I'm winning 2-1 after 6. Starter gets 5 IP gives up 1 run. Reuschel comes in the 6th gives up a hit no runs. Sparky calls the bullpen at the top of the 7th and sees I have Guy Cooper, Mop Up at 51% and a setup guy at 100% and my closer at 100% everyone else is below 90%. He ignores the managerial setting "use mop up only if losing" which I have checked....and calls up Guy Cooper who gives up 11 runs (7 earned) and I get whipped.

Could Sparky be hitting the bottle in the dugout? Maybe my setup guy's pitch count (15-20) dictated the move? If Sparky needs 3 more innings and my closer is set for the 9th that leaves 2 guys to get 2 innings. 15-20 pitches gets me 1 inning perhaps 1 inning and 1 more batter so he needed Cooper to come in anyway...I don't know.

Still...the managerial setting "mop up only if losing" should be obeyed.

When were your set ups and closer eligible to come into the game? My guess is 8th or later.

If nobody is eligible to pitch (fatigue for most pitchers, inning eligible for set up and closer), then sparky goes with the mop up.

He has to disobey one of the instructions you gave him... Either pitch someone before their time or bring in a mop up even though you are winning.

I checked. They are all set to come in the 6th with the lone exception being the closer who is set for the 9th.

it might be a PC thing then, i'm not sure. if your setup guy was 100% and available in the 6th i would expect him to pitch in that spot.

it has happened to me before in 2 other very similar circumstances in another league making me rethink hiring a mop up guy anymore...or at least a $200k mopup. Might be the pc thing too requiring me to reset them when my pen gets thin and the likelihood of this situation arising again.

Send in a ticket, then. There is no reason that the mop up guy should pitch in that situation.

I sent one in, will update findings

In fairness to Sim and Sparky I admit to being an idiot. I sent the ticket in and they reviewed the game in question pointing out that my setup guy was at 91% whereas I thought he was at 100%....and that the closer couldn't come in until the 9th leaving Sparky with no choice but to bring in the mop up. The setup guy's fatigue apparently moved from 91% to 100% after the game when I looked at the boxscore. I just don't remember him sitting at 91% before the game....but apparently he was according to SIM. My apologies...

makes sense.

not directing this at you specifically but it seems to me that sparky usually does a good job in these situations. at least 9.5 times out of 10, when the shafted owner sends in a ticket, they get back a rational explanation of how they screwed up their settings.

sparky isn't as evil as most people think. it's almost always user error.

completely agree. In almost every case of something like this that I've seen, the manager's settings have been the root cause. Sparky will override the "only bring mop up in if losing" if there are no other options for him to use that are consistent with your settings.

Cubs win! Cubs win!

Usually,my tired pitchers are on rest. My setups and closer are 8th and 9th inning. Tired pitchers are always set for 5 pitches,limiting the damage they can do. I make it a point to have enough innings to start with so this doesn't come up. That said,Sparky is widely known to have way more than a few too many at times and does crazy things anyway but the good news it appears to be random. I like the fairness and non-discrimination coupled with a little insanity. I like an element of unpredictably which even the playing field.

Quote: Originally Posted By norm on 12/07/2009
Usually,my tired pitchers are on rest. My setups and closer are 8th and 9th inning. Tired pitchers are always set for 5 pitches,limiting the damage they can do. I make it a point to have enough innings to start with so this doesn't come up. That said,Sparky is widely known to have way more than a few too many at times and does crazy things anyway but the good news it appears to be random. I like the fairness and non-discrimination coupled with a little insanity. I like an element of unpredictably which even the playing field.

It's like having Dusty Baker as everyone's manager!