchers, you can indicate that you don't want the computer manager to decide to "give him the hook" based on his overall game performance unless he has reached a certain Pitch Count Fatigue level. Note that there are ways that he may still leave the game before his designated fatigue level, including if he's set to Avoid Lefties or Avoid Righties, if the situation calls for another pitcher you've assigned to a matching Super Hal Bullpen Role, or if the computer manager decides to pinch-hit for him.

Quick hook / Slow hook
When Quick Hook is active for a pitcher, the chance that he will be taken out of a game in a given situation is greater, in general. It does not mean "always take him out at the first sign of trouble". There's a random element involved in many decisions. So in other words, say there's normally a 50% chance an S6 would be pulled after giving up a run with still a 4-2 lead. With Quick Hook on, that chance might be increased to 75%, but there's still that 25% chance he will be left in (all percentages are hypothetical in this example). This is why Quick Hook does result in earlier exits and fewer innings pitched for your pitcher on average, but on a per-game basis, there will be borderline situations which will result in different decisions at different times.

This setting was made smarter (applies more when it should, less when it shouldn't) and more powerful (i.e. Quicker/Slower) for SOM Online's Bullpen v2 enhancement, as compared with the original CD-ROM game implementation.

The above description applies to Slow Hook as well, with the contexts reversed.

Mop up
(removed for Bullpen v2 & replaced with "Mopup" Bullpen Role)

Max 6 IP for start / Max 7 IP for start
When this setting is active for a starting pitcher, he will be lifted from a game he's started no later than after 6 (or 7) IP, no matter how well he is pitching. This is close to, if not 100%, strict - with the exception of the "Don't Relieve Before" setting of Bullpen v2, which will keep the pitcher in past 6 or 7 IP if called for.

IBB less with this pitcher
This setting lowers the chances that the pitcher will issue an intentional walk in any given situation. It is a general, across-the-board probability decrease, i.e. there aren't specific contexts that are more significantly affected than others.

Avoid left-handed batters / Avoid right-handed batters
When this setting is active for a relief pitcher, he will avoid entering or staying in a game to face the corresponding type of batter. A switch-hitter is (intuitively) considered to be a lefty if the pitcher is a righty, and vice versa. This avoidance is rather strict as long as 1) there are other fresh, available options in the bullpen that are not otherwise restricted from being used in the given situation, 2) the game is relatively close, and 3) the game is in the later innings. This setting is ignored in otherwise lower-leverage situations.

Note: This setting is ignored completely for a pitcher if he is the starting pitcher for a game.

This setting was greatly improved for SOM Online's Bullpen v2 enhancement, as compared with the original CD-ROM game implementation, resulting in fewer instances of pitchers facing their Avoid side, among other things.

Avoid using during blowout
When this setting is active for a pitcher, the computer manager will avoid bringing him into games with a score difference of 5 or more runs. If the score is within 5 runs, or there aren't many other available bullpen arms, the pitcher will be considered for use as normal.

Avoid using before 6th / 7th / 8th inning
When this setting is active for a relief pitcher, the computer manager will avoid bringing him into games before the specified inning. This is close to, if not 100%, strict.

Max of 1 to 2 IP in relief / Max of 2 to 3 IP in relief
When this setting is active for a relief pitcher, he will be lifted from a game after he's pitched 1 to 2 (or 2 to 3, as the case may be) innings. Note that this is my best guess at this; I'm not exactly sure.