Why Relief Pitchers Should Start Games | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Sports

My Roommate Thinks Relievers Should Start Baseball Games And I Agree

Eliminate conventional thinking and look at the facts.

195
My Roommate Thinks Relievers Should Start Baseball Games And I Agree
https://www.facebook.com/Yankees/photos/a.10155701130767781/10155701131792781/?type=3&theater

This summer, my roommate, Ryan, wrote an article about how relievers should start baseball games, but he didn't have a way for it to be published. Luckily, I told him he could post it on Odyssey to my literal tens upon tens of followers. Ryan is smart, funny, and guess what ladies, SINGLE.

Ryan Cranston

Here's what he has to say about baseball: "When the Tampa Bay Rays began starting games with relievers, the explanation behind the move was, "Well, necessity breeds innovation." However, there might be a few teams, the Yankees being one of them, that might want to make this shift too, but not out of necessity.

Two weeks ago today, the weaknesses that separate the Red Sox from the Yankees were being exposed by starters Rick Porcello, Nathan Eovaldi, and David Price, who pitched a total of 23 innings, giving up just eight hits, and three earned runs over that span. Sitting 10.5 games back of the Red Sox, the Yankees might want to consider a slightly more radical approach to pitching as the season concludes—starting relievers.

When you boast as lights-out a bullpen as the Yankees do, it does no good to have the likes of Aroldis Chapman, Dellin Betances, and David Robertson sit because their starters can't match the dominance of opponents' starters. This particularly manifested itself in the Red Sox series two weeks ago when the Yankees didn't have a lead entering the seventh until the final game of the four-game set. In other words, the Yankees were able to flaunt their highly touted bullpen in just one game of the series. If the bullpen is the Yankees' strength, why risk using it only once every four games? To avoid scenarios where the big guns in the bullpen are left stranded in the outfield for multiple games at a time, starting relievers would ensure that this is avoided and that they can take full advantage of the strength of their team.

Furthermore, it is well-known that relievers are creatures of habit. When they pitch too frequently or infrequently, they are unable to establish command of their pitches. Take July 22nd, for example, on extended rest, Aroldis Chapman faced the Mets in a non-save situation, allowing three runs on one hit and three walks, throwing 19 pitches with three of those being strikes. The correlation between Chapman's number of days off and ERA is .731, demonstrating the relatively strong association between his days off and his poor performance.

Chad Green has been a steady arm in the Yankees bullpen for the past few years, and while his correlation between days off and performance is not nearly as stark as Chapman's, one statistic stands out when looking at his days of rest splits. Green has appeared in eight games on two days' rest, scattering four hits across nine and a thirds innings, with no runs, nine strikeouts, and no walks. If the Yankees want to capitalize on Green's rhythm when pitching on two days' rest, they could run him out there every third day and see if the results hold up, thus eliminating the unpredictability behind how often a reliever makes an appearance.

In addition to the Yankees, the Orioles would likely benefit from this approach as well. To go along with their MLB-worst record of 36-86, they have a first-inning ERA near 12. If they aren't going to have many high leverage moments late in games, why not use their high leverage relievers early in the game to at least give themselves a chance later in the game?

In the DH era (1973-Present), the first inning has the highest amount of average runs scored per inning (.56), whereas the ninth inning has the lowest (.44). If a reliever gives a team a better chance than the starter does to get the first three hitters in the lineup out, why is it so crazy to have him start the game before handing off the baton to the "starter" in the second inning?

The late Henry Ford once said, "If I had asked my customers what they wanted, they would have said a faster horse." Ford's outside-the-box thinking is being manifested in the Tampa Bay Rays, and if the baseball traditionalists still believe that the last three outs are the toughest outs to get, they might have to find something besides analytics to prove their point."

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Does anybody know how to study
Gurl.com

It’s here; that time of year when college students turn into preschoolers again. We cry for our mothers, eat everything in sight, and whine when we don’t get our way. It’s finals, the dreaded time of the semester when we all realize we should have been paying attention in class instead of literally doing anything else but that. Everyone has to take them, and yes, unfortunately, they are inevitable. But just because they are here and inevitable does not mean they’re peaches and cream and full of rainbows. Surviving them is a must, and the following five phases are a reality for all majors from business to art, nursing to history.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

How To Prepare For The Library: Finals Edition

10 ways to prepare for finals week—beginning with getting to the library.

1738
How To Prepare For The Library: Finals Edition
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

It’s that time of year again when college students live at the library all week, cramming for tests that they should have started studying for last month. Preparing to spend all day at the library takes much consideration and planning. Use these tips to help get you through the week while spending an excessive amount of time in a building that no one wants to be in.

Keep Reading...Show less
girl roommates
StableDiffusion

Where do we begin when we start talking about our roommates? You practically spend every moment with them, they become your second family and they deal with you at your best and at your absolute worst. They are there to make you laugh just a little harder, cry a little less and make each day a little better. We often forget to thank them for the little things that they do to make college even a tiny bit easier and more fun. This list of 26 things are what you should thank your roommates for right this minute and every day that you live with them.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

20 Thoughts While Studying For Finals

I may or may not be stressing right now.

2316
Thoughts While Studying For Finals
StableDiffusion


That time of the semester has arrived once again, finals. The worst week ever. Who thought it was a good idea for all your classes to have exams all in the same week? Definitely not me. Here's 20 thoughts you may have studying for finals.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Disney magic for New Year!

The "Happiest Place on Earth" has a lot of characters with some pretty great advice.

7097
Disney magic kingdom castle on new years
StableDiffusion

Disney movies are well known and very popular in today's world. Although many people appreciate the plot and the storyline, not many people appreciate the wisdom these characters possess. Every Disney movie has unique advice that can be applied to everyday life. Here are 11 Disney quotes to help start your New Year off right:

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments