Pitching in Baseball

The game has changed dramatically over the years. A team used to have 4 starters and all of them were supposed to pitch 9 innings. The only exception? If the game went extra innings, they were supposed to pitch those, too. Each starter got 40 starts a year, and many teams had multiple 20-game winners.

Remember that 10 inning shutout that Jack Morris pitched in the 1991 World Series? That was the norm for every starter in the league until the the mid-1960's. Obviously shutouts weren't thrown on every occasion, but you were in there as if you had a shutout going in today's game.

If you had a bad inning, you were expected to pitch through it. The manager didn't pull you in the fourth just because you'd already given up 4 runs and the bases were still loaded with just one out. Your job was to keep pitching because there were still 5 innings to go and those innings were yours.

A transition occurred from the late sixties into the seventies. Closers started springing up. A starter was no longer required to go 9 innings because if your team had the lead, a specialized pitcher, usually with a great fastball and great control, would take that ninth inning and make it his own. "Saves" became a common new stat in the world of baseball, and certain pitchers thrived in that closing environment.

It was a good move. All the sudden, players were facing a guy throwing a 95 MPH fastball at the end of a game rather than a guy who was struggling to finish. Tired hitters were not ready for that fresh arm and teams with good closers started to dominate their divisions.

It didn't take long for managers to start using set-up men as well. The thought was, "Why should I keep a guy in there if he's having a miserable day? If I get him out EARLY, we might still have a chance at winning?" That this thought didn't occur to managers the first 70 years of the games existence is a bit baffling. Primarily, I guess the reason was more simple than we think. It's Tuesday. Joe supposed to pitch today, so Joe pitched. It was his job and he just did it. Like eveybody else who has a job, some days are just better than others.

A certain bit of a macho attitude was also there. This is MY game, good or bad, I'm finishing it. One other reason? Baseball free agency hadn't arrived yet. Owners were tight with their purse strings, and the last thing you were going to to was pay somebody else to FINISH someone else's job. Picture Mr. Burns from the Simpsons being the owner of every ball club and you'd have a pretty good idea of the situation.

Even the terms "starter," "set-up man," and "closer" weren't used in baseball. Sometimes relievers were necessary, but their use was not common. You didn't have a starter. You had a pitcher. You always asked,  "Who is pitching today?" not "Who is starting today?"

Over the last 40 years, pitching has become more specialized. You now have starters, middle relief men, set-up men, closers, AND the guy who faces ONE batter just because he has the ability to get that one particular batter out.

Like I said, the game has changed dramatically. But as dramatic as the changes have been, they really have not taken the next logical step. That's what I'll be talking about today.

Since the Twins are having a tough time finding good STARTING pitchers this year, they should try this. It's the perfect time to do it, especially since all hope of winning this season is in the sewer.

I've talked about this before, so it isn't anything new for those who know me, but I have refined the way it should be implemented.

Your SECOND step? Get rid of ALL of your starters. From now on, your staff of 11 or 12 pitchers will all be really good set-up men and middle relievers. If you have a great closer, he will remain your closer.

Okay, but what's the FIRST step? You really do have to plan ahead for this one. MOST teams have one or two really good middle relievers or set-up guys. YOUR job as GM and manager is to pinpoint the very BEST of them and sign them as your pitching staff in the offseason. Sign the best who are free agents. Trade your best starters for the best of those on other teams. Trade your third and fourth starter to get a few more. Keep the two or three that you already have and sign them all to GOOD long term contracts. Most of these guys will be in the two to three million dollar a year range. A couple may be paid as much as 5 million a year, but you should be able to get your whole pitching staff (including closer) for less than $40 million a year. That leaves you a lot of money to pay your everyday players. This system will work and it will not break the bank.

The rest is simple. You no longer have starters, but you have a rotation. Each of your pitchers has an assigned role in the rotation and you use them in order. It's just that the rotation is for two or three INNINGS rather than individual games.  A typical game? Your first pitcher starts the game. He throws 28 pitches and goes 3 innings. He's a righty and known for his fastball. The next guy comes in, a lefty, and he pitches 24 pitches in two and a third innings. He's known for great control and his off speed magic. Another righty comes in. The guys got a great curve or slider. He pitches 29 pitches and goes 2 2/3 innings. At that point (7 innings are already gone) you have the option of a one inning set-up man and a one inning closer, OR just bringing in your closer for two innings. Depending on who your closer IS, you could do either.

A total of 5 pitchers MAY have pitched in the game. NONE of them wore their arms out and all could easily pitch the next day again. BUT because you have 11 (12?) pitchers in this "rotation" NONE will have to pitch the next day. That's what the rest of your rotation is for.

In effect you will have a staff of pitchers who will normally throw 25-35 pitches every two or three games. You don't always HAVE to start the same guy each game. In fact, it would be better if you switched up the curve-baller, with the fast-baller, with the breaking ball specialist every single game just to keep your opponents off guard. You wouldn't even have to NAME your official starter until just before game time. That advantage alone should give you a few extra wins a year. IF you only use THREE pitchers one game, some would get an extra day of rest once in a while. One guy, who may be pitching great, may go 4 or 5 innings once in a while. Managing innings and pitches thrown wouldn't be any different than it is now except that no one will have to pitch more than 35-40 pitches an outing. Most outings will be way less. Less stress. More energy. More great outings. More rested arms.

This staff on the average would pitch 3 games a week each, throwing about 80-90 pitches a week. This translates to about 150 innings and 55 games each year. It would produce a new breed of pitchers. Guys who KNOW their roll an excel at it. And guys who could pitch for YEARS without any major arm trouble. I've talked about the revolution that's about to start in the NFL over the next couple of years, but I'm really excited about what the possibilities of baseball changing into a league where great starters are no longer neccesary to win. THIS system will be the great equalizer for teams that don't have the money to compete with the big money boys.

AND the Twins could lead the charge.

Once they get rid of Gardy, of course.