2056.06: San Fernando Minor Leagues Transition to Six-Man Rotations

[BaseClogger]

5/27/2056

With the 2056 minor league season set to kickoff at the Rookie and Short A levels this sim an experiment being tested in AAA Brooks will be expanded to my entire farm system.

Ever since top prospect Alexander Swanson accumulated 203 innings pitched at AAA during the 2053 season I've become more keenly aware of how many innings my minor league managers are asking of our young starting pitchers. Indeed, this was magnified when Swanson missed time due to injury early in the 2054 campaign. This is consistent with my observation that even with only eight relievers on their staff my minor league relievers weren't posting many innings.

Effective this sim, all San Fernando Bears' minor league pitching staffs will incorporate a six-man starting rotation. This change was implemented for three compelling reasons:

• Starting pitchers in full-season leagues will now make about five less starts, limiting their innings to a more appropriate level

• One additional pitcher at each level will have the opportunity to develop their full arsenal of secondary pitches, slightly improving our liklihood of developing young starting pitchers

• Minor league relievers will throw approximately 17.5% more innings since this will usually result in seven-man bullpens rather than eight-man bullpens, giving them greater opportunity to develop into effective big leaguers

Summary of San Fernando Minor League System

AAA BROOKS FIGHTING PHEASANTS

AA ANDERSON JOES

A THUNDER BAY BAY BEARS

Short A ST. KITTS SELECTS

Rookie KINGSTON KODIAKS

[BaseClogger]

Also want to call out that its bullshit Rocky Mountain's A ball team is called the "Topeka ThunderBears". I already have an A ball team named the Thunder Bay Bay Bears! Get a more unique name!

[Trebro]

How is the 6 man working out for you? I'm also curious how it impacts when they are ready for a 5 man BBA.

[BaseClogger]

How is the 6 man working out for you? I'm also curious how it impacts when they are ready for a 5 man BBA.

It’s accomplishing the intended innings impacts on starters and relievers alike. Actually going to have some relievers throw 60-70 innings and none of the starters are being abused. Still too early to conclude much else.

[ae37jr]

I used to do something similar at the lower levels.

-6 man rotation
-3/4 long RP
-3/4 Stoppers
-everyone else was set to specialist or none

The lower the level, the lower the starters pitch count and more RP in the template.. So for rookie ball, ideally the starter pitches innings 1-3, long RP pitched 4-6, and stoppers pitched 7-9.

Basically I'd have 14 pitchers with about equal innings pitched in R, 13 in S-A, and 12. It helps ease the workload of young pitchers as well as gives a lot of lesser pitchers quality playing time needed to develop.

The extra guys who were set to specialist were either low stamina(which I try to avoid anyway), team captains, or just bottom of the barrel players needed to fill out roster.

I actually need to start doing this again. My player development system has sucked.

[pandan]

Did you find that 6-man rotations stunt development at all? I've gone back and forth on it. Think the right approach depends on the team and its makeup.

I like 5-man rotation with stricter pitch counts -- gradually ascending in each level by 5-10 pitches starting at around 70 at the lowest.

Bullpen role AI is interesting, too -- even within a role, the AI tends to not use certain players unless they have to or you have super stringent strategy settings on rest. It's an area I need to investigate more since bullpens are so critical to winning.

[Dington]

I ran six man in lower minors back in the day. Not sure if it helped or not.

[JimSlade]

I run a 6-man rotation at almost all levels. Look how well it works in Rockville.