Relief Pitchers

[BaseballNoob]

During a game the screen shows how many relievers you still have available, based apparently on how many pitchers you have assigned as relievers. However, you can still throw in starters and your closers if you wish. If all of your relievers are showing as completely worn out, is there any reason to not use a completely fresh starter as reliever? How quickly will my relievers recover?

[PadresFan104]

You could, but it is a very rare occurance in real life.  Moves like this are usually only made in the the playoffs, or a do or die situation at the end of the season.  By bringing a starter in a game during the regular season, you are messing with your rotation, something most manager are not going to do.

[KG Erwin]

It depends on the time period, too. Years ago, starters were sometimes used as relievers, and vice versa. Mind you, this was before the concept of a five-man starting rotation, with a set-up guy and a closer, became common practice.

Back in the 40s and 50s, it wasn't unusual to see 2 or 3 guys for each team whom were used as starters AND relievers during the course of a season, thus the term "spot starter".

[BaseballNoob]

On my team I'm seeing pitchers classified either as Starters or Middle Relief/Spot Starters. What is a Middle Relief/Spot Starter?

[GNDN]

I think of Middle Relief/Spot starter as someone with a bit more endurance than a short reliever (ie: closer) but not as much as a starter. They usually can give you 4-5 innings so you can use them as a starter in an emergenecy (since he is not a member of the rotation, it is called a spot start).

Another use is long relief. Your starer gets hit hard early, you are forced to take him out after a long rain delay or he gets injured early. Your middle reliver can come in and mop up or hold the line until the late inning specialists can take over.

Make sense?

[BaseballNoob]

That does make sense. Are the classifications for the players assigned by the game? For example, let's say I have pitcher Joe Schmo. On his player card, underneath his name it may say

(Middle Relief / Spot Starter)

Then next to that it may say

(#5 Starter: Majors) <-----that's where I've assigned him

Is the (MR/SS) his real life position, and that's why it shows that there? I see similar things for fielders, too. Underneath the name may be a particular position listed, but in their information box may be something different (the latter seems to correspond to in-game positions that they are qualified to play, regardless of real world considerations).

BTW, is it possible to run a 4 man rotation? My pitchers don't even get fully rested when running a 5 man rotation. Could that be related to using some Middle Relief / Spot Starters as Starters? Perhaps they don't have the Endurance to recover as quickly?