Innings limits

[ex-Pittsburgh Pirates]

Unless there is overwhelming objection, I am going to change the innings rule for next year.

In light of the growing trend of 'openers' rather than starters, and with fewer and fewer pitchers throwing 200 innings, I will reduce the minimum innings limit to 1175 for 2019. If the trends continue or accelerate, we may reduce it further in coming years.

The maximum innings will remain at 1450.

In 2018, there were 13 pitchers who reached 200 innings. Go back just 5 years to 2013 and there were 36! Baseball is rapidly evolving and so the Cashman rules need to be revised to fit the times.

[New York Yankees]

I dunno, I’ve hit the Max the last 2 seasons n I don’t see y teams can’t hit at least 1225 (approx 85% of Max). It’ll force all teams to play out the year to avoid penalties. I think it’ll also force teams not to just trade away pitching when they r out of contention. I’d say if no teams were hitting the max, then maybe lower Mins, but 4 teams reached or nearly hit Max this season, while only 2 failed to reach Min (1 just missed). Last season, only 1 team missed Mins. My vote would be 1450 Max, 1225 Min.

[Minnesota Twins]

Sure I don't care

[ex-Pittsburgh Pirates]

Only 6 pitchers threw 205 innings or more this year.

6 pitchers.

I honestly had my eye on making the innings limit since the all star break and through injuries and ineffectiveness, just could not get there despite picking up a bunch of pitchers I didn't really want.

The thing is, if you have very good pitching, hitting the innings limit is easy because good pitchers throw a lot of innings. There just aren't enough mediocre/bad pitchers eating innings anymore.

[torontobluejays]

If only two teams did not reach the minimum innings, and one just barely and I was not that far off, what is the problem? You can't claim that Pitt or I were tanking as neither of us finished dead last and I finished ahead of Pitt and nearly 30 points out of last place. My starting pitching this season was awful due to injuries and guys having bad seasons. I picked up at least 10 starting pitchers during the season to compensate for injuries and attempts to improve my pitching. Also, I think I would have easily hit the 1250 innings had I brought up Buehler and Flaherty. I did not do that because I did not want to waste a contract season when I was not going to compete. Most, if not all of you, would have done the same thing.

Pitt and I did not hit the minimum and we are being penalized. There is no need to change the rules because of it. We weren't tanking our seasons. Just let it be.

[San Diego]

I agree with Blue Jays. No reason to change it. Wasn't like everyone struggled. 1 barely missed and the other by 59. Doesn't call for changes. And dropping to 1175 is a bit of an overreaction. It's not a minimum if everyone can make it with no problem. Like Yanks said, it forces everyone to stay involved til the end even if they're out of contention. Leave it where it is.

[Detroit]

Agreed, I think we should leave it right where it is.

[ex-Pittsburgh Pirates]

I'm pretty sure the Blue Jays are being sarcastic.

If you agree that neither the Pirates nor the Blue Jays were tanking, then you have to agree that we need to reduce the innings minimum.

The entire purpose of the innings minimum was to prevent teams from tanking. If teams that are not tanking are not able to make the innings limit, then the rule needs to be changed.

FWIW, if we keep the limit at 1250, and current MLB trends continue, there will likely be at least 2 teams missing the limit next season.

[New York Yankees]

I agree w SD, y make it “easy” 2 meet Minimum? If u r hell bent on reducing it, I think 1225 is low enough.

[Deleted]

Or set it at 1200.

[Deleted]

Agreeing with Yanks, Blue Jays, SD. Only 2 missed. No need for change. Everyone needs to control their team to the end. There are enough innings to go around.

[ex-Pittsburgh Pirates]

"...there are plenty of innings" says the owners who were fortunate enough to have a couple of the 200+ innings guys.

[ex-Pittsburgh Pirates]

Another way to look at this... there were a grand total of 6 ERA qualifiers on the waiver wire when the season ended, 2 of which I cut to pick up other pitchers late in the season because they got shut down.

Where are all these innings you guys say are out there?

[New York Yankees]

I’ll trade u some IPs.

[torontobluejays]

I expect to have 3, maybe 4, up from the minors next year. Buehler, Flaherty, Sorotka and Sheffield. Add them to a healthy Bumgarner and healthy Fulmer and I have plenty of innings.