I'm going with the majority on this issue. You should be able to anticipate how many minutes your players will get each game most of the time. Sure, things like injuries are unpredictable, fouls are also unpredictable (though not as much), but most of the other factors can give you an idea as to how many minutes your starters will get. Some examples:
High stamina and/or game shape - able to play more minutes.
Low stamina and/or game shape - needs to rest on the bench more.
Lousy backup at a position - longer minutes for the starter.
Great backup at a position - starter replaced by bench player for more minutes (how much depends on "Substitutions" setting).
Likely a close game - starters will stay in the game longer.
Likely a blowout loss - starters will stay in the game longer.
Likely a blowout win - starters will come out of the game sooner.
Contract dispute with team owner - starter will bench himself and pout.
Bad meat for dinner before game - starter will spend most of the game in the locker room on the toilet
Parole violation early in the game - starter spends rest of the game in jail
Girlfriend spotted in stands next to wife - no change in minutes, but starter spends evening in doghouse or on friend's couch
Okay, those last few are not always so predictable, but the others are. Experience in this game will give the attentive managers a good feel for what to expect, I don't think a major change in minutes management should occur. That's not to say that maybe there aren't some adjustments that could be made, but I'm afraid that most of the rational suggestions for adjustments that I've seen in the Forums over the last couple of years would tend to make setting our lineups and strategies a little too complected with too many options and the potential for misunderstanding. If we keep at this, though, maybe the right idea will eventually bubble up and we can improve this element of the game, so hurrah for at least trying here in the Suggestions Forum.
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