Let starting pitchers throw until they reach their pitch count limit.

MLB managers remove pitchers when they are pitching well.  It happens all the time for various reasons.  Generally, I think that's a bad idea.  But what about removing a pitcher when he is pitching poorly?

In last night's Yankee game starter Phil Hughes was pitching poorly.  He could not get that third out in the second inning and Baltimore continued to score leading 6-0 with runners on base.   I thought that if I were managing I'd make Hughes throw until he reached his pitch count limit, partly to punish and toughen him, partly to save the weak bullpen for anther day.  Hughes had thrown only 53 pitches, probably little more than half his allotted total.  This had barely crossed my mind when unimaginative Yankee manager Joe Girardi popped out of the dugout and replaced Hughes with Edwar Ramirez.  Flash back to an earlier post here:

SATURDAY, JUNE 28, 2008

Girardi brought in Edwar Ramirez, who immediately allowed all three inherited runners to score.

Girardi and Ramirez can be a deadly combination.  Girardi and many relief pitchers can be a deadly combination.  Joey has an uncanny knack for bringing in the guy most likely to allow a hit to the first batter faced.  Or maybe all managers have that knack.

Sure enough, first batter whacks a double off Ramirez: 8-0 after two innings.  Ramirez threw three more innings (including three runs of his own) and 46 pitches, almost as many as Hughes.  Then came Albaladejo for two innings and 25 pitches followed by Tomko for one inning and 14 pitches.  Tomko had just joined the team as ... get this ... the long man.  I'll let that go for now.

MLB managers are constantly complaining that their starters do not go long enough and that their bullpens are weak.  There is no rule that says that a manager must remove a starting pitcher before he reaches his pitch count limit for that game.  If the cleanup batter strikes out with the bases loaded in the first inning the manager does not remove him for a pinch hitter the next time he is due to bat.  So why remove the starting pitcher so early?

Let starting pitchers throw until they reach their pitch count limit.  They will probably do no worse than their early inning replacements no matter how poorly the starter is pitching.  That keeps the bullpen fresh for its intended role.