Let's say I draft some 260 IP moundsmen. In theory, it seems like they could go
- every 5th day, 8 IP per start
- every 4th day, 6-7 IP per start
- every 3rd day, 5 IP per start
and have the same total usage.
Will all of these options result in about the same stats (except for games started)? Or might they get more "tired" by going every 3rd day?

So, the first thing to do is go the main forum here and look at the "Best of Forum" and search for contrarian23's work on fatigue.

The answer isn't simple because equally crucial are your pitch counts based roughly on the formula 15 pitches per inning, (for most pitchers, a little fewer for some deadball pitchers who threw few BBs and Ks), and the IP/G in real life of your starter.

A pitcher whose real life average innings per game (IP/G) was 6 cannot be used to pitch 8 innings or 7 most of the time. They will crash.

At the same time, a pitcher with 8 or even 9 IP per game if they have 260 IP overall (260 IP times 15 = 3900) cannot be used every third day (162 divided by 3 = 54, 3900 pitches divided by 54 = 72 = roughly 5 innings - a little less actually) for those 8 or 9 innings.

If they are in a four man rotation that same pitcher, if a first or second starter, and so expected to make 41 starts (3900 divided by 41 = 95) can throw 95 pitches a game, or around 6 innings on average, but can occasionally go up to the say 8 IP/G they did in real life - so you can set the lower number in that case to 95, the higher to 120 (15 times 8 innings = 120), but if you see his fatigue numbers showing he is being overused, cut that higher number back quickly.

Keep in mind that 260 innings in real life with an IP/G of 8 would be 32 starts in the season, so a five-man rotation on his real life team.

Pushing him into a four man rotation is doable, in a three-man, only if you have a spot starter AND are ready to set his pitch count very low in terms of IP per start for your team.

Italy hits a bunch of very important notes. Check out the thread on fatigue, ask questions on here, watch how other owners set up their teams in OL's, etc. The other key and important factor, and something I'd change how Italy said it, is none of this is black and white, so I wouldn't say you couldn't do x or y, but you need to understand how it works and determine how comfortable are you pitching with fatigue? I have a team using a 3 man rotation and they have 255, 233, 212 IP/162 respectively. My intention is to let them all pitch into the 70%'s, and it's partly to see what kind of drop off you get, but I'm currently in first place (2nd best in the league) at the All star break. So our have to decide, Do you want all your pitchers to start at 100%? Are you fine if they drop to 95%? 90% 80%??? All of these will determine how many pitches your pitcher can throw, while always keeping in my their IP/G.

I have no problem having my starters pitch at 90%. Depending on the quality, I even let them go to 80%-85% and see very little drop off in quality. But you have to know your team and draft for that.

Or similarly, how deep you want them to go. I have a 2-man of rotation with two pitchers who have 233 IP162. They are both set to 50-60 PC and typically come out of the game between the 4-6th inning.

Thanks all.... luv the responses!