B* Relievers and Their Overlooked Value.

This strategy is probably not for the manager using a modern team with a stacked pen.  Today's teams are loaded with high-value arms out of the pen, but even these teams can get caught with no bullets left and only a B* or a C* if you play the rightly/lefty match-up upgrade. If that is the case, or if you play older teams with typical pre-2012 bullpens, this entry may be of value for you.

When I am pulling a team and sort through the cards for the first time, I often place them in piles: position players (then by position), relief pitchers, and starters.  For years when I flashed through the relievers I often only took notice of a B* reliever as a middle or last resort if the rest of the pack was thin.  However, after league play in my World baseball Organization and playing in these tournaments with very experienced players, I see a new value in the B* reliever.  Therefore, this blog entry in really aimed at new or intermediate players that have not found the special value in a B* arm out of the pen.  

Not to give away too much information, but I have been playing the 2000 Twins squad as a possible selection for an upcoming tournament.  I often just grab a year or a short set and play the squad I am considering against a few teams in a mini-tournament to get a good feel for the team.  This week, I ran the 2000 Twins out against the 2014 playoff teams: Cardinals, Giants, Royals, and Orioles.  The Twins played a best of 7 against each team in the 2014 playoff set.

The Y2K Twins have a B*x by the name of Eddie Guardado-AKA "Steady Eddie" in Twins Territory.

Here is the key to a B* reliever for the most value.  He kills the 8 on the hitters card. The 8 is only a hit against C* and D* talent.  The strategy is to bring in Eddie (B*) if you see a card coming up heavy with 8s.

The C* arm is also sneaky as it kills a 9, however, most position players just have two 9's, located on 31 and 51.

Remember, second column 8s and 9s do you no good as the result is taken for a D* pitcher.

Take a close look at the situation, especially if the bases are empty, but who needs a high-leverage reliever when they are empty?  The 8 does not get you only the out, it typically advances the runner or allows a Sac Fly with a runner on third, but it is much better than a hit.

The 2000 Twins are a thin, but interesting squad. David Ortiz (yes, Big Papi) is still a Twin, Ron Coomer (the color guy for the Cubs radio), and Torii Hunter is still a Twin for the first time.

The Pen consists of Eddie (B*x),  LeTroy Hawkins (B*y), Miller (B*y), and Wells (C*xzz).  Loads of B*s but for argument sake, lets agree that Eddie is your only B* or in my case, your only B* available with any time left on the arm after 5 games with the O's.

In my simulated game, the Twins were up 3-1 with C starter Brad Radke still tossing in the 9th.  The 2014 Orioles have "Crush" Davis, Jones, and Wieters due up.

Radke (Cz) is on the bump.  He gets Davis to fly out to center.  Jones gets the dreaded 15 turned Red 11 and is standing on 2nd base.  Wieters is entering the box with 1 down, down 2 runs, with a runner on 2nd, top of 9th, he is batting for the visiting team.  Time for the pen.  I am not going to pinch-hit for Wieters as he is a .308 hitter with power and defensively a 9 behind the dish.  I bring this up to avoid the counter-argument that I should pinch-hit and avoid the problem with his 8s.  I would not pinch-hit for him as a manager in this situation.

The APBA match-up:

Time for your B*.  Wieters has four 8s.  They occur on 15, 25, 31, and 51.  An unusually high number of 8s and four more chances to get him out than Radke would have with the 8s. Wieters saw limited time in 2014, but I played the opening day lineups for the 2014 teams.  If I have a better arm in the pen, or this is a one-and-done game, it doesn't really matter, but if I have innings restrictions and/or more games to play, Eddie is an excellent option.  The Twins travel to Kansas City when the Baltimore series is decided and play 2 there with one day rest on a heavily used pen.

The 8 via the B* can get you the pitcher-to-first-base put out with the runner advancing to 3rd but now with 2 outs so the Sac Fly is taken away.  The runner does advance, but you get the out and take away the sacrifice fly. The high number of 8s on Wieters card is worth noticing in this situation.

Result if the 8 comes up: Runner on 3rd, 2 outs.

As a manager, I will trade outs for advancing the runner in this situation, playing at home with a lead.

Footnote: Wieters grounded out 6-3, no advance on the runners.  I stuck with Eddie, and he struck out Hardy. Twins win.