6/6 Afternoon Delight or Disaster GameThread

[ice99]

The opener is also for a starter that won't pitch to 27 batters, usually an around 5 inning pitcher. 15 outs + 3 onbase will go thru the lineup twice in 5 innings.

If the opener pitches to 4 batters, then the main 'starter' has enough room to face 6 batters before reaching the no. 2 hitter. 14 outs + 9 onbase will put the 'starter' at the no. 1 hitter with 2 outs in the 6th inning.

This amounts to a 1.8 WHIP if he gets the 3rd out. If he is better than that then the lineup is at the bottom of the order after 6 innings.

It doesn't help when the opener pitches worse than a starter facing a hitter for the 3rd time.

[Juliooooo]

Bucky Jacobsen just stuck up for the Shed on the radio.

Ill stick up for shed too. He's 23 and needs more time to develop.

[Petert]

My continuing to follow this “team,” though less so by the year, is a Testament to the Indomitability of the Human Spirit.

The Primal, the old man taking me to see the 1961 Yankees crush My Senators in DC!

It was Hopeless, but it was Our Guys who were Hopeless!

We felt we knew em all.

Waited after the game to get Hondo Howard’s autograph!

My father earned as much as starter Dick Donovan.

Now a kid who looks like the guy behind the counter in the local bowling alley, gets $750K
to stink!

Eating hot dogs and mustard, with a bag of peanuts from the Indian vendor with a false eye.


Bavasi, Z, now Dippo, how many years?
Frickin 14????

#MasochismMatters!

Love this, Hy ! Envious that you probably got to see Dave Stenhouse (a Jersey City Jerseys hurler) pitch a couple years later for the Senators.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jersey_City_Jerseys

[Donn Beach]

don't think the Rays are concerned about padding the win totals of starters...think their front office is a little more advanced than that

Lightyears ahead of the Mariners' front office anyway.

The M's missed the memo about the opener being a good reliever that can make it through the first before giving up 3 runs.

yeah, its an interesting concept but if you use it its got to work. Relievers are about shortening the game, but not for the other team

[Hy Feiber]

My continuing to follow this “team,” though less so by the year, is a Testament to the Indomitability of the Human Spirit.

The Primal, the old man taking me to see the 1961 Yankees crush My Senators in DC!

It was Hopeless, but it was Our Guys who were Hopeless!

We felt we knew em all.

Waited after the game to get Hondo Howard’s autograph!

My father earned as much as starter Dick Donovan.

Now a kid who looks like the guy behind the counter in the local bowling alley, gets $750K
to stink!

Eating hot dogs and mustard, with a bag of peanuts from the Indian vendor with a false eye.


Bavasi, Z, now Dippo, how many years?
Frickin 14????

#MasochismMatters!

Love this, Hy ! Envious that you probably got to see Dave Stenhouse (a Jersey City Jerseys hurler) pitch a couple years later for the Senators.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jersey_City_Jerseys

Yea man, made the All Star Game as a rookie in 1962, was 10-4 at the break, then went 1-8 after, in inimitable Nats Style!

Vanished shortly after.

Just saw his middle name was Rotchford, Rotchford?

Mom’s maiden name, probably. Like President Rutherford Birchard Hayes!

We hated the Orioles, who always kicked our asses!

In my entire life, as a baseball fan I’ve suffered an Inferiority Complex!

[Hy Feiber]

Bucky Jacobsen just stuck up for the Shed on the radio.

Ill stick up for shed too. He's 23 and needs more time to develop.

Who knows? Could be a Watershed moment?

[rockycola]

2 minute warning! First pitch at 7:07. Somebody do the game thread. Need fresh meat!

[ice99]

My theory is that the “opener” strategy takes some pressure off the regular “starter.” If the “opener” gives up runs and the team can’t overcome, the regular starter doesn’t take the loss. OTOH, if I I understand the rules correctly (not likely), if the “opener” gets a lead he can’t get the win so the regular “starter” gets the win if he puts in five innings and doesn’t lose the lead. Is this a way to pad the win total of the regular “starters”?

To me it has to do with facing a batter for the 3rd time. This is for a weak starter to avoid facing the better hitters the 3rd time.

The opener is supposed to face the top 3 batters in the first inning, perhaps even the 4th or 5th batter. Then the main 'starter' faces the lineup twice but the batters that he faces the 3rd time is supposed to be the weaker hitters because they are not the top of the order. The 'starter' can exit before the better hitters (#2 thru #4) see him for the 3rd time. Ideally I would have the opener pitch to the top five hitters even if it takes him into the 2nd inning.

Yep, that is precisely the reason and yes no reason they can't face five hitters.

I heard Hyphen today talk about the opener. He said the same thing. I wonder if he reads the forum. Nah, can't be.