I'm not sure that MLB will be as careful as you think they will be with workloads for veteran pitchers in 2021. They didn't limit pitchers after work stoppages in the past. Nor do I recall a situation where a pitcher with a history of pitching x number of innings was hurt with a non throwing injury in June, came back the next year, and the team said, "Hold up Sparky, we're only gonna let you start 20 games this year since you only started 15 last year. If you count the second extended Spring Training, they got in roughly half a season last year. For a veteran pitcher, I'm not sure how this doesn't mean they are coming off a year with less wear and tear than usual.
The Royals do have issues with only one of their starters having any history of pitching 200 IP, and teams do certainly make an understandable effort to limit increases in IP from a young pitchers from one year to the next. If I'm them, I go with a 6 man rotation and I'm quick to pull Singer and Bubic especially before they run up high pitch counts. I'm also using the additional roster spot on a bullpen arm especially given the positional versatility of Whit, Dozier, etc. If Bubic and Singer pitched 150 innings in 2019 roughly, I would limit them to around that number. I'd want to have security around before I told Singer that he was only going to start 20 games in 2021. He would have a hard time not punching the person telling him that in the nose... These guys are competitors, they want to play. Shane Bieber will take the ball every 5th day for 162 games.
The other question I have is how much can you really save a guy like Lynch so he's still available in September. If he starts in the minors, he's still getting the same workload. He's still going out there every 5-6 day and throwing at 100%. He's never pitched even 100 innings in a year.... Carlos Hernandez has never pitched more than 80. Maybe you keep them in the pen, maybe you put Duffy and or Junis in the pen with the idea or bringing them back to the rotation later in the year.
IDK, it is unprecedented, but everyone is balancing winning, both now and in the future, not blowing out precious arms, and the understandable desire for a professional pitcher to go out and compete at what he's good at as he stands to make a ton of money if he succeeds. Their window is short and uncertain, even in the best of circumstances.
On a final note, Nolan Ryan is off somewhere muttering under his breath about what a bunch of weanies these kids are.
I'm not sure that MLB will be as careful as you think they will be with workloads for veteran pitchers in 2021. They didn't limit pitchers after work stoppages in the past. Nor do I recall a situation where a pitcher with a history of pitching x number of innings was hurt with a non throwing injury in June, came back the next year, and the team said, "Hold up Sparky, we're only gonna let you start 20 games this year since you only started 15 last year. If you count the second extended Spring Training, they got in roughly half a season last year. For a veteran pitcher, I'm not sure how this doesn't mean they are coming off a year with less wear and tear than usual.
The Royals do have issues with only one of their starters having any history of pitching 200 IP, and teams do certainly make an understandable effort to limit increases in IP from a young pitchers from one year to the next. If I'm them, I go with a 6 man rotation and I'm quick to pull Singer and Bubic especially before they run up high pitch counts. I'm also using the additional roster spot on a bullpen arm especially given the positional versatility of Whit, Dozier, etc. If Bubic and Singer pitched 150 innings in 2019 roughly, I would limit them to around that number. I'd want to have security around before I told Singer that he was only going to start 20 games in 2021. He would have a hard time not punching the person telling him that in the nose... These guys are competitors, they want to play. Shane Bieber will take the ball every 5th day for 162 games.
The other question I have is how much can you really save a guy like Lynch so he's still available in September. If he starts in the minors, he's still getting the same workload. He's still going out there every 5-6 day and throwing at 100%. He's never pitched even 100 innings in a year.... Carlos Hernandez has never pitched more than 80. Maybe you keep them in the pen, maybe you put Duffy and or Junis in the pen with the idea or bringing them back to the rotation later in the year.
IDK, it is unprecedented, but everyone is balancing winning, both now and in the future, not blowing out precious arms, and the understandable desire for a professional pitcher to go out and compete at what he's good at as he stands to make a ton of money if he succeeds. Their window is short and uncertain, even in the best of circumstances.
On a final note, Nolan Ryan is off somewhere muttering under his breath about what a bunch of weanies these kids are.