Buck Miller Series of Managers: Buck Miller I – IV are modern day draft league style managers. They are aggressive in nature and use whatever techniques are appropriate including APBA-Ball. Miller I and Miller III choose reliever by Saves and II and IV choose by Grade. Miller I and II set a rotation (protect starters from appearing in relief) and Miller III and IV don’t.
Series Version | Sets Rotation | Choses closer by |
I | Yes | Saves |
II | Yes | Grade |
III | No | Saves |
IV | No | Grade |
Buck Miller I
Buck Miller I, Draft League AIM Manager is designed to be an AIM (Advanced Injury Management), modern draft-league manager. Although he is capable of handling a variety of bullpens, Miller I (as with the other versions) should be used only with contemporary (ca. 1995) rosters. A rough estimate would be for leagues comprised of players from the mid-to-late 1980s to the current day.
Although the Miller series of managers (I through IV) are nearly identical, this version differs significantly in two areas. One, Miller I sets aside a pitching rotation of, depending on the team, between four or five starters. These pitchers will NEVER (except in emergencies) be used in relief, even if they had relief appearances. Second, this version ranks or rates closers by their saves totals and NOT grade. This applies only to closers (broadly speaking 12 or more saves) or superclosers (20 or more saves). Other relievers in save situations are rated based on a “weighted save” definition that considers both saves totals and grade, with saves given greater weight.
Generally, Miller IV 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 lower grade closer will be used as a setup reliever for the superior closer. Miller IV will be, however, be willing to pull your top closer for a lower rated one if the top reliever is struggling and there is a grade advantage
Some additional information on and other strategies to note include:
- As was mentioned above, Miller I does set aside a rotation that, depending on a number of statistics, can be either four or five men. All other pitchers, even if they had zero relief appearances, may be used in relief. So, if you do not wish to have a pitcher used in relief, he must be benched for that game.
- Closers are ranked or judged by their save totals. If no reliever meets the criteria or a team’s closer has already been used, a weighted save measure is used that considers the current effective grade of a reliever plus their actual save totals (note: closers are defined as relievers with 12 or more saves or 12 or more “adjusted saves” which are saves times a number that is affected by any platoon advantage the pitcher may have. Supercloser are defined as having 20 or more saves).
- Resting or benched star players. Miller I will, albeit in a limited capacity, use these players. Essentially, the game must be close (+/-2 or 3 runs) for them to be considered. Otherwise, except in emergencies, they will not be used.
- Miller I will: PH, PR or sub defensively for “star” type players in one- sided games, with a preference on using “itchy” players as subs. Only non- regulars (plate appearances under 350) will be used in such circumstances.
- Miller I rates batters for their bunting ability based, in part, on the SO ratio. However, “good” bunters must also have a high number of actual SHs. There are three types of bunters defined: bad, decent and good. Bad bunters will never bunt; decent ones will bunt in limited circumstances, chiefly when behind or when tied against a good pitcher; while good bunters will advance runners in close games throughout the game.
- Base stealing: Miller’s green light to go is greatly affected by both the score and the steal chance of the runner (inning, outs, batter’s effective batting average, et cetera, are also considered).
- Hit and Run: This is one area of difficulty since many leagues limit the number of H&R a manager can call. In tests with the Miller series, he seemed “reasonable” with this strategy although, admittedly, this is quite subjective. Additionally, the Millers’ will call for a hit and run with runners on first and third.