8/10 close games I blow the lead in the 8/9th inning

[hawley088]

I don't understand what I am doing wrong. I get it that it happens
Sometimes but it happens all the time to me

I bring in relievers, lefties to face lefties etc, just seems in the late innings the CPU gets super smart and never swings at balls or close pitches and they crush everything that's a strike

Any tips? It's getting very frustrations, I've blown mostly 1-2 run games but have had a couple I've lost after being up 6-0 in the 8th

[The_Balm]

Re: 8/10 close games I blow the lead in the 8/9th inning

Are you bringing in your closers?

[Bull_Market]

Re: 8/10 close games I blow the lead in the 8/9th inning

You have to pay attention to match ups and pitcher confidence, its imperative.

[hawley088]

Re: 8/10 close games I blow the lead in the 8/9th inning

Are you bringing in your closers?

I had my closer in when it's close, the games I was up like 5-1 or 6-0 I tried to just rest him and not use him

[hawley088]

Re: 8/10 close games I blow the lead in the 8/9th inning

You have to pay attention to match ups and pitcher confidence, its imperative.

I always make sure I have a fresh pitcher out there and when it's a close game I'll bring in a pitcher each batter depending what hand they are. Always make sure they are warmed up as well

[RGmoney]

Re: 8/10 close games I blow the lead in the 8/9th inning

These are from The Show Archives. Discussion threads that every Show player should read:

http://www.operationsports.com/forum...h-8th-9th.html

Late-Inning Pitching Frustrations: http://www.operationsports.com/forum...ght=5th+inning

Difference Between Wins/Losses: http://www.operationsports.com/forum...e+between+wins

[caseyj622]

Re: 8/10 close games I blow the lead in the 8/9th inning

I used to have this problem as well. My advice to you is find the pitcher in your bullpen you are the most comfortable using and make him your closer. Once I did this, I stopped blowing leads. I ended up sending my highly rated closer to AAA because he simply blew too many leads.

[HighCmpPct]

Re: 8/10 close games I blow the lead in the 8/9th inning

It's actually been the opposite for me this year, I've had a fairly good rate of coming back on the cpu especially against their closers. Actually had the consecutive walk-off games recently in my Yankee chise.

[MDgolf]

Re: 8/10 close games I blow the lead in the 8/9th inning

I had the same problem with Jannsen I'm Toronto. He's blown like 4 in a row. His confidence is gone. How do I get the confidence back?

[bwiggy33]

Re: 8/10 close games I blow the lead in the 8/9th inning

I had the same problem with Jannsen I'm Toronto. He's blown like 4 in a row. His confidence is gone. How do I get the confidence back?

I'd say move him to a 7th or 8th inning role for a few games. See if you can get a couple 1, 2, 3 innings or so and then you can move him back to closer or maybe even leave him in that 7th or 8th inning role, especially if the guy you replace him at closer with is doing well. We see this happen IRL quite often. To me that's whats so awesome about this game. You honestly have to think like a Manager or GM and you can't play favorites or it will blow your season. No matter how bad you want a player to work in a specific role, you have to move him if it doesn't work out. Even if it's superstars. There is another thread about what stars people cannot hit with. People are talking about moving guys like Robinson Cano, Adrian Gonzalez, Matt Kemp, David Ortiz, Matt Holliday, Joe Mauer, etc. down in the batting order or even trading them because they can't hit with them. Sometimes you just have to make tough decisions.

[MDgolf]

Re: 8/10 close games I blow the lead in the 8/9th inning

I'd say move him to a 7th or 8th inning role for a few games. See if you can get a couple 1, 2, 3 innings or so and then you can move him back to closer or maybe even leave him in that 7th or 8th inning role, especially if the guy you replace him at closer with is doing well. We see this happen IRL quite often. To me that's whats so awesome about this game. You honestly have to think like a Manager or GM and you can't play favorites or it will blow your season. No matter how bad you want a player to work in a specific role, you have to move him if it doesn't work out. Even if it's superstars. There is another thread about what stars people cannot hit with. People are talking about moving guys like Robinson Cano, Adrian Gonzalez, Matt Kemp, David Ortiz, Matt Holliday, Joe Mauer, etc. down in the batting order or even trading them because they can't hit with them. Sometimes you just have to make tough decisions.

