Raising Threshold for * Pitchers

[kenhutchings]

When a pitcher does not have a * rating, he's capable of starting 33 games in a 162 game season.

During the 2009 MLB season, only six pitchers (Adam Wainwright, Cliff Lee, Randy Wolf, Jair Jurrjens, Doug Davis and Derek Lowe) had more than 33 starts, and they exceeded that number by only one start.

In the interest of realism, it almost seems that the * rating should be eliminated, as virtually all MLB teams have five pitcher rotations. For pitchers that started 31 games or more, perhaps the * rating could be assigned to limit injuries to no more than 4 games, but otherwise they would all be required to rest four games between starts.

Comments??

[schnoogens]

I'm on board - the * rating is applied to far too many pitchers in terms of realism.

However, I already feel like the stud pitchers are hampered by the fact that only 37.5% (or thereabouts) of results actually come from their cards. I think the * rating helps counteract this by giving stud pitchers a bit more value simply in terms of IP.

Therefore, for the purposes of online SOM, I think the * rating should be kept, but perhaps awarded to less pitchers.

[AeroDave10]

MLB pitchers occasionally throw on 3 days rest during the regular season and frequently do it in the playoffs. How would this be accounted for in SOM if all pitchers were required to throw on 4 days rest?

[hallerose]

I have been long on board this change. When was the last time a team had 4 pitchers start 40+ games, for that matter when was the last time a team have 1 pitcher start 40+ games (Wood, PNiekro). 5 man rotations have been the norm for 30 years. Pitching injuries also are way off. When was the last time a team had no starters miss a start with injuries?

[chasenally]

A 5 man rotation in the $80 mil league would be hard. You can't have 2 or 3 starters go out for any lenght of time and not have to drop them and take a huge cut. I try to get 4 200ing pitchers and worry about my batters. I would play a theme league like that though. Everyone would have to be honest about the rotation. 100mil and you need to carry 6 starting pitchers.

[MARCPELLETIER]

I somewhat disagree. You have to distinguish between realism and replication. Realism, even in this century context, is that a starting pitcher can go out there and start once every five game, with perhaps one or two 3-day rest start. With the typical breaks of a regular schedule (resting days for travel, all-star break, games postponed), this sort of realism means a pitcher can easily start 37-38 games.

The reason why starters have 32-33 starters is because they are given regularly five-day breaks, throwing on a 6-day schedule.

Take Verlander for example. He led the league with 35 starts. Yet, he got his share of six-day workshift: eight times did he throw with an extra day of rest. I went over the calender, and had the Tigers slanted Verlander strictly every five days, except for days he was due-up and no game was scheduled or games were postponed, he could have pitched 36 games, 37 games if Tigers had allowed one single start on a 3-day rest in the first half of the season. If you are a bit more relax and accept three 3-day-rest starts over the course of the season, he could have begun 38 games. That's pretty close to the 40 games you expect from a 4-man *SP rotation.

Oh! and Detroit, in all probabilities, would have finished in front of the Twins.

[coyote303]

I would like to see the * situation stay as it is with one addition: Any *starter who starts on 3-day rest begins the game at F7 and a 10-pitch head start against his pitch count.

Of course, values for SP*'s would have to be adjusted down a bit if they did this.

[toronto50]

If the cost of stud starters was reduced then the logic of their impact would make more sense. How often does it happen in leagues where halladay sits un-used because his cost to impact ratio doesnt make sense?

[Jerlins]

Ok, to play devil's advocate a bit.....

Every year this subject seems to come up, yet, I'm guessing 90% or so that have a problem with the "realism" of SP's, do not have a problem with hitters with less than 400 AB's being in their lineup on an everyday basis. True "realism" would be a theme league with innings and AB ceilings for every player on their team, combined with a "no cut" option to discourage dropping players after they've attained their maximum AB requirement midway through the season.

[drew6013]

"When was the last time a team had no starters miss a start with injuries?"

That would have been the 2003 Mariners :lol: