Editor’s Note: This is the third and final story we’re rolling out on the active players with interesting Hall of Fame cases. We covered infielders on Friday and outfielders on Monday.
Pitching management has become far more complicated over the past five years. The rise of openers and firemen have led to parades of relievers trotting out from bullpens not only throughout the regular season, but during playoff games, tempered only slightly by the implementation of the three-batter rule. Starters are no longer expected to go seven strong; five will do just fine, thanks.
That massive shift in strategy will affect every pitcher’s statistics, which of course forms the bedrock of each Hall of Fame case. Relievers will take on greater importance with bullpens handling more innings, though the best ones may not always handle the ninth inning and accumulate a ton of saves, which has been the main factor in who’s been inducted to this point. Starters will have fewer of … well, everything: innings, wins, strikeouts, WAR, you name it. Everyone’s rate stats—K%, ERA, FIP—should improve, though. But will the voters recognize that enormous change and adjust their statistical standards accordingly? If not, many deserving pitchers could be unfairly kept out of Cooperstown.
