Over at The Book Blog, Tom Tango passes along a reader email:
A starting pitcher provides a significant portion of their value just because they pitch a lot. …
Maximizing this portion a starting pitcher’s value (pitching a lot) is complicated by the fact that pitchers effectiveness drops with each plate appearance against the same hitter within a game. Per the Book, a batters wOBA increases with each appearance against a pitcher by a few percent.
I am suggesting that a starting pitchers value could be increased by controlling the point at which they enter the game.
The reader, Scott, details a situation where “starting” pitchers enter games in the second or third inning, allowing teams to take advantage of platoon splits by using a one-inning specialist against the top of the opponent’s lineup — the best hitters — in the first, among other things.
It’s an interesting idea, but one that’s not likely to be employed by any big-league club anytime soon.
I’ve been writing for a while that the way bullpens and pitching staffs are structured is ripe for a change, since everything about the one-inning closer and increased specialization seems so inefficient.
The problem is, for all my finger-wagging, I’ve got no reasonable solution. I know the current system is flawed, but I haven’t a better one.
A starting pitcher provides a significant portion of their value just because they pitch a lot. …
Your five best pitchers would pitch twice through the order, and your next five best would pitch once through the order. Two specialists–maybe one LOOGY and one long reliever.
You lose most of your ability to leverage relievers, but gain the advantage of not having to face batters who have just seen you 3-4 times already.
15 orders gets you at least 3 games, so each pitcher with the exception with the LOOGY would pitch approximately once every three days, or until everyone’s arms fall off and everyone is fired for implementing such a ridiculous strategy.
My brother used to employ a similar tactic against me in RBI Baseball for NES. He used to start the late Donnie Moore against me and bring in Mike Witt later in the games. After Moore was a little fatigued and slowed down a bit, Witt was very tough out of the pen. This strategy drove me insane.