tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post1846909823019075859..comments2023-10-16T07:13:12.123-05:00Comments on A plain blog about politics: Friday Baseball PostJonathan Bernsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15931039630306253241noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-87658651876126619162012-01-21T17:55:36.048-06:002012-01-21T17:55:36.048-06:00"However, starting rotations now eat up virtu..."However, starting rotations now eat up virtually all of a team's starts (since about the 1960s/1970s), which tends to be good for increasing career starts for good pitchers."<br /><br />I'm not sure what you mean by this. If you're talking about the use of "spot starters" during long stretches without an off day, that probably had no effect on the best pitchers, since all it did was turn a four-man rotation into a five-man at certain times of year, while these days every team has five starters the whole season.<br /><br />You make a more persuasive argument about career length. I'm not sure we'll see 4-5 300-game winners out of the current generation, but if that trend holds up, we might see one. I'll allow that the 300-game winner might not be extinct in the future, just exceedingly rare.Kevin S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/06076147424768269913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-62345431865505630452012-01-21T15:48:26.011-06:002012-01-21T15:48:26.011-06:00Verlander is at 107. He'll be 29 in Feb.
If ...Verlander is at 107. He'll be 29 in Feb.<br /><br />If he averages 18 W's (his career avg to date) over the next 5 years, he'll be at 215 W's after his age 34 year.<br /><br />That would be a much better shot than Halliday has.<br /><br />JzBJazzbumpahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07337490817307473659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-44094401625525214022012-01-21T14:08:41.923-06:002012-01-21T14:08:41.923-06:00Definitely should have mentioned Moyer, since I...Definitely should have mentioned Moyer, since I'm in the demographic who are very much rooting for him. He's my last guy, alas. Makes me think I might not have a career in MLB after all. Hmmm...I'm pretty sure he was on my Blue Sox in his first year with the Rangers. I was going to say it was my first roto year, but it looks like it wasn't -- I started in 1988, and it was '89. <br /><br />If Moyer had averaged 10 wins a year in his 26-29 year old seasons, all else equal, he'd have reached 300.Jonathan Bernsteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15931039630306253241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-85838776636924416882012-01-21T13:55:54.105-06:002012-01-21T13:55:54.105-06:00Don't forget that Jamie Moyer is trying to mak...Don't forget that Jamie Moyer is trying to make a comeback right now with the Rockies. 267-204.Kyle Hausehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03846972342744813005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-17660763034342627522012-01-21T08:50:57.919-06:002012-01-21T08:50:57.919-06:00K.R. I think is on to the core question: What'...K.R. I think is on to the core question: What's the trend over time of no-decisions as a percent of games started? (Baseball-reference.com probably has the data, or surrogates for it, but I'm tablet-bound for the momemnt.)Davis X. Machinahttp://davisxmachina.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-31111224616711772272012-01-21T08:20:22.476-06:002012-01-21T08:20:22.476-06:00Yes, IP/start is down, and that reduces the share ...Yes, IP/start is down, and that reduces the share of wins that go to the starting rotation. However, starting rotations now eat up virtually all of a team's starts (since about the 1960s/1970s), which tends to be good for increasing career starts for good pitchers. And thanks to technology and high salaries, careers are longer. The result is that starts/career for great pitchers have gone up compared to pre-1970. Four of the top 16, 5 of top 21 all time in GS are recent.Jonathan Bernsteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15931039630306253241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-67351163166135259312012-01-21T06:42:20.247-06:002012-01-21T06:42:20.247-06:00I actually have seen commentators on ESPN the last...I actually have seen commentators on ESPN the last couple of years wondering whether the 300-game winner is extinct. While you make a good point that this kind of talk has happened before, you're missing two crucial structural change in the game: the reduction in starting pitchers' innings per game and the increasing reliance on mediocre middle relievers in the bullpen. In the old days, pitchers were usually around at least 7 innings, and if they weren't, good closers could pitch the occasional three-inning save. These days, it's considered a "quality start" if a pitcher lasts 6 innings without giving up too much, and most closers only pitch one inning. Therefore, you see a lot of games where the starter leaves early and middle relievers give up the lead. Whether or not a team wins, the starter often isn't a factor in the decision. That's why these days, only the best starter in the league has 20 wins. Since you need to win 20 games for 15 years in a row to reach 300, we'll be waiting quite a while for the next 300-game winner, barring radical changes in the game.Kevin S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/06076147424768269913noreply@blogger.com