Could Six-Man Rotation Be Next?
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B6 April 4-5, 2015 The Newport (R.I.) Daily News SPORTS SAILING: AMERICA’S CUP PRO BASEBALL Remaining Could six-man rotation be next? teams reply A diminished workload for In 1971, 13 pitchers made at least 38 starts, with Mickey Lolich leading the a starting pitcher might keep way with 45 (and 376 innings). to dropouts him healthy and more fresh. No one has made as many as 37 starts in the majors since Greg Mad- dux in 1991. Dickey and Tillman were HAMILTON, Bermuda (AP) — The Associated Press among 10 pitchers who tied for the America’s Cup teams that voted this major league lead with 34 starts last week to downsize the catamarans for the Now this was definitely a deep season. 2017 regatta have hit back at unhappy rotation. Tanaka’s first season in the majors squads Team New Zealand and Luna In manager Joe Girardi’s office was interrupted by a small tear in his Rossa Challenge, suggesting hypocrisy. at spring training, the March calen- right elbow. He started his pro career In a joint statement from cup holder dar was posted on a big whiteboard. in Japan, where six-man rotations are Oracle Team USA and challengers Arte- Inside each box, he wrote the initials the norm. mis Racing (Sweden), Ben Ainslie Rac- of the starting pitcher that day. “If you have six days in between ing (Britain) and Team France on Fri- At one point, the succession of starts, needless to say you get to have day, they expressed disappointment at New York Yankees arms stretched more rest time, so that’s always a plus Team New Zealand’s reaction to rule past a week: Chase Whitley, Chris for a pitcher,” he said through a trans- changes, some of which were “insisted Capuano, Masahiro Tanaka, Adam lator. upon by Luna Rossa.” Warren, Michael Pineda, Esmil Rog- The Yankees have a string of 30 Italian team Luna Rossa, a challenger ers, Nathan Eovaldi, CC Sabathia. games in 31 days, beginning in mid- in the past four cups, pulled out Thurs- Eight games, eight different start- April, and are looking at using a sixth day, criticizing the teams that agreed to ers. starter during that period. downsize the boats. It called the decision OK, maybe not so strange in exhi- “I think it’s a result of some of the unprecedented, the process illegitimate, Associated Press bition play. Still, in this era when big stuff that’s gone on over the last few and added the rules were disrespected. league teams are trying to protect Boston starter Clay Buchholz, who missed significant time during years. Not just here but everywhere,” The America’s Cup class rules were their pitchers from tight triceps, the 2011 and 2013 seasons with injuries, might be a player who pitching coach Larry Rothschild said. amended last week so a change no lon- twisted shoulders and Tommy John would benefit from a six-man rotation. Washington pitching coach Steve ger needed unanimous consent of all surgery, could it be time to consider McCatty remembers playing for Oak- teams, only a majority vote. a six-man rotation? keeping them healthy, that’s a whole It’s very difficult to start,” he said. “I land under Billy Martin. In 1980, Team New Zealand CEO Grant Dal- “In a perfect world, it’s something other story. think that would mean giving some McCatty and four other starters com- ton said they were in “disbelief” at “the that’s a great concept,” Yankees gen- Yu Darvish and Zack Wheeler of your best guys less opportunity to bined for 93 complete games. self-serving maneuvering of rules.” eral manager Brian Cashman said. already are out for the season, Cliff help win games, and I don’t think any- The pitching-rich Nationals might But the four teams that decided to “You hear many times the interest Lee and Justin Verlander are ailing body is going to do that.” have the talent to use six starters, but downsize the boats to reduce costs said level in having a six-man rotation, and Matt Harvey and Jose Fernandez Put Baltimore opening day starter McCatty isn’t sure it would be worth- Friday all the teams, including Luna and there’s a lot of positives from are coming back after major surgery. Chris Tillman in that camp. while. Rossa and Team New Zealand, agreed that. But it’s hard to pull off.” Could an extra starter mean extra “It’s like the more off days you “I know everybody talks about on the move in discussions last month. For more than three decades, a rest