Pitching Rotation in the Playoffs

Who do you start in the Wild Card Game?

Who do you include in the pitching rotation in the rest of the playoffs after the Reds win the wild card game?

If the Reds are forced to play in the wild card game, it looks as if the Reds will have Leake, Latos, or Cueto available to start out of the rotation. Who do you go with? The obvious answer would be Latos, but Cueto is fresh, and Leake has the best ERA and has pitched less innings this year. That's tough.

Then you have to decide what three guys you put into the rotation for the playoffs. Latos? Yes. Bailey? Yes. Leake, Arroyo, Cueto? Who is your third guy?

I'm glad I'm not making this decision, but I'd guy Latos, Bailey, and Cueto.

A lot will be determined by the decision on tomorrow night's game. If they truly throw Reynolds .vs. the Mets it sets things up for Latos, Bailey, Arroyo .vs. Pirates over the weekend and Cueto on 6 days rest on Monday. JC went 7 innings on 6 days rest last night so I wouldn't mind that scenario. Then you'd have Latos, Bailey, Arroyo for the 1st 3 of the division series.

On the other hand if Latos goes Wednesday I think you'll see him in the Wildcard game Monday.

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Originally Posted by HoosierReds

On the other hand if Latos goes Wednesday I think you'll see him in the Wildcard game Monday.

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The NL Wildcard game is on Tuesday, October 1, according to MLB.com:

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/...&vkey=news_mlb


I'm almost as interested to know what you do if we're tied with Pittsburgh for the final wildcard spot going into Sunday. Do you start Bailey, Cueto or Latos and go all out to get that home game? Or would you take advantage of the chance to get some guys some rest knowing the only game that really counts is Tuesday?

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Originally Posted by usfldan

The NL Wildcard game is on Tuesday, October 1, according to MLB.com:

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/...&vkey=news_mlb


I'm almost as interested to know what you do if we're tied with Pittsburgh for the final wildcard spot going into Sunday. Do you start Bailey, Cueto or Latos and go all out to get that home game? Or would you take advantage of the chance to get some guys some rest knowing the only game that really counts is Tuesday?

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The whole weekend will be interesting how the managers decide to play it out. Situationally and its corresponding strategies might change game to game and might also be dependent on how the Cardinals are doing.

With the Reds Home/Road split this season I do think you have to go all out to get the home game Tuesday (thanks for the correction) even if the Cards clinch the division early.

I am pessimistic that the Nats will continue to play hard over these next 2 games now that they are out of it. However they do have Gio and Zimmerman on the mound...

If you are expecting to go with a 3 man rotation, Latos & Bailey are easy. If I was VERY confident in Cueto's health, I would go with Cueto as my 3rd, and