Winter Batting & Bench Lineup Card Explanations

Player: List your starting lineups and bench players against both Right-Handed Pitchers (RHP) and Left-Handed Pitchers (LHP). Please list players by player number and last name. Those players not starting against a RHP go on the Bench vs. RHP side. Those players not starting against a LHP go on the Bench vs. LHP side. (Any player listed against RHP must also be listed against LHP, and vice versa.) Remember - you can only have 30 players listed on a lineup card! Which column (Bunt and PH) is used depends on the pitcher that the batter currently faces. If the other team replaces a RHP with a LHP, the batter's bunting and PH strategies switch to the vs. LHP columns. (Note: there is only one steal column, which is used against either a RHP or a LHP.) List your players on the bench in the order you want them to appear in case a starter does not have enough major league at-bats to start every game that week. (The pinch hit rank has nothing to do with who comes in as a starter, it is the first listed player at that position who will come in.) We will automatically juggle your batting order slightly when a starter can't play. Basically, we will put players with the best Rank or PH for numbers in the third and fourth slots, while players with a good Rank or PH For number and a yes in their Steal? column will bat leadoff and second. Players listed as starters are never moved down in the order, and those listed in the 3rd through 6th spots will never bat 1st or 2nd. (This all becomes clearer when you get your first few scoresheets.) Once again, please list players by name and player number.

Position: Next to each player, list the position(s) you want him to play. We will automatically move him to other positions if disaster strikes. (For example, if all your second basemen are out we will automatically move a backup SS to play second.) Each starting lineup must have a player at every position, including 3 outfielders. You can either designate outfielders as LF, RF, CF; or you can just put OF next to their names, meaning we'll automatically assign the best OFer then playing to play CF for you. You can list both starters and bench players at more than one position. However, since we will automatically juggle positions for you if you run out of players at a position, you should only list players at the positions they are qualified to play! Also, only qualified catchers can play catcher, and only players who qualify at one of 2B, SS or 3B can play any of those 3 positions.

Steal?: Stealing 2nd base may be attempted if you are behind by 2 runs or less through the 6th inning, and if you are behind by one run starting with the 7th inning. Your player can steal in any inning if you are tied or ahead. If you want your player to have the option to steal, put a Y in his column. An N means he will never attempt to steal. A Y just means the player has a chance to go, not that he will necessarily try to steal - he is basically limited by how many steals he has in real life that year. A player's chances of getting thrown out vary according to how often he was caught that year in the majors.

Earliest Sacrifice Bunt: List the earliest inning you want the player to attempt a sacrifice bunt. Beginning with this inning, a sacrifice bunt may be attempted if there are no outs and the potential tying, go-ahead, or first or second insurance run is on base. The batter will try to bunt if the key run is on 1st with 2nd or 3rd open; or on 2nd with 3rd open if it's at least the 8th inning. Sacrifice bunts are successful about 75% of the time - when they do not work the batter is out and the runner stays where he was. (An 8th batter will not sacrifice if the pitcher is due up next but is not scheduled to be pinch hit for.)

Rank or PH For: The players with a number in this column can be used as pinch hitters, while players with a dash (or a blank) will be pinch hit for. Make sure you put a number in the PH For column for your better hitters! For example, if you leave the PH For column blank for your fourth hitter he will get pinch hit for by some other player with a number in his column - something you probably do not want to happen! If you number everyone, then NO ONE (except pitchers) will be pinch hit for. Pinch hitting for position players only occurs if you are behind, or if you are tied with a man in scoring position, and starts in the 8th inning, or 7th inning if at least two men are on base. The numerical rank determines who will pinch hit, and also is used to juggle your batting order when substitutions occur. The Rank or PH For number is also important for starters since a player may not have enough at-bats to start, but still may have one left he could use as a pinch hitter. Finally, it's important to vary your ranking vs. RHPs and LHPs if you want to use mostly left-handed pinch hitters against right-handed pitchers, and vice versa.

Pinch Hitting for Pitchers (NLs only): A starting pitcher may be pinch hit for starting with the 5th inning. He will be pinch hit for if the number of runs you are behind, plus half the number of runners currently on base, is at least 4.5 in the 5th inning, or 3.5 in the 6th, 2 in the 7th, 1 in the 8th, or .5 in the 9th or extra innings. Closers are always pinch hit for if you are behind, or tied with a runner in scoring position; middle relievers are pinch hit for if behind or tied, except that before the 5th inning relievers are only pinch hit for if at least 2 men are on base.

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