What Is The Starting Rotation?
A baseball starting rotation is typically composed of three to five pitchers, each starting games on consecutive days. The order in which the pitchers start is determined by their performance, with the best pitcher starting first and the worst pitcher starting last. Starting pitchers are generally expected to pitch for six or seven innings before being replaced by a relief pitcher.
Importance
The baseball starting rotation is an important part of a team’s success as it allows the team to rest its best pitchers while still having them available to pitch later in the week. It also allows the team to better match up its pitchers with the opposing team’s hitters. The goal of the starting rotation is to keep the team’s best pitchers fresh and to allow them to pitch against the weakest hitters on the opposing team.
How The Rotation Lines-Up
The first pitcher in the rotation is typically the team’s ace or number-one starter. The ace is the best pitcher on the team and is usually the pitcher who starts on Opening Day. The ace is followed by the number two starter, a very good pitcher but not as good as the ace. The number three starter is typically a middle-of-the-road type of pitcher, while the fourth and fifth starters are usually the weakest pitchers on the team.
Expectations
Starting pitchers are generally expected to pitch for six or seven innings before being replaced by a relief pitcher. However, some starting pitchers are able to go much longer than that. These pitchers are called workhorses and are typically the ace of the team’s pitching staff. Workhorses are able to pitch into the eighth and even ninth innings on a regular basis.
