Tony Anderson - Contemporary Manager

Playoff/W.S. Manager, Version 2.00 is an AIM, contemporary (ca. 1985*) manager specifically designed to handle playoff, World Series or pennant-deciding or critical season games. As such, most of his strategies are based, in general, on a "winner take all, loser goes home" approach. Therefore, it's necessary to bench any or all starting pitchers (and, if you prefer, regulars) to prevent their use in the game. Anderson plays to win and will use every player at any time. This includes using starting pitchers like Greg Maddux or Mike Mussina in relief, even though they never appeared in that capacity during the season. This includes, as well, the use of tired pitchers in relief. So, in addition to benching the next game's starting pitcher, it might be wise to bench tired relievers also.

One important point, however, need emphasis: although Anderson is designed to handle critical post-season games, he does tend to have a slower hook for starting pitchers in the "last" game (7th or deciding game) than was/is actually done. In many of those actual games, you will often see managers pulling starters after giving up four or, sometimes, three runs early. While Anderson does have a quicker hook than one would employ for regular season games, pulling starters in such circumstances would both be inadvisable and not realistic for non-deciding games. I would suggest, then, that you manually manage seventh or playoff-ending games in a series. There are several other strategies to note:

1) Anderson does have a very limited substitution strategy in lopsided games. However, this is only if the team he is managing is well ahead (never behind) and entails pinchrunning, pinchhitting or subbing defensively for star-type players.

2) He does make extensive - quite extensive on occasion - use of the bullpen. He is willing to use every pitcher in relief - even, as noted above, tired ones in critical save situations - and there may be a concern with bullpen burnout. Because it's impossible to determine whether the game he is managing is the opening or first game in a series or the seventh or decisive one, he is programmed to consider the current game as THE potentially last game of the season (again however, see paragraph 2 above for qualifications). So, you may consider benching not only the next game's starting pitcher (if there is a next game), but the other rotation starters as well to prevent their use.

3) He is somewhat conservative - depending on the circumstances - with the small ball aspects of the game, e.g., base stealing, base advancement, hit and run. However with leads late in close games, he will try to get that extra run. Down late (8th onward) he will NEVER steal and will only under exceptional circumstances H&R.

4) He does use the intentional walk more extensively than all the other MM's currently available.