Changing Pitcher Usage

[dejota]

I've received a couple questions about this recently so I thought it'd be in the league's best interest to show everyone.

You can directly control how your pitcher is used in the minors by clicking on their usage indicator in the upper right hand corner of the scouting report. See the screen shot below for more info on HOW to do it.

If you'd like more information on WHEN you should do it please contact myself, another GM whom you trust or a member of the admin team and we'll gladly help you if there's any questions.



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[rockybull]

does it make any difference at all if you just go to "skills" and change it that way?

[KillaCal AKA JS]

How does it effect players if you try to turn a Middle Reliever to lets say a an SP or vice versa. Assuming the transition from SP to RP would be easier. Also when is the best time to do it? I think it would be better if you post it here so that everyone has a fair advantage, unless of course it varies from team to team. I actually never knew this was an option until now.

[rockybull]

How does it effect players if you try to turn a Middle Reliever to lets say a an SP or vice versa. Assuming the transition from SP to RP would be easier. Also when is the best time to do it? I think it would be better if you post it here so that everyone has a fair advantage, unless of course it varies from team to team. I actually never knew this was an option until now.

I figured everyone knew that this was an option, but good to see this posted and known that not everyone knew about this. I always went to "skills" and changed it that way though.

I think you need to convert a RP to a SP pretty quick in their career, so that they can build up their endurance. I wouldn't recommend converting a 80/85 RP to SP. Because not likely they would build up enough endurance to make the transition worth it for you. Usually the best endurance that I have noticed is 68-73 endurance if you convert them early enough. Which that is still fine in my opinion. So if they look like they are going to peak in 1-2 years, try to stay away from converting them to SP. This is just my opinion on this, DJ and others may have much more knowledge about this than me. Now converting SP to RP, I have no clue about, I have never done that, I honestly want to stay away from that idea, unless it is absolutely necessary.

[KillaCal AKA JS]

Thanks Rocky, yeah I don't plan on doing any changes as I don't have enough resources to really experiment with my pitchers. Just wanted to know so that I have the option when I do decided to go that route.

[dejota]

Here's my personal approach to pitcher usage:

WHEN do I switch a player:
Anytime you feel it's appropriate with only one exception: A player on your major league team shouldn't be stretched out UNLESS they already have a decent endurance (40+) and you're willing adjust your roster to carry an extra pitcher. In my experience, if you're stretching a pitcher out on your major league team it puts an extra tax on your pen and due to shitty AI bullpen management you'll invariably see everyone's ERA rise unless you add that extra arm to take the pressure off. I have seen it work out to where stretching out an arm that's an obvious improvement over a 4th or 5th starter (For example, high 80s w/ great vitals vs all 70s vitals guy) and adding that extra arm to your pen benefited everyone on the staff.

Also after the draft is a great time to review (and rereview) your prospects development. If they meet certain criteria or are stalling out in their progression maybe a move to the pen or rotation is just the shake-up a player might need.

WHY would I want to change a pitcher from SP to RP or vice-versa?

This is a bit more up to each individual GM but my personal rule(s) of thumb are the following:

1. Control will never develop IMO but I love the vitals - put 'em in the pen.

A 65 control guy can have solid years out of the pen but rarely produce consistently as a starter. So if you really like a player's power/movement but know they'll never get to the magic number of 70 control, I'll put 'em in the pen.

2. If a pitcher only has 2 pitches, especially if one is awful - put 'em in the pen.

A starting pitcher needs 3 pitches to be consistent as a starter. If you have a pitcher starting in your system with only two pitches and he's getting close to MLB ready it may be time to abandon hope of him develiping a 3rd pitch in ST and moving on. Which brings me to...

3. If a pitcher develops a 3rd pitch in ST and you really like their stuff - put 'em in the rotation.

A reliever already having a solid career progression can sometimes develop a third pitch and when that happens it's like striking gold. They're already likely to develop based on career trends so stretching them out into a starter when they get that third pitch will often send some prospects in hyper-develop mode. This doesn't always work, but when done right you can get sometimes find an unexpected ace.

4. A pitcher starts developing 3 80s+ vitals - put 'em in the rotation.

Sometiemes you'll get a player developing unexpectedly and they'll have 3 incredibly vitals. If they're young enough and have 3 pitches it might be worth sending them back to AAA to stretch out into a starter. If you can be patient for 25-28 starts (the number required to achieve a useful endurance vital, IMO) you'll once again find yourself with an unexpected ace.

5. You're inundated with too many pitchers of one type

Nobody needs 15 relief pitching prospects or 10 pitchers at AAA chipping away at the MLB. While this is a luxury we'd all love to have, sometimes your team needs down the road will dictate changing a pitchers usage when one of the previous 4 cirtieria aren't met. This is the most subjective cause of pitcher usage change and can apply to a million different situations.

HOPE THIS HELPS, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS JUST REPLY!

[dejota]

Another thing I forgot to mention:

I NEVER will use a pitcher as anything but a starter or a closer. I see to purpose in using a minor leaguer as a spot starter or a middle/short relief guy. I will ALWAYS move middle/long relievers and spot starters to starting pitching and short relievers to closer (unless one of the 5 situations above dictates a different choice) because i see no upside to having them there.

You can change your pitcher usage on your .team files.

[mattynokes]

DJ may have covered this, but I'll just say my take on Pitcher Usage. If anyone has looked through my minors you'll notice I use it a lot. You can turn good control RPs into SPs and highly increase their value to your team. In some occasions it can also highly increase their overall value. This also works vice versa when dealing with poor control SPs going to RP.

1. First off, here's a little tip on pitch counts and how they relate to a player's Endurance rating. A pitcher's endurance rating equals the number of pitches it takes them to START to tire. From what I've noticed they can go an additional 25% of their Endurance rating before they're basically tanked. So, this means an 85 Endurance pitcher will start to tire on his 86th pitch and become useless after his 106th pitch.

2. Because of this if a true SP has anything below a 70 Endurance, he's likely viewed as a RP in my book. He just won't be useful enough to log many innings and will probably find it tough to last a full 6 innings.

3. I say TRUE SP because RPs converted to SP seem to cap out at around 67 to 72 Endurance and it doesn't necessarily mean that they actually have an 84 to 90 pitch max. I've noticed many RP to SP converted pitchers seemingly pitch like they have 80ish Endurance.

4. Mogul uses an 11 pitcher max for each minor league level and can only have a max of 5 SPs in a "rotation". If you have anymore than 5 pitchers with the "Starter" usage it starts to hinder development. I haven't noticed too much development hits with relief pitcher usage.

5. In the pen I like to use CL and SR options. I'll have a max of 1 CL and 3 SR usages per level. I don't like using MR or LR usages because it will start to increase/decrease Endurance to around 30-35 (for Middle) and around 40 (for Long). This will lower Power and increase Movement for those already low 20s RPs. The only time I generally use them is when I have too many starter usage options at a level.

[Cdawg]

Just to sorta give people a perspective, 60 pitches is regularly reached at around the 4th inning. sometimes quicker sometimes slower. and about 85+ by the 6th.