How many pitchers for the playoffs? Topic

tedwmoore
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I am thinking of adding a 14th position player to my playoff roster and removing a pitcher.  It seems that there is plenty of time for rest during the playoffs, and most of my pitchers have good durability anyway.  What would be the potential pitfalls of this?  Would it make a difference whether I cut a starting pitcher or a reliever?  Is HBD like MLB playoffs, can I change my playoff roster between playoff series if I make it that far?  Also, do I really have to set my playoff roster 20 games in advance of the season ending? 
12/13/2010 10:52 AM
prezuiwf
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Opinions may vary but you should be fine with only 11 pitchers as long as they have good stamina and durability. You could cut either your worst reliever or your 5th starter and you'd never notice the difference (other than the overall improvement of your staff). And you don't have to set your playoff roster 20 games in advance, I believe players you put on your playoff roster just have to have been on your 40-man roster for a certain period of time.
12/13/2010 11:00 AM
tedwmoore
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Okay, thanks.  If they are on the 40-man at the time of roster expansion, are they eligible for the playoff roster?  Today is roster expansion, and it also says "set playoff roster", which confused me...not much experience with being in the playoff hunt this late into a season. 
12/13/2010 11:05 AM
MikeT23
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I'm not afraid to drop my staff to 9 pitchers for the playoffs.   With the off days, you can probably run three SP.   So that leaves you 6 in the pen.  3 LR, 2 SU, 1 CL.   By doing that you can add "specialty" players.   D-Specs, basestealers, power bat for PH VL, etc, etc.   Just drop the pitchers you don't want pitching anyway.

You have to set your rosters the half-cycle before the playoffs begin.    IOW, you can set it at 7 AM for the 11 AM start.  

12/13/2010 11:06 AM
MikeT23
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Yes, the must be on your 40 for the "set playoff roster" cycle.   It's a misnomer.
12/13/2010 11:06 AM
overeasy
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Posted by MikeT23 on 12/13/2010 11:06:00 AM (view original):
I'm not afraid to drop my staff to 9 pitchers for the playoffs.   With the off days, you can probably run three SP.   So that leaves you 6 in the pen.  3 LR, 2 SU, 1 CL.   By doing that you can add "specialty" players.   D-Specs, basestealers, power bat for PH VL, etc, etc.   Just drop the pitchers you don't want pitching anyway.

You have to set your rosters the half-cycle before the playoffs begin.    IOW, you can set it at 7 AM for the 11 AM start.  

While this could give you great flexibility for offense and defense, I wouldn't advise it. It doesn't happen very often, but this last season I saw a playoff series in which Game 1 and Game 2 were both 15+ inning games. Good luck trying to win with a gassed pitching staff.
I usually just set the pitchers I don't want to see in there with the game on the line to LRB so they are around to eat garbage innings or in case of extra innings.
12/13/2010 1:08 PM
dedelman
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Obviously, it depends on the specific personnel.  But I think at the very least you should drop your worst pitcher and add some sort of position player specialist.  For me that usually leaves me at 15 position players and 10 pitchers, and 9 pitchers is likely to be OK.

12/13/2010 1:15 PM
MikeT23
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Posted by overeasy on 12/13/2010 1:08:00 PM (view original):
Posted by MikeT23 on 12/13/2010 11:06:00 AM (view original):
I'm not afraid to drop my staff to 9 pitchers for the playoffs.   With the off days, you can probably run three SP.   So that leaves you 6 in the pen.  3 LR, 2 SU, 1 CL.   By doing that you can add "specialty" players.   D-Specs, basestealers, power bat for PH VL, etc, etc.   Just drop the pitchers you don't want pitching anyway.

You have to set your rosters the half-cycle before the playoffs begin.    IOW, you can set it at 7 AM for the 11 AM start.  

While this could give you great flexibility for offense and defense, I wouldn't advise it. It doesn't happen very often, but this last season I saw a playoff series in which Game 1 and Game 2 were both 15+ inning games. Good luck trying to win with a gassed pitching staff.
I usually just set the pitchers I don't want to see in there with the game on the line to LRB so they are around to eat garbage innings or in case of extra innings.
True.  But I've got 300+ playoff games under my belt and I can't recall back to back 10 inning games.   I'm sure this will happen with my next playoff team but I'll still be happy with my decision because it worked(despite my pathetic .456 in the playoffs) before.   The last thing I want simmy doing is putting in a slug with a 6.21 ERA to blow a big lead.
12/13/2010 1:28 PM
How many pitchers for the playoffs? Topic
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