Good advice. It pains me to do what you suggested but it makes sense. It's funny he had 11 straight saves and now he can't even close a two run lead in the ninth.

[ShaBoomer]

Re: 8/10 close games I blow the lead in the 8/9th inning

Good advice. It pains me to do what you suggested but it makes sense. It's funny he had 11 straight saves and now he can't even close a two run lead in the ninth.

Are you giving him days off to rest in between consecutive appearances? For instance, if you use him 3 games in a row, are you giving him an off day afterwards?

And are you always pitching the same way with him? Remember, the AI is adaptive, so if you repeat too many patterns you'll start to get hit hard.

[bwiggy33]

Re: 8/10 close games I blow the lead in the 8/9th inning

Are you giving him days off to rest in between consecutive appearances? For instance, if you use him 3 games in a row, are you giving him an off day afterwards?

And are you always pitching the same way with him? Remember, the AI is adaptive, so if you repeat too many patterns you'll start to get hit hard.

That's a great point as well. That completely slipped my mind. MDgolf it seems as though most of your games must be pretty close entering the 9th so as ShaBoomer said your closers energy may be the number one source for blowing saves. I'll keep this in mind when I start my Twins franchise tonight or tomorrow. The exhibition games I've played with the Twins so far have all been 1 or 2 run wins or blowout losses so I may be stuck in this very scenario with Perkins. Luckily I have Burton to fill in for him.

[zukes]

Re: 8/10 close games I blow the lead in the 8/9th inning

I'm having the opposite, my starters struggle most games and get through 5 or 6 innings with anywhere from 1 - 6 runs against. My long guys have ERA's in the mid to high 4's, not too bad. My middle relief guys are in the 3's. My lefty set up guy (Venters) is around a 2.00, righty set up guy (Hanrahan) is just over 1.00 and my closer (Putz) leads the league in saves over 20 beginning of June and his ERA is a tidy 0.43 currently.

Fantasy draft with the Astros and I am 30-22 and in first place by a couple games...pretty much thanks to my bullpen.

[extremeskins04]

Re: 8/10 close games I blow the lead in the 8/9th inning

I had this same problem in the beginning but I started analyzing how I was pitching and approaching the CPU batters.

I do a lot of setup pitches. I'll throw two pitches out of the zone completely, and then on 2-0, i'll throw a changeup down and inside the zone where the batter most likely thinks it will be a fastball. I almost always get a strike or ground ball out of him.

Ever get those pitches where the CPU pitcher throws that 2 seamer or changeup in the same spot twice in a row for a strike that you watched go by because it wasn't "your pitch". Do that to the CPU. It works.

Also, pay attention to a hitter that swings to a particular pitch even if it's out of the zone. Throw that exact same pitch again, and i bet he swings and misses it again. Certain hitters have weaknesses.

Also if you notice a particular hitter (even if he's a mediocre player) who's batting HOT, stay away from him as much as possible. Try not to throw too many fastballs at him, go off-speed and go down and away and hope he swings and misses. Otherwise, walk him. If you try to man up and challenge a guy who's batting HOT, he will smoke you like a pipe. Especially if it's in late innings. I've seen it happen.

I was playing my Twins franchise and in one game Brian Dozier was HOT, hitting 4/4 with 2 HR's, 1 single, 1 double. Top of the 8th, he's up again. Reliever throws a 88mph cutter up in the zone which hung like a dryer sheet and I crushed it for 438ft.

Hell even the commentators said "didn't he learn anything? didn't he watch the last 2 HR's this guy hit?"