Why doesn't Stetter start?

[FVBrewerFan]

The Coffey thread got me thinking whther anyone in the bullpen could possibly be a viable starting pitcher. I went through Coffey, DeFelice, etc. and kept coming up with "no." Then I thought of Stetter, which really got my mind going. A strating LHP would be nice to have, and Stetter certainly has good stuff. Three pitches he can throw for strikes, and he's able to get right handers out too.

 

The obvious problem is that he's been a reliver for a long time, and it wouldn't make sense to change his role this year. But what if you can start stretching out his outings in Spring Training, and gradually lead up to getting 6 innings out of him as a starter? I'm sure I'm missing something, but maybe this is worth a try?

[pitchleague]

I would think that 6+ innings per game of side-armed deliveries over a season would completely ruin his arm. This is probably a big reason that you only see relievers using this pitching style.

 

Stetter would have to go back to the minors to re-learn a "regular" windup and stretch. And that would take upwards of a year or more.

[topper09er]

I always thought it might be interesting to start a few games with the intention of allowing each pitcher to face each batter only once, no matter what...unless the game is not close when the lineup turns around for the 5th time late in the game. So that would require probably 4 pitchers going 2+ innings each and the batter seeing a different guy each time. The way current teams are set up this would be difficult because you would have 4 pitchers unavailable for the next day, but if we had an offday I wouldnt mind seeing Suppan+Looper+Coffey+Stetter/Dif each get one chance through the order.

[FVBrewerFan]

Well, that's what they do in the low minors, of course. Good point by pitchleague about his delivery. Since that's probably a big factor in his success, I wouldn't think changing it is a wise move.

[joepepsi]

I always thought it might be interesting to start a few games with the intention of allowing each pitcher to face each batter only once, no matter what...unless the game is not close when the lineup turns around for the 5th time late in the game.

Hasn't LaRussa done this before, using a stack of relievers for an occasional game?

 

I think Earl Weaver used to throw a reliever out there to start once in a while when the team was in a long stretch without an off day. He'd have the guy pitch 3 or 4 innings then switch him out. Of course back then relievers were capable of pitching multiple innings a game. That gene has been bred out of them. In 1982 Sammy Stewart pitched 139 inning in 38 appearances, 12 of them starts. He had a complete game shutout and 5 saves! Why can't Seth McClung do that? Actually, that's sorta been Villy's season, hasn't it?

[Funketown]

I think I'd rather see them try and move someone like Wooten back to starting. Are Stetter's splits against righties good enough for him to face them that often? I haven't looked recently.

[thebruce44]

I would think that 6+ innings per game of side-armed deliveries over a season would completely ruin his arm. This is probably a big reason that you only see relievers using this pitching style.

 

Stetter would have to go back to the minors to re-learn a "regular" windup and stretch. And that would take upwards of a year or more.

I've never heard this in regard to injury before, or is it something you specifically see in Stetter's delivery? If you have more information on this I would like to see it.

 

It seems like plenty of sidearm pitchers have had success as starters and I have even heard that it is a more natural motion health wise. I think the reason you see more releaver sidewinders is because they can come in as a change of pace and fool one or two batters. This would be somewhat diminished a couple of times through the order, and that is why I don't think Stetter would be successful, especially against righties.

[JJHardy7]

I think pitchleague is somewhat right. Some pitchers throw sidearm due to 'flaws' in their actual stuff. Throwing at different angles for some pitchers hides the ball from the batter and allows the pitcher to be more effective. So it's possible that a guy like Stetter would simply not be as effective over 6 innings as he would an inning or two.

[Diskono]

Was Dennis Eckersley always a side-arm pitcher? I don't remember, but he was a starter into the late 80s.

[pitchleague]

I haven't seen any "injury history" to it but it seems like it would make complete sense if you ask me. Throwing a fastball overhanded is hard enough on the arm, I can not believe that throwing it sidearm can be all that healthy for your elbow joint, either.

 

Curiously, here's a list of side-arm throwers in MLB, according to wikipedia: "Sidearm pitchers are fairly rare, but many have succeeded in the major leagues, including Scott Feldman, Pat Neshek, Scott Sauerbeck, Dennis Eckersley, Mark Eichhorn, Javier López, Jake Peavy, Dizzy Dean and most notably Walter Johnson."

 

Yep, some of those threw side-armed but not Feldman. Or Peavy. At least not that I know of. Eckersley did as a reliever but I don't recall when he was a starting pitcher for the Red Sox or Cubs that he threw side-armed. Walter Johnson did, but not much video really exists of him except for him throwing side-arm while warming up prior to games, so who knows how much side-arming he really did?

 

I'm just saying, as a lefty who tried it a few times in high school, after about 40 or so throws like that, my elbow was hurting. Nothing major, of course, but I went back to regular overhand throwing. And, yes, someone is bound to argue that "you were just some high school player, not a major league player." And, while this is true, I still can't bring myself to believe that a manager, pitching coach, trainer, or team physician would not cringe a bit if a side-armer told them they want to be a starting pitcher.

 

Seriously, I can't think of one side-arm throwing starting pitcher in the major leagues in the last 10 years.

 

Ah crud, I just did. Byung-Hyun Kim. But his starting pitching was disastrous (pretty much led to him being out of baseball) and he did it only part time (most remember him as a reliever.)

 

Here's more names of current side-arm/submariners in MLB, according to Wikipedia:

 

* Chad Bradford of the Tampa Bay Rays

* Randy Choate of the Tampa Bay Rays

* Daniel Davidson of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

* Joey Devine of the Oakland Athletics

* Pedro Feliciano of the New York Mets

* Brian Fuentes of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

* Sean Green of the New York Mets

* Byung-Hyun Kim is a Free-Agent

* Mike Koplove of the Pittsburgh Pirates

* Javier López of the Boston Red Sox

* Carlos Marmol of the Chicago Cubs

* Jay Marshall of the Oakland Athletics

* Cla Meredith of the Baltimore Orioles

* Matt Miller of the Cleveland Indians

* Peter Moylan of the Atlanta Braves

* Mike Myers is a Free-Agent

* Pat Neshek of the Minnesota Twins

* Darren O'Day of the Texas Rangers

* Josh Papelbon of the Boston Red Sox

* Clay Rapada of the Detroit Tigers

* Chris Schroder of the Washington Nationals

* Brian Shouse of the Tampa Bay Rays

* Joe Smith of the Cleveland Indians

* Joe Thatcher of the San Diego Padres

* Ehren Wassermann of the Chicago White Sox

* Brad Ziegler of the Oakland Athletics

* Shunsuke Watanabe of the Chiba Lotte Marines

* Lim Chang-Yong of the Yakult Swallows

* Chong Tae-Hyon of the SK Wyverns

* Liao Yu-cheng of the Brother Elephants

 

Notice that every single one of them is a reliever.

[BrewerBrent]

Also notice in that list that Stetter isn't in the list... going to wikipedia to fix that...

[thebruce44]

Thanks pitchleague. I had always heard that side arm was actually easier on the arm, so your post suprised me. I can see how it would hurt the elbow, but I am sure there are methods of pitching that way to take the stress off of it. Personally, I always threw a very low 3/4 as a pitcher, but coaches always said my throwing style seemed more suited to IF than pitcher.