new pitcher fatigue/rest system

The traditional PtP fatigue/rest system allows extremely unrealistic pitcher usage patterns, but to this point all we’ve had as an alternative were experimental rest rules that were squeezed onto the charts over 10 years ago.  For several years I’ve had a design concept in the back of my mind for a new system based on batters faced (BF), and this year I finally found the time to implement it.  When you check out the 2014 cards you will see that each pitcher now receives individualized BF-based fatigue and rest ratings.  The IBL will use the traditional rules for the 2014 season, but I’ve put these new ratings on the cards so that willing IBL owners and other members of the community will help me play-test the new system.

I’ll dive into the methodology behind the ratings in a later post when I have more time.  For now I’m just going to briefly explain the new ratings and summarize the rules so that people don’t have to wait for the updated charts to be published.

Here’s how to read the new ratings on the cards:

Fatigue
Old:   Middle*
BF SP:       -
BF RP:       7

Note that these are the ratings for a pitcher who was only used in relief.  The traditional fatigue rating is listed on top (“Middle”). Each pitcher receives an individualized fatigue rating for starting (BF SP) and relieving (BF RP).  This is the number of batters a pitcher may face in a single appearance before becoming fatigued, e.g. this reliever will fatigue after the 7th batter he faces.

Rest: (days)
.   0/ 1/ 2/ 3
BF  9/11/13/15

Each pitcher also receives an individualized rest chart.  The number listed after BF is the maximum number of batters that can be faced for the corresponding amount of rest. Zero days rest means that the pitcher can pitch on consecutive days.  BF totals are cumulative over consecutive days pitched without rest. As an example, this reliever could face 4 batters on day 1, 4 batters on day 2 (8 cumulative), and 3 batters on day 3 (11 cumulative) before requiring 1 day of rest.  If he faced 4 batters on day 3 he would then require 2 days of rest.

Additional rules:

• pitchers rated strictly as relievers (no SP fatigue rating) who have exceeded the maximum BF listed on their rest chart may continue pitching until the conclusion of the current inning, at which point they must be removed from the game and rest for 4 days
• pitchers with SP fatigue ratings who face more than the maximum BF listed on their rest chart but less than twice the maximum may pitch again after only 3 days rest but must suffer a -8 BF penalty to their fatigue rating
• pitchers with SP fatigue ratings who exceed twice the maximum BF listed on their rest chart must rest 4 days before pitching again
• pitchers starting on normal rest in cool weather receive +2 bonus BF to their SP fatigue rating; pitchers starting in hot weather suffer -4 BF penalty to their SP fatigue rating
• pitchers may pitch no more than four consecutive days, regardless of BF total