and a diminished workload, and have, the rustier you get,” he said. it, but you want to take away, what, They said the new rule was written in five-man rotation has been the stan- possibly fewer injuries? “We did it a little bit last year. At first four or five starts from your No. 1 and consultation with all teams, and a draft dard in the majors. The Los Ange- “There’s no guarantee that a six- it got to me a little bit. I wasn’t a fan, No. 2 guys by having that?” he said. was sent to all teams for feedback. les Dodgers often are credited with man rotation, for example, which but we pitched well, and we kind of “Sure, it would make some guys a lit- “We are disappointed to see how doing it first in the early 1970s with a implies fewer innings pitched with got it going, so you can’t hate it. If it tle fresher at the end, but is that bet- Team New Zealand are characterizing staff that, ironically, included Tommy more days off, is going to have any was my preference, I would not have ter than being able to use your guys the rule changes that reflect the collec- John. impact on certain cases,” Mets gen- it.” more often?” tive will of the America’s Cup teams,” Over the years, there have been eral manager Sandy Alderson said Even so, the idea of six starters is Chicago Cubs manager Joe Mad- their statement said. exceptions. after Wheeler’s damaged elbow was “a very strong trend,” St. Louis man- don has never shied away from try- “Taking these important decisions by Jim Tracy tried a four-man rota- diagnosed. “Six-man rotations, more ager Mike Matheny said. ing something new. He wouldn’t mind a majority vote is something that was tion — with a 75-pitch limit — for days off, more spot starts by pitchers “There are a lot of pitchers, ours seeing a six-man rotation — on the insisted upon by Luna Rossa, and writ- a while with Colorado in 2012. The in your minor league system, there included, that don’t like the thought opposing team, that is. ten into the rules of the event. Rockies set a franchise record for are lots of ways it can be addressed of it at all. But this game is constantly “The groups that are going for “Regrettably, abiding by the results losses and Tracy lost his job. But ultimately some elbows are going evolving,” he said. the six-man rotation, that’s great, if of the majority vote appears to be some- In 2011, Chicago White Sox man- to break down and some are not.” Change certainly doesn’t come you get six guys you dig,” he said. “I thing neither they, nor Team New Zea- ager Ozzie Guillen briefly went with To Toronto knuckleballer R.A. swiftly on the field. mean because I tell you what, from land, are willing to do ... unless they are a six-man rotation. His team finished Dickey, a six-man setup “would cer- It took more than 100 years before the other dugout, when you’re play- part of the majority.” with a losing record and he, too, was tainly cut down wear and tear on pronounced defensive shifts became ing the other team and here comes 5 The four hoped Team New Zealand gone. pitchers.” commonplace. The concept of one-out and 6, and they’re not like 1, 2, 3, 4, “can see a way forward, as we all have.” Truth is, most teams have trouble “But it’s hard enough to find five relievers or pitchers batting eighth or I’d like to be the team that’s grabbing Meanwhile, Luna Rossa boss Patrizio finding just a few solid starters. And starters right now that can do the job. five-man rotations also took a while. those guys all the time.” Bertelli said pulling out has meant throwing $21.6 million “down the drain.” In the Italian daily La Repubblica on Friday, Bertelli said the cup organizers, PRO SOCCER led by Oracle Team USA, were “impe- rialists.” He was upset the rules agreed to last July for the 2017 regatta in Ber- U.S. goalie Solo: ‘I feel just in a happier place’ muda, which set in motion the millions invested, were changed again to trim the Teammates have supported with me when I’m not on edge.” The star goalkeeper came back Solo said. “We still have a lot to do and boat from 62 feet to 48 feet. The team worked out at Busch in strong in the recent victory in the we don’t have a set starting lineup, “A protocol is a protocol. The winner the star player, who recently 55-degree chill on Friday, a day ahead Algarve Cup. Teammates have been so there’s a couple times, but I think of a competition launches the challenge of a test some players have likened supportive.