BUllpen Advice

xracman

Prepping to go Platinum so I'm culling the roster and hoarding XP.
I know relievers are relatively useless except for closer, but have to fill 5 slots so:
I have Doolittle (Prime/Max 400/G10) and Chapman (Former PoM/Max 310/G10).  These are my keepers.
I also have Will Smith (Prime/Max 400/S4) who I would normally think to level to G10, but his performance sucks (ERA 6.67).
I also have a couple Max 259 guys sitting at G2 and a Max 187 guy also sitting at G2.  These guys all have bad ERAs.
Finally I have 2 Max 252 guys at B10 who I have not been used in a game because their ratings are sol low.
Is there any reasone to stick with Smith and level him to G10? 
Same question with the non prime guys?

bayoubengal

I am in diamond and my relievers are only 350 max s10 pitchers.  my starters are g10 350 max and 1 p1 350 max.  

8ball02

Personally I wouldn’t put resources into any of them.  Too costly.  I would just start the current highest ranked and let it go at that.  My bullpen is full of BXP 350 guys at G10 and my team is currently D1.  

Cooz19

I'm writing this while accepting the idea that your bullpen really doesn't make a huge difference, certainly not over a long string of games. ERA isn't a great indicator of the success a reliever has, especially not in a game in which starters have 100 times the value of a reliever. The only times the LP, RP1-2 and SU pitch is when the game is close. Close games are high-scoring games here. So when those guys pitch, they're likely to give up runs. The question is how they're giving them up. 

WHIP is a better indicator overall. If a reliever has a WHIP under 1 but an ERA of like 5.00, he's getting guys out, but gives up home runs (which the game heavily favors, as evidenced by the massive slugging percentages most players have). 

The bottom line is any pitcher placed in a relief pitching spot other than closer is going to get shelled. If the other team can't hit, the starter goes the distance. If they can, and they light up the starter, your bullpen isn't going to be any different. 

COWPILEY

@xracman, you did not indicate how good your starters are. If you have a staff of max 350 starters, I believe putting a maxed prime 400+ guy at RP1 could be a benefit. This is also the way to maximize bonus points for relievers as RP1 gets the most action and will stay in the game until his rating drops below the guys down the bullpen list including the closer. Highest ranked guy stays in the game. Agree with @Cooz19 if you have great starters then the bullpen hardly ever gets used. 

xracman

Thanks for all the feedback.  I dumped all the relievers with WHIP over 1, sitting with 5 total on the roster now, including 2 that have never, and will likey never, pitch in a game.  

Can I assume that my max 310-325 starters will start getting shelled as I advance further?

retirepujols

I've been diamond for a little while now and I value my b1 one star relievers over anyone else besides my d10 closer (who barely plays) 😊

8ball02

@xracman maybe...  I might cap one pitcher and then be on the lookout for a 350 pitcher to cap moving forward.  Currently I have 2 SP’s @ P10 then the rest at G10.  G10’s are getting the job done on prime games and a good majority of bonus games at D1.

redlegs2018u

Longtime diamond player bullpen ranges from G1 to P4 (closer pulled him a bunch of times that weekend)

bigvivec

I'm platinum and my whole squad save for one is maxed P10.  Apparently I'm in the minority.
FWIW I barely lose bonus and tournament games.  Entire pitching staff, starting rotation and bullpen all 350max bxp guys.  Next project is brining up my keeper pitcher.  

xracman

@bigvivec do your LR, R1 and R2 get into games?   Reason I brought up the question in the first place is they never do  in my games.  At least they didn't for weeks until one of my B10  set up guys pitched 3 innings to the tune of  18.00 ERA and  2.33 WHIP today.

Tdub71

You will see them get in occasionally in bonus games, but if your starters are strong, you probably won't need them much past silver.

bigvivec

xracman said:

@bigvivec do your LR, R1 and R2 get into games?   Reason I brought up the question in the first place is they never do  in my games.  At least they didn't for weeks until one of my B10  set up guys pitched 3 innings to the tune of  18.00 ERA and  2.33 WHIP today.

All my RPs have stats.  So yeah they all see action, as limited as it may be.  I am of the mind that the team qualifies for a different algorithm with the RNG when the entire squad is maxed out.  I could be wrong but I’ve got the cheese so why take a chance.  

bigvivec

This is my current closer.  He hasn’t been out that long and has still played 560 innings.  For me it’s a must to spend on - in order - CL, SU & RP1.  The other two can take them or leave them but those three do get action until the entire side is capped and my starting pitchers are prime or better.  Moreover, if your relievers are not good/unimproved and are weaker than a tired and inning worn capped starter at the end of a game, they will not get in the game since the worn out starter is STILL better than they are.  So for all of those who have RPs that don’t get in games, my answer to you is that if they were on par with your SPs, they would play, definitely more than they do now if they are sitting at reduced unimproved levels.  FWIW my SPs and RPs are all 350 max bxp guys.  Last year my prime and legend pitchers towards the end of the year started throwing perfect games on a regular basis.  Once they get to that perfect/near perfect game level then RPs are less important.  At the moment they are still very relevant.