I had a "plan" for those early season games and shared that plan with my pitching staff. They knew before their first pitch the number of pitches, give or take a pitch here and there, exactly how many pitches that they were going to throw before they took the mound. In that way, I checked myself and helped them understand the "whys" of how they were being pitched. This early, (4 or 5 game scenario) they would have been limited to 75.
One other thing I think coaches should think about early in the year, but also might apply later is creating a "two headed monster." We had two pitchers who's "style" complimented each other so well that we pitched them as a tandem. We learned this by accident in the early spring. One was 90 mph, not such good control so he always had high pitch counts and absolutely fearless. He scared the hitters to death because he was so wild. The other was sitting 84-85, great curve and change. So, they became our "two headed monster." It helped that they were best friends and loved doing this. It also helped that neither cared about who got the victory and who started.