Quote:
Originally Posted by bizaro86
Baseball is also unique in that the most important player doesn't play every game. Hockey playoffs would be different if you had to alternate goalies...
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The game has really changed though and the starting pitcher isn't what they used to be. It's why if Verlander can get to 300 wins he might be the last pitcher to ever do it unless they change the rules.
Now if you have three great arms in your bullpen you can shorten the game. With all the off days in a playoff, you could use those three pitchers in almost every game in a 5 game series and maybe 6 of the 7 in a seven game series. Doesn't work the same in a regular season where you regularly play 6 or 7 games a week.
Starting pitching is still important since no one's bullpen is quite that deep, but it won't have the same impact on a series that it used to.