Creating a Computer Manager

I've started this post to share some tips on creating computer managers from things I've learned from others. If you've got some, please share them as well. (If you want to blame anyone for this, blame Stu. He's the one who asked me for some info on creating a CM).

The Basics. CM creation is done off the TEAM item on the menu bar. The first thing you'll want to do is Promote/Demote Minor Leaguers, to select which players to have on your 25-man roster each block. After that, you want to Update Default Lineups.

HAL will provide two basic lineups, one against lefties and one against righties. Unless you're going to play the same eight guys in the same slot every day, you'll want to add more. I usually copy the 1st lineup to the 3rd slot and the 2nd to the 4th, and use the 3rd and 4th slots for reverse lefties and reverse righties. (You can change the description for the lineup by writing it in the box next to "pre-set": for example, "Rev Left" or "L 9R-1R.")

Normally, HAL will create its own Reverse lineups in the 3rd and 4th spots. However, your human opponent has to insert the correct lineup in the game before playing it, and if you only have two lineups, one of those is the lineup that's going to be played; you won't get the benefit of the lineup HAL created to handle reverse pitching matchups.

Once that's done, everything else is handled under Update Computer Manager. Let's take it one step at a time.

Pitchers. At a minimum, you can set your starting rotation, your set-up men (left and right), and your closer. You can do a good bit more than that. First, you can set the characteristics of each pitcher. If you double-click on the pitcher's name in the blue box on the upper left, you'll get a pop-up box that allows you to check off a variety of options, which are pretty much self-explanatory. You don't have to consider each box for each pitcher, but "quick hook/slow hook" is something you want to consider for starters, and "avoid lefties/avoid righties" for certain relievers. ("Quick hook/slow hook" also works there; if you've got a left-handed specialist, check both "avoid righties" and "quick hook.") If you've got a good bullpen, you'll want to make sure to have your starters pulled as soon as they show fatigue (level falls below 9); a Chris Carpenter on a team with a bad bullpen might merit staying in the game if he falls to a 7 or even a 6.

Starter Schedule. You can create your own starting schedule, by moving pitchers into dates on the schedule. If you don't, your rotation will cycle through the five starters you selected under Pitchers. Setting up your own schedule is a bit more work, but it lets you take advantage of off-days and good or bad opposing team matchups.

Batters. In addition to setting up pinch-hitters, a pinch-runner, and defensive replacements, you can also set individual traits for hitters, the same way you did for pitchers: double-click on the hitter, and a pop-up box will appear, letting you check which ones you want. Again, they're self-explanatory, and you don't have to make a big deal out of each batter. If you've got a guy who should never bat against lefties, or who should never try to steal, this is the place to do it.

Manager Tendencies. This lets you make the general strategy choices of a manager: being conservative on the basepaths, in the use tactics like the intentional walk, etc.

Super HAL Baserunning. You can use this feature to be even more definitive: it allows you to define exactly what your CM will do in every base advance situation. If that's a bit much, you can only do it for certain situations, and allow the normal CM setting (aggressive, conservative, etc.) to take care of everything else. For example, setting Super HAL to 90% for going to third with none or two out makes virtually certain that you'll never get thrown out doing that. (See Super Hal Baserunning in the Help index.)

Super HAL Bullpen. This lets you set up detailed instructions for the use of your bullpen: the order in which relievers will be put into the game, making sure that your closer gets into every possible save situation, etc. You really need to read the Help index under Super Hal Bullpen to get a handle on everything you can do with this. The most daunting task there is setting up the "orders," that is, the possible situations that might arise in a game: a blowout, you leading or behind by one or two runs in the late innings, you ahead in the 9th by 3 runs or less, etc. A few years back, I found one that had been preset with most of those, and I simply downloaded it and have been using it since. If you want to download the same one, just click on Copy Super Hal Bullpen Logic under Team, copy it from the 2006 Westpark team to your 2007 team, then go in and arrange the pitchers you want to have appear in those situations.

Those are my tips. Anybody else got any?