why so many middle relievers?

amauri · 05-12-2010, 02:32 PM

So I like to run fictional leagues based on the current MLB format, and then hold the inagural draft to create my team. I've done this numerous times and always notice so many 4.5-5 star rated MR's, usually double the amount of player at any position.

Can this be changed?

I tend to notice it in Amateur drafts also. why is this?

Cryomaniac · 05-12-2010, 03:03 PM

It's to do with the fact that pitchers with less than 3 pitches (except knuckleballers) aren't really usable as starters, so if they have 2 brilliant pitches they'll become 5* MRs.

StyxNCa · 05-12-2010, 03:59 PM

Well looking over the draft list for the past 4 seasons there are very few starers which is not a good thing considering I am into the 1911 season when most teams carried very few relief pitchers. Starters were used as relievers as well. It makes no sense to load the draft down with middle relievers in that era. Unfortunately there just aren't enough starters to draft in order to use them in the pen but it makes no sense to carry more than 1 or 2 relievers since they rarely get to play.

In this year's draft there are 2 starting pitchers that appear on the first page of the draft list (I sort them by potential) and the rest are relievers. This is not the way it was back then. These days starters don't pitch many more innings per game than the bullpen so it doesn't matter.

05-12-2010, 02:32 PM	#1
amauri Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 48	why so many middle relievers? So I like to run fictional leagues based on the current MLB format, and then hold the inagural draft to create my team. I've done this numerous times and always notice so many 4.5-5 star rated MR's, usually double the amount of player at any position. Can this be changed? I tend to notice it in Amateur drafts also. why is this?

05-12-2010, 03:03 PM	#2
Cryomaniac Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2007 Location: Hucknall, Notts, UK Posts: 4,902	It's to do with the fact that pitchers with less than 3 pitches (except knuckleballers) aren't really usable as starters, so if they have 2 brilliant pitches they'll become 5* MRs. __________________

05-12-2010, 03:59 PM	#3
StyxNCa Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Victoria, Texas Posts: 3,136	Well looking over the draft list for the past 4 seasons there are very few starers which is not a good thing considering I am into the 1911 season when most teams carried very few relief pitchers. Starters were used as relievers as well. It makes no sense to load the draft down with middle relievers in that era. Unfortunately there just aren't enough starters to draft in order to use them in the pen but it makes no sense to carry more than 1 or 2 relievers since they rarely get to play. In this year's draft there are 2 starting pitchers that appear on the first page of the draft list (I sort them by potential) and the rest are relievers. This is not the way it was back then. These days starters don't pitch many more innings per game than the bullpen so it doesn't matter.