I'm watching the Red Sox - Royals game. It's in the 7th inning. Orsillo just complimented Wade Miley. This is the sixth time in his last seven starto he's made it into the seventh inning. I remember when being called a seven inning pitcher was an insult.
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The average number of innings/start has dropped about a half inning a start in the last 35 years, from 6.3 to 5.9. Peak in the expansion era was apparently 6.7. I'd honestly guess that has a lot more to do with people realizing that running out fresh relievers is more effective than a 3rd/4th time through the lineup from the starter than it has to do with any coddling of starters. That, and there's way more money on the line these days.
I had to go back to the 20s to get over 7 innings/start. How old are you exactly? 
Yup, times will be changing for the Red Sox with the new GM!
I do not think Juan, Sandy, Gibson, was ever Coddled!
Bob
I do not think Juan, Sandy, Gibson, was ever Coddled!
Bob
Nor were they million-dollar assets, Bob.
But they should'a been.
Only Dodgers, Yankees could afford these great pitchers.
none of these pitchers ever wanted to depart a game, they would fight the Manager.
Add Nolan, Drysdale, Palmer and many more.
Bob
The average number of innings/start has dropped about a half inning a start in the last 35 years, from 6.3 to 5.9. Peak in the expansion era was apparently 6.7. I'd honestly guess that has a lot more to do with people realizing that running out fresh relievers is more effective than a 3rd/4th time through the lineup from the starter than it has to do with any coddling of starters. That, and there's way more money on the line these days.
I had to go back to the 20s to get over 7 innings/start. How old are you exactly?
Through the 80's the better pitchers would have been embarassed not to go eight or nine innings. A pitcher who couldn't throw 200 innings in a season was a stiff. The better pitchers went 250 - 325 innings.
Only Dodgers, Yankees could afford these great pitchers.
none of these pitchers ever wanted to depart a game, they would fight the Manager.
Add Nolan, Drysdale, Palmer and many more.
Bob
I was told by a friend/college coach when one of his assistants was in college the coach came to the mound to yank him. He told a legendary coach, "Go back to the f'n bench. I'm finishing this game." The coach, an older guy with a history of being a disciplinarian and several CWS on his resume went back to the bench.
The average number of innings/start has dropped about a half inning a start in the last 35 years, from 6.3 to 5.9. Peak in the expansion era was apparently 6.7. I'd honestly guess that has a lot more to do with people realizing that running out fresh relievers is more effective than a 3rd/4th time through the lineup from the starter than it has to do with any coddling of starters. That, and there's way more money on the line these days.
I had to go back to the 20s to get over 7 innings/start. How old are you exactly?
Through the 80's the better pitchers would have been embarassed not to go eight or nine innings. A pitcher who couldn't throw 200 innings in a season was a stiff. The better pitchers went 250 - 325 innings.
There were 21 player/seasons of at least 275 innings in the 80s. There was one of 300+ (304).
There were about 4 seasons a year of 300+ during the 70s, the peak of expansion era for pitching iron men. Except for how only 8 guys account for 3/4 of those seasons, and almost half of those from 2 knuckleballers and a spitballer.
The number 10 guy in the AL in IP in 1972 averaged a hair over 7 IP a start. He was "embarrassed" in 18 of his 39 starts. The number 1 guy averaged about 7 2/3. Of course, he also threw 75 % of his career starts in a 5 year span from '71 to '75.
Heard an interview with Matt Harvey the other day and they asked him about pitch counts. His response was that he is working on trying to figure out how to throw complete games in 100 pitches and that it was kind of a "game" for him.
I doubt with the 1975 Mets if Seaver had 104 after 8 innings of 1 run 5 hit ball there was many occasions that the Mets said, ok let's turn it over to Tug. It was Seaver's game win or lose. So in that regard it is different.
Bruce Sutter and the onset of the one inning closer in the late '70's and the evolution in the '90's to setup guys (Rivera) changed baseball more than anything since Jackie Robinson with the exception of the DH.
Seaver came out of 1 1-run allowed game in the 9th in '75 and 1 after 8 complete. The mets were up 2-0 in the former before he allowed a run scoring double to put the tying run in scoring position. They were tied in the latter game and ended up losing it in the 9th.
He also came out of a game he was winning 3-0 in the 8th after putting two on with 1 out. He went the distance in 3 other close 1-run allowed games, two more that were blowouts, and, finally, did throw 10 shutout innings in a game that the Mets lost 1-0 in 11, where pinch hitting for him at some point might have been a better choice (I didn't look too closely at the situations).
Lol....my son's HS team had pitchers averaging more innings than that per start...and they only played 7! Our coach didn't seem to understand that there sometimes is a good reason to put in a reliever. In our situation....in most cases, if you started...you finished! We broke the school record for wins this season so maybe he was onto something
Heard an interview with Matt Harvey the other day and they asked him about pitch counts. His response was that he is working on trying to figure out how to throw complete games in 100 pitches and that it was kind of a "game" for him.
I doubt with the 1975 Mets if Seaver had 104 after 8 innings of 1 run 5 hit ball there was many occasions that the Mets said, ok let's turn it over to Tug. It was Seaver's game win or lose. So in that regard it is different.
Bruce Sutter and the onset of the one inning closer in the late '70's and the evolution in the '90's to setup guys (Rivera) changed baseball more than anything since Jackie Robinson with the exception of the DH.
While I understand your point, its not the same game it was when Seaver pitched.
Why? The ball is round and the game is 9 innings
Bob
