Can someone who supported the change in required pitch counts for SP explain the logic behind allowing relief pitchers to have no Max Pitch Count, but capping SP at 150 pitches?

While we're on the topic - why the change in minimums?  Is it so that people can't have a fake starter?  I used to like having the ability to set a starter to 5 pitches if I accidentally left him in the rotation even though he wasn't at 100% stamina.  While I'm on the topic - why do we have to have our starter locked in anyway?  It isn't like it'll screw people over from a vs L / vs R perspective (since those lineups are different).   And if you say it's so that the starter has a day to mentally / physically prepare for his start, then that just blows my mind, because obviously that isn't being factored in if you come in and pitch 100 pitches in relief, so why should we pretend it matters for a starter?

Posted by detlef on 9/8/2010 11:23:00 PM (view original):
While we're on the topic - why the change in minimums?  Is it so that people can't have a fake starter?  I used to like having the ability to set a starter to 5 pitches if I accidentally left him in the rotation even though he wasn't at 100% stamina.  While I'm on the topic - why do we have to have our starter locked in anyway?  It isn't like it'll screw people over from a vs L / vs R perspective (since those lineups are different).   And if you say it's so that the starter has a day to mentally / physically prepare for his start, then that just blows my mind, because obviously that isn't being factored in if you come in and pitch 100 pitches in relief, so why should we pretend it matters for a starter?

Short answer: Yes.  People were abusing this ability, especially in the playoffs.

My one issue with this is when it comes to the final game of the season. The situation is if I am one game up on a playoff spot heading into the second to last game, with the chance the playoff spot is decided in the last game, and have my #1 starter ready to pitch the final game. However, if I clinch the playoff spot, I dont want to use my #1 guy now but want him ready for my first playoff game, and would rather throw a September call-up guy in the finale. Unfortunately, the way the system is now, he will have to throw 40 pitches at least and at best will start my second playoff game.

yes this sucks in the playoffs you should be able to decide at the last minute whom to start

Posted by csherwood on 9/9/2010 12:14:00 PM (view original):
My one issue with this is when it comes to the final game of the season. The situation is if I am one game up on a playoff spot heading into the second to last game, with the chance the playoff spot is decided in the last game, and have my #1 starter ready to pitch the final game. However, if I clinch the playoff spot, I dont want to use my #1 guy now but want him ready for my first playoff game, and would rather throw a September call-up guy in the finale. Unfortunately, the way the system is now, he will have to throw 40 pitches at least and at best will start my second playoff game.

I was in this exact situation and i found a way around it. After I had won the 2nd to last game of the season to clinch the division, I moved my sp that was supposed to start into the bullpen. When you are in the bullpen you can you can set your pitch count to max pc of 5. So, my #1 threw about 4 pitches and then got taken out for either my mop up or long reliever; problem solved and there's your loophole. My #1 was then ready to start the 1st game of the playoffs fully rested.

Jeez, committeewood.  I see that you've made the playoffs 40 times.  How many times, exactly, has that situaiton happened to you since they changed it?  

Posted by MikeT23 on 9/9/2010 1:36:00 PM (view original):
Jeez, committeewood.  I see that you've made the playoffs 40 times.  How many times, exactly, has that situaiton happened to you since they changed it?  

Happened to me within the last week. Obviously not going to happen every day but it's definitely a possible scenario.

Of course it's a possible scenario.   But this is a simulation.   They can't account for every possible scenario.  The choice is this:

1.  Have owners abuse the SP L/R match-ups by using the ol' 5 pitch trick
2.  Have the occassional owner pitch a guy who he'd rather save if winning the next game isn't necessary

MikeT23 - the solution to #1 is allowing you to change your starting pitcher up until the end (leaving the minimum 40 pitches thing in place), since the other team will automatically use its vs L or vs R lineup accordingly.

As for teams declaring their starting pitcher ahead of time in real life, I'd argue that forcing us to do that is inconsistent with allowing us to use two man rotations, super long relievers (i.e. 80-100 pitch relievers who pitch on a moment's notice), etc.  I'd rather the sim be consistent with itself than exactly consistent with how real life managers manage their teams (do we even have any evidence that real life starters need to know ahead of time that they're going to start?  Or is it one of many holdovers, because that's just how it's always been done in baseball).

Unfortunately, some owners change their line-ups based on the pitcher not necessarily his handedness.   A lefty with a 52 VL isn't the same as  lefty with a 72 VL.   There are also "give-away" games when fatigue sets in.   An owner may choose to rest his 97% LF vs your 22-3 ace whereas he might play him against your #5.   A lot of things can come into play when making a line-up.    It's not just L/R.

Wrong thread.

And email isn't personal.

Oopsadaze, I'll rectify.

Posted by MikeT23 on 9/9/2010 2:23:00 PM (view original):
Unfortunately, some owners change their line-ups based on the pitcher not necessarily his handedness.   A lefty with a 52 VL isn't the same as  lefty with a 72 VL.   There are also "give-away" games when fatigue sets in.   An owner may choose to rest his 97% LF vs your 22-3 ace whereas he might play him against your #5.   A lot of things can come into play when making a line-up.    It's not just L/R.

That's a good point about resting guys besides handedness, I guess.  I think I just move my rotation into and out of the bullpen a lot and wish there was a better way to set the sim to do it for me if I accidentally oversleep and miss the 11 am game after a night of drinking or something.   What I'm saying is that whatifsports should be set up to properly enable alcoholism.