If a pitcher can pitch better in a short inning, why don't they use 6-9 pitchers in one game (without SP)?

Question

It's well known that any starting pitcher cannot pitch at full velocity for all pitches. If he does so, he doesn't last 5-7 innings. If a winning of the game is the ultimate goal, and if we ignore the ego of the starting pitcher, isn't it better to replace Starting pitcher with many many reliever/closers? Or did a team like Oakland A's try this before?

Answer 1

I think the main reason why people don't do this is because of the stress it puts on a pitcher's arm. A pitcher would rather throw 8 innings in one day than pitch one inning, 8 days in a row. Your arm gets cool and you have to warm up quickly.

Answer 2

This is a great question...I believe a team did this once for a while. It may have been the A's, Idk. But what they did was each pitcher would pick a number from a hat. Whatever number they got, that would be their inning for the game. They would pitch the one inning no matter how bad they did, they had to get through the inning. Typically, it would be tough for hitters to adjust to a new pitcher every inning. I'd like to see this happen. I think it's a great idea. It would save pitchers arms. I mean, these guys throw everyday, so make their bullpen session a live session.

The reason it isn't done, though, is because that's not how things are done. Pitchers go 5 or 6 innings, then relief comes in. But it would be nice to see something like this happen.

Answer 3

A starting pitcher has good pitches for rougly 6-7 innings. Some times more, some times less. The reason they use relief pitchers is because of situational hitting. If a left handed hitter comes up the plate, they will put a left handed pitcher on the mound, because the pitcher will be at an advantage. Most starting pitchers have a pitch count that when they reach that, they will get pulled from the game.

Answer 4

How do you start a game without a starting pitcher? Does the batter throw the ball in the air and hit the ball until a relief pitcher is ready to come in and in this case is he really a relief pitcher or a pinch pitcher?

Answer 5

You're right in that it's been tried before, by Tony Larussa with the 1993 A's. His idea was to have three pitchers pitch three innings each, every three days. He also had a 50-pitch limit on his guys. The idea arose after his team was hit hard by injury, and he was looking for ways to cope.

It failed because it took players out of their normal modes and in some cases tried to make them into something they weren't. I'd love to see it tried again, in a system like yours, just to see what kind of results you get.

Answer 6

First off there arent that many good pitchers in the league. Teams would have to have position players pitch becuase the roster is not big enough to hold that many player. would you rather have johan santana pitch 7 innings or him one, a couple other starters one and a couple bullpen guys in a couple more. then your stuck with position players pitching. bad idea. stick with starting pitchers.

Answer 7

You would never make it through the season. Even just warming up can get taxing on your arm. You also have to take into account that their are not enough guys that can pitch effectively for even an inning. Look at Kyle Farnsworth>

Answer 8

You can only have so many players on a roster. If you have everyone pitch on one day... no one will be available the next day... Most relievers need a day or two to recuperate.

Answer 9

i dont see why not. it works in mvp baseball 2005 for the ps2. as long as you keep up the training and stuff your pitchers wont get injured

Answer 10

That's what they do in the All-Star game. I don't think pitching dominates those games.