Cap Spalding IV is an AIM version of Cap Spalding III

Like Spalding III, this version is designed to handle draft leagues only. He is not
designed to manage replays or historical seasons or games.

It includes some new modern-oriented strategies such as: a pinch hit for star players
in lopsided games, a PH for an announced pinch hitter, greater use of relief specialists
(the 1/2 batter pitchers, usually lefthanders who averaged less than an inning per outing),
smarter pitcher usage with the DH only, et cetera.

With the addition of AIM strategies, you’ll see Spalding 4 use itchy players in lopsided
games and well as considering AIM status and/or Readiness Ratings of pitchers when used
in relief.

USAGE INFORMATION

As noted above, Spalding 4 is not designed to manage historical replays. He won’t replicate
actual key stats such as complete games, saves, steals, et cetera.

The pitching difference is due, in large part, to his selection of closers (called “stoppers”)
by adjusted grade (that is, grade plus control ratings) and not actual saves. So, a high grade
reliever with few saves will be used as a closer over lower grade relievers with high save totals.
This will obviously lead to ahistorical results such as a reliever with 1 or 2 saves compiling 20+
saves while a reliever with 20 saves getting none.

Remember that RR and/or AIM status will greatly influence relief usage. If a top closer has a low
RR (say 1 or 2), it’s very unlikely they’ll be used.

In addition to the ranking of closers by grades, all of Spalding 4 steal strategies heavily rely
on steal success or steal chance ratings. So, runners with high steal attempts but mediocre or
poor steal success (such as those in the deadball era) will not run much, if at all.

Base runners with high success but low attempts will not, however, compile high attempts (you
should see players acquire about 100% of their historic totals with the exception noted above).

Additionally, while this version is more “in tune” with pitcher usage, it will still use a quick
hook with starters in particular. Those pitchers with relatively high complete game totals will
likely (depending on the bullpen) not garner high CG totals. You should see, for example, fulltime
starters (200+ innings) get roughly 4-6 complete games. You’ll likely never see them get 12+ CGs.
Most of this is due to the high usage of higher grade closers. With such emphasis on grades – and
for the most part, most relievers having higher grades than closers – fewer 9 inning outings will
accrue.