If you are in the game as a SP, you have to either face one batter or get an AB, correct?

 

The reason I ask is because the other day at the bar, me and a buddy were watching a team bat around in the 1st. It raised the question, why dont teams start the game with a position player at the pitchers position? If it doesnt reach him, then bring in the SP int he bottom half of the inning.

 

I would assume my first question is correct.. but if it isn't, that would be an interesting strategy. That and having a LH relief pitcher in RF during the 9th. :mischief

Pretty sure when you exchange lineup cards to start the game, then those 9 games have to be used.

 

If you started the game with a position player play in the pitchers spot and he doesn't bad, he would have to face the first batter of the game.

Rule 3.05

 

(a) The pitcher named in the batting order handed the umpire-in-chief, as provided in Rules 4.01(a) and 4.01(b), shall pitch to the first batter or any substitute batter until such batter is put out or reaches first base, unless the pitcher sustains injury or illness which, in the judgment of the umpire-in-chief, incapacitates him from pitching.

If you are in the game as a SP, you have to either face one batter or get an AB, correct?

 

The reason I ask is because the other day at the bar, me and a buddy were watching a team bat around in the 1st. It raised the question, why dont teams start the game with a position player at the pitchers position? If it doesnt reach him, then bring in the SP int he bottom half of the inning.

 

I would assume my first question is correct.. but if it isn't, that would be an interesting strategy. That and having a LH relief pitcher in RF during the 9th. :mischief

 

You should be a lawyer or businessman.

If you are in the game as a SP, you have to either face one batter or get an AB, correct?

 

The reason I ask is because the other day at the bar, me and a buddy were watching a team bat around in the 1st. It raised the question, why dont teams start the game with a position player at the pitchers position? If it doesnt reach him, then bring in the SP int he bottom half of the inning.

 

I would assume my first question is correct.. but if it isn't, that would be an interesting strategy. That and having a LH relief pitcher in RF during the 9th. :mischief

 

You should be a lawyer or businessman.

 

Considering his suggestion is in clear violation of the written rules of baseball, I'd say you're spot on prin! Great call!

If you are in the game as a SP, you have to either face one batter or get an AB, correct?

 

The reason I ask is because the other day at the bar, me and a buddy were watching a team bat around in the 1st. It raised the question, why dont teams start the game with a position player at the pitchers position? If it doesnt reach him, then bring in the SP int he bottom half of the inning.

 

I would assume my first question is correct.. but if it isn't, that would be an interesting strategy. That and having a LH relief pitcher in RF during the 9th. :mischief

 

You should be a lawyer or businessman.

 

Considering his suggestion is in clear violation of the written rules of baseball, I'd say you're spot on prin! Great call!

 

He didn't know the written rule as it pertained to this (and neither did I). I said that because he was thinking outside the box and being creative. Clearly, the rule that Festa quoted was created to deter people who are creative like Iowa.

u would also be burning one of your bench players...and if they didnt bat around in the 1st, thats a waste of a bench player who u could have used later on in the game...but good job thinking outside the box

Yea but its september so who cares.. you have like 37 guys on the bench

 

and thanks prim.. that was good stuff

actually you could have a LHP in RF in the 9th and do a switch in middle of the inning

If you are in the game as a SP, you have to either face one batter or get an AB, correct?

 

The reason I ask is because the other day at the bar, me and a buddy were watching a team bat around in the 1st. It raised the question, why dont teams start the game with a position player at the pitchers position? If it doesnt reach him, then bring in the SP int he bottom half of the inning.

 

I would assume my first question is correct.. but if it isn't, that would be an interesting strategy. That and having a LH relief pitcher in RF during the 9th. :mischief

 

lets say you do this and u end the inning with the 8th batter. what now? you just wasted a bench player, cuz you sure as heck wont have a position play pitch an entire inning.

 

and what if you get this position player up and he strikes out, just like you get from having a pitcher.

 

useless.

Well if this were actually a legal tactic within the baseball rulebook, there would be no need to bat the pitcher 9th. Just bat him 1st or 2nd or 3rd in order to ensure that the position player actually bats, then replace him with the pitcher.

 

I'm sure that's why the rule was instated, because a team could conceivably keep the pitcher from batting for 4 innings.

It's a logical jump from Iowa's point, and certainly viable if his was. Since neither are legal, though, it's all academic and highly useless.

u would also be burning one of your bench players...and if they didnt bat around in the 1st, thats a waste of a bench player who u could have used later on in the game...but good job thinking outside the box

 

If you were a team that had a good hitting pitcher like a Dontrelle Willis or Micah Owings, they could be used on non-starting days without really depleting your bench, but the point is moot anyway.