Posted by kahrtmen on 8/20/2012 2:06:00 PM (view original):
I think changing the starter to setupA and setting the pitch count to 5 is bush league, myself. I have seen it used a number of times, and the loophole needs to be closed. Like damag said above, the L/R tandem is obviously beneficial strategically. The problem I have with it is that the offense has no way to respond to it. It is virtually impossible to get a pinch hitter in the game prior to the 6th inning. This gives a huge advantage to the pitching team, since they can do the tandem and the hitting team can't respond to it.
I've done this, but only in two specific cases:
1) End of the season, after I either clinched (or have been eliminated from) a playoff spot. I had a starter scheduled to pitch game 162 who I preferred to hold back to pitch the first game of the playoffs. Since he was locked in to pitch game 162 (if I needed to win that game), switching him to the bullpen with a PC of 5 was the only way to effectively remove him from the game and have him at 100% for game 1 of the playoffs.
2) A guy comes off the DL and I wanted him to pitch that first game rather than being held back a day. So I take the scheduled starter, move him to the bullpen with a PC of 5, and make my preferred starter the only pitcher available to relieve in the first inning.