Greetings,

With the recent updates to HBD where SP can have pitch count as low as 20, wondering if anyone else has been experimenting with Openers.

I have played 11 games using Openers so far...mixed results. I use LHPs for Opener and RHPs for Bulk. The RHP Bulk pitchers are doing better than I think they would be doing as Starters. But the Openers themselves suck, are pitching to the heart of the lineup, and have been hit hard.

My thinking is that if the Openers were better then this could be promising. The Openers are league-minimum guys with the worst ratings on team, but only lefties. I figured using a RHP as Opener would result in better opponent batting lineup.

You're thinking and experimenting. That's good. Keep it up.

I used Philip Beam as an opener down the stretch a couple seasons ago (before the settings were changed) and had great success. Before the settings changed you could still do an opener, you just needed to move him to the bullpen once it was his day to pitch and then adjust settings. He would throw the first inning or two and then the righties came in to do the bulk of the work against a lineup set for a LHP.

This is, I think, the point, and it's a real life point: your Opener has to be Closer quality. Real life teams are using guys like Sergio Romo, guys who actually can or have closed. Because it IS the heart of the order - the responsibility has just moved to the start of the game instead of the end. Can't just throw a scrub out there and hope he gets through it.

One of the reasons I use a Closer in HBD - many owners here don't believe in it - is that I use an RP who is NOT my best RP, because at the end of the game there's a good chance he won't be facing the heart of the order.

Posted by gccoach on 1/30/2021 8:09:00 AM (view original):
I used Philip Beam as an opener down the stretch a couple seasons ago (before the settings were changed) and had great success. Before the settings changed you could still do an opener, you just needed to move him to the bullpen once it was his day to pitch and then adjust settings. He would throw the first inning or two and then the righties came in to do the bulk of the work against a lineup set for a LHP.

Clever! Always enjoy coming across these little tricks that wouldn't have occurred to me.

I haven't tried openers yet, but looking forward to Bryant and Rigney handing off opening starts every other day once Bryant gets a few more ratings. Not looking forward to managing the staff though.

My contribution to the experiment

Player Profile: Alan Goldman - Hardball Dynasty Baseball | WhatIfSports
Player Profile: Geovany Ibanez - Hardball Dynasty Baseball | WhatIfSports