Mel Herman II - Modern, Non-AIM

Herman II is a modern, Draft Only, non-AIM manager who follows the modern managerial style of play.

  Herman II sets aside either a 4 or 5 man starting rotation. Pitchers with more starts than relief appearances starts are first considered. Those pitchers are then ranked by actual starts from high to low. The top 4 (or 5 if the fourth best starter had fewer than 36 starts) are then set aside or considered at the team's rotation. Any pitcher falling outside that rotation can and will be used in relief regardless of whether they had actual relief appearances. Pitchers falling within that standard will NEVER be used in relief except if injury or ejection requires it.

  Herman II is designed to handle Non-AIM modern or post-war draft league only replays. He is not designed to manage season replays of any type. Although created to guide modern seasons, he may be adequate in handling pre-modern (e.g, 1990) replays depending on your team's roster.

  Herman II is nearly identical to the AIM manager Buck Miller II except for the non-AIM capabilities. Additionally, he is a bit more conservative with pitcher usage and will allow relievers to pitch longer than Miller II.

  Several important points to make:

1) Herman II, as noted above, sets aside a starting rotation. He will and does use any pitcher not specifically benched in League Manager or in your lineup/rotation setup that does NOT fall into the category as defined above (e.g., less than 15 starts).

2) Herman II selects closers by grades and not saves. So, relievers with few save totals but high grades will be used over pitchers having the opposite stats. A "regular" closer will have grades of roughly 13+ while a "supercloser" will have a grade of 17+. Note: these are adjusted grades that consider adjustments (homer and/or control grades or ratings).

Herman II will, obviously, aggressively use the superclosers more than the "normal"-type closers (this is dependent on the starter's grade, starting durability et cetera).

3) Herman II generally follows the LaRussa one inning closer approach. That is, closers (both normal and super) will likely only pitch the ninth in save situations. Set up relievers will be heavily used before then. If a team has more than one closer, the closer with the lower grade will be used as a setup reliever for the superior closer.

Note: Low reliever durability closers (1 or 2), especially the "super" types, with high innings and high RRs will be used for multiple innings. Herman II will however, be willing to pull your top closer for another one if the top reliever is struggling. Generally, superclosers will only be pulled if another closer (or supercloser) is available. And closers will be pulled in save situations only if a high grade is in the bullpen (this includes control adjustments as noted above and first batter effectiveness and platoon advantages (if any).

4) Herman II (like I, III and IV) hates to see relievers hit. You'll see a very aggressive use of double switches and "rearrangement" of the batting order to try and limit the times a reliever hits. Generally, unless the reliever is a "stud" pitcher or the game is lopsided or a team's bullpen is thin due to overwork, you'll likely never see a relief pitcher hit.

5) Herman I has a number of "bells and whistles" some of which may or may not be applicable to your team. For example, he has a couple of pinchrun to steal strategies (second or third) that may not apply to your team if you don't have a good base stealer on your bench (e.g. steal rating of 28 or higher).

6) Herman II (like versions I, III and IV) willl use a pitcher offensively either as a pinch hitter or as a pinch runner. But this will only happen if that pitcher appeared in that capacity. I.e., had more offensive games than defensive ones. He will, however, ONLY pinch hit for a pitcher.

Additionally, Herman II has a pinch hit to bunt strategy that requires a "good bunter" be available; a pinch hit for a hit and run situation (that also requires a bench hitter with a good H&R ability that includes a low SO/AB ratio).

Herman II, like the other trio, has an aggressive sub strategy in replacing star players in lopsided games. This includes PHing, PRing and subbing defensively for them.