I can't really say I've experienced whether this can occur or not, so figured I'd put this question to those who have played this game for a while.  In the advanced settings, if you check the "relief" box for a starting pitcher, even if that starting pitcher is in the rotation, is it possible for him to come in for a relief appearance?

yup......

It's not an "optimal" use of pitches, the math geeks frown upon it.  With that being said, I use it all the time.     Check out my Pirates team to see it used effectively.   I basically use 9 pitchers  and start 6.

If you are trying to manage a fatigued staff, IMO, it behooves one to check the relief box for the starter(s) you would prefer to see come in the game in relief, if they are needed. Sparky has killed me more than once by bringing in my next games starter for 3 or 4 innings in an extra inning game. With a rested staff, it is rarely necessary, and Sparky will most likely bring him in at a time you would not think appropriate.  I would be curious as to how t-joe utilizes this, and what makes it superior, as a season long strategy, to simply drafting appropriate relievers. His record of success is far superior to my own, I would benefit from it.

I use it in progressive leagues when I can't draft appropriate relievers.  My Pittsburgh team has only 1200 "quality innings" and about 1000 of them are really starters.   So instead of putting 180 ip guy in the bullpen and not getting his maximum IP, I made the 6 starters, 3 relievers,  and put the rest of my pitchers on mopup.   It's worked so far, my 200 "loser" innings have only pitched a  total of 11 IP in not quite half a season and I haven't had any real fatigue issues.

they seem to be used like Long B relievers. when your bullpen is adequate the starters won't get used much. when the bullpen is tired you'll be glad you have SP available for relief. don't waste your best SP for this role, it's better to use your worst starters here.

I've never seen a need for it. I've always found it pretty easy to set everybody on a pace. Not sure if I'm one of those "math geeks". I do find it kind of interesting though. I bet Sparky really smacks his chops when he sees that box clicked. "They're willing to let me do WHAT??"

Posted by rbow923 on 12/20/2011 9:02:00 AM (view original):
they seem to be used like Long B relievers. when your bullpen is adequate the starters won't get used much. when the bullpen is tired you'll be glad you have SP available for relief. don't waste your best SP for this role, it's better to use your worst starters here.

Sparky only uses them when no one else is eligible, whether that be by inning or fatigue.  I check the good pitchers when I have a short bullpen because they are then used in save situations.

Here's one example from my Pirate team....I only have 8 pitchers....5 starters and 3 in the pen....

Player	SN	T	G	GS	CG	SHO	W	L	SV	SVO	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	OAV	OBP	SLG	WHIP	ERA
Osteen, Claude	1973	L	22	13	3	1	11	3	1	1	107.3	102	55	51	16	26	42	.251	.297	.406	1.19	4.28
Moose, Bob	1973	R	19	15	0	0	9	2	2	2	99.0	106	42	39	4	32	50	.278	.335	.381	1.39	3.55
Ellis, Dock	1973	R	21	12	0	0	8	3	0	0	94.0	69	27	25	3	32	52	.204	.272	.257	1.07	2.39
Stone, Steve	1973	R	24	14	0	0	6	4	1	2	90.3	79	31	28	2	41	69	.230	.317	.288	1.33	2.79
Jones, Randy	1973	L	15	13	0	0	7	1	1	1	71.7	66	24	18	5	18	40	.244	.292	.332	1.17	2.26

I use it pretty regularly.  Haven't kept track, but I'd be surprised if more than 2 or 3 times in a season Sparky uses an SP when I really would have wished he hadn't.

As long as you draft enough IP to begin with, the situations in which a starter will be used fall roughly into the following categories:

-- Extra innings, when you've run out of relief pitchers (huge leverage there)
-- Late innings if your closer and set-up guys run into trouble and/or exceed their MPCs (usually huge leverage there)
-- Early innings in a high scoring game (when your starter is pulled and your Long A/Bs are either tired or have used up their pitch counts) - this CAN be high leverage depending on the score, and in most cases I'd rather have an SP in there than a mop.

And then, yes, every once in a while, you'll burn your next day's SP in a low leverage situation.  Again, assuming you've got enough IP so your relievers aren't constantly in the red, I don't think this will happen often.

Wouldnt it be reccomended to try to click the box for the appropriate starting pitcher (without selecting a pitcher that is pitching the next game) before the start of the game if possible instead of leaving the box checked all season?

I never check the "relief" box for one of my SPs to appear in relief. If you draft an appropriate amount of relief pitching, only rarely should you run into serious pitching fatigue where a starter is needed for the pen.  But as Contrarian noted, Sparky will sometimes, in certain situations, burn out your next game's starter. lol 

Sparky only uses the next game starter when no one else is available AND the next game starter is above his autorest setting.

Why not pull down your starter that you want to pitch in a long relief role(or a role you see fit)? Will he be used in the same way or is it better to click the relief box for the starter. 

On another note, my mop guy keeps coming in to pitch in the middle of the game? why?  I was losing 4-1 in the 4th, mop comes gets two outs and finishes the 4th. Stays in the game in the 5th and gives up 6 earned runs.  I have him at a low pull because if I am getting blown out I want him to finish the game no matter how tired or how much he is getting hammered to save innings for his teamates. But why does Sparky bring him in often in the middle of the game when the game is not out of distance?

chisox, for your second question, the most likely reason is there is no other pitcher available according to the settings you have set.  For example, your LRA and LRB are fatigued below their autorest setting.

As for the first question you ask, yes that may work.  But there are two problems: (a) a pitcher set to Long B will come in more often than a starter with the "relief" box checked.  So if you are concerned about overuse of your SP, that may not be the way to go.  (b) more important (at least for me) is that requires to remember to (and be able to) reset your settings before every game.

I often can't do that, so I prefer to leave my guys in the rotation.

Interesting contra thanks for the input.  So there are times to use that checked box and times not to, times to bring starting pitchers in (if possible) to different roles if need be.  One thing I keep thinking is how some players of this game have so many teams.  If I wanted to set my lineups the best I can,not to mention use the waiver wire etc.etc, there is no way possible to check 10 teams 3 times a day. Or atleast that may be very difficult depending on peoples situations. Or I am not good enough to do that yet.

As far as my second question I had my mop clicked to come in at "any inning" and Fred Toney to come in the 6th.  I think that is why they used the mop before Toney who came in in the 6th when the game was out of reach.  Toney should be clicked to "any inning" also or better yet I am going to use him in a tandem when I start Fred Anderson.