Thursday, May 21, 2020

Wilbur Wood and extreme pitcher usage

Wilbur Wood's pitching workload in the early to mid 70s was unique, as in one-of-a-kind --so extreme that he breaks the Strat-O-Matic asterisk model, so exteme that I am making him an exception to the pitching rotation pattern I rely on

Wood in 1973 made 48 starts and pitched 359.1 innings. He exceeds the 40-starts, 300-inning standard for regular use on three days rest by so much that such a workload seems too light. And for him it is.

Eighteen of those starts came on two days rest, two on one day's rest, and he once started both ends of a doubleheader (it didn't go well). He didn't always start on two days rest, but he did so often enough to permit it at least once a series in this tournament play.

But he's not the only possibility for such use on the 1973 White Sox. Stan Bahnsen made 42 starts, and eight of them came on two days rest. If Wood can start on two days rest, why not Bahnsen? Where do I draw the line?

I'm not sure where the line goes, but I don't think I need to draw it. This roster includes Jim Kaat, an astrisked starter; the real life White Sox only had him for seven starts. Wood for three starts in a series, Bahnsen for two, Kaat for two if needed -- that covers a seven-game series. Bahnsen qualifies to pitch on three days rest without penalty; with Wood on the roster, that's enough.

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