[FERRETBOY]

I dislike other aspects more: like being able to get super stamina and a stuff boost by playing my starters in the bullpen, the whole training thing and, of course, the fact that catcher defense is underrepresented in the game so I can play King Kelly at catcher with no penalty.

However, on the lefty thing, I have used lefty openers for some time (with park factors adjusted) because of the dearth of lefty pitchers at the time and because there are so many great righties and in this game Walter and Cy are better in the pen than starting. But I never use less than a 40 pitch count and mostly now don't use a pitch count but slide hook starter over towards quicker. But that is baseball today. Starters go 4 to 6 innings. And in real life as well, the middle guys coming in tend to be right handed. It is one reason I favor lefty batters and don't platoon. I know a righty will come in by the 6th or 7th inning in many games.

And yes an opposing manager in real life knows if I am using an opener but he doesn't know if I use a starter with the intent for an early hook. I would have no problem if a starter pitch count could not go below 40, for example. But then again, I see teams in playoffs with 1 starter listed and they pick the starter just at the time you have to submit. There are many ways to try to get an advantage. Or you can really screw people up who platoon and start Covaleskie who is better against lefties than righties due to his screw ball.

I always check opponents (when I do have time to scout a series) for innings pitched per start and do lineups accordingly. I have seen some teams start righthanded pitchers for 3 or 4 innings a game with a righthand bullpen behind them. Don't understand that.