Closer Broxton Starts Game...

[robwrjr]

...pitches 8 2/3 innings since the fifth starter was injured. Gotta love this game for the opposing team. Unreal.

[code:1:ed886e87f9]Rehabilitators IP H R ER BB SO HR PC ERA
J.Broxton WIN(1-0) 8 2/3 5 4 4 4 10 1 129 2.70
H.Kuo 0 1/3 0 0 0 1 0 0 12 4.00
Totals 9 5 4 4 5 10 1[/code:1:ed886e87f9]

[robwrjr]

No thinks this is unacceptable?

[keyzick]

Unreal and unbelievable...yes. Unacceptable? No, I don't mind it. With some of the limitations involved with rosters, salaries, etc...the occasional (but very infrequent) reliever starting is just a quirk of the game.

[apolivka]

129 pitches for Broxton is pretty unrealistic, and would never happen in real life. But, HAL doesn't really know that.

I'd like to see a link to that game. I assume when relievers get put in as starters, they are an S5, so I wonder when his fatigue numbers starting rising. I assume Broxton normally would be set at "slow hook", so a very strange game, but I don't think it's a big problem.

[padrenurgle1]

I saw Bruce Sutter start 3 games one season in 70s, and in at least one of those games he threw a shutout. If you have a very small staff and no SP/RPs on the roster, and a starter goes down, there is no other option. One of the pure relievers has to start. What fatigue factor is operative is an interesting question.