FanPost

How about a new approach to pitching staffs and rotations?

I remember the days when having a good 4 man starting pitching staff was almost a luxury, but it wasn't unheard of to have your star starter pick up 45 or more starts in a season. (Take a look at how many starts Wilbur Wood or Mickey Lolich got in the late 60s and 70s.)

Today managing the use of pitchers is essential with the cost of players skyrocketing higher than the best thoroughbred race horses. So, five man rotations with even relief combos being used to fill-in has become common.

Overall the trend has increased the average pitching staff to 12 as a specialist for facing lefthanders, a set-up man or tandem, and a closer takes 3 to 4 spots in addition to the starting 5.

I'm starting to wonder if the Tigers might be able to pursue an even greater or larger staff by creating a unique approach to starter and overall pitching plan management. Instead of scheduling one pitcher to start, perhaps a plan for two per game might make more sense. Furthermore, the combinations could be optimized to cause the widest degree of change for batters to face in a game. So, instead of a 5 man rotation, 5 pairs would create a 10 man rotation, with 3 more pitchers in the bullpen as the set-up, closer, and spare or specialist.

Here's how I might approach this season's staff:

SP 1 RHP Fulmer (pitching innings 1-5) combined with LHP Hardy (pitching innings 6-9)

SP 2 LHP Boyd combined with RHP Ver Hagen

SP 3 RHP Zimmermann combined with LHP Norris

SP 4 RHP Ross combined with RHP Alcantara

SP 5 LHP Moore combined with RHP Turnbull

The Set-Up / Emergency Fireman is RHP Jimenez

The Closer is RHP Greene

The Spare / Reserve / Mop Up is RHP Garrett

The pairings could be flip flopped to reduce innings on more weary arms, and of course the match-ups might change a bit too, if a greater degree of variation can be identified. In 4 of the 5 pairs a RHP is complimented by a LHP, so the concept is explored to create some degree of change in pitching style.

With Toledo likely having a contingent of RHP and LHP starters the mix could be easily maintained if all pitchers pitch well on the farm. These starters are likely to be: LHP Hall, LHP Carpenter, LHP Soto, LHP Alexander, RHP Farmer, RHP Perez, RHP Baez.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of the <em>Bless You Boys</em> writing staff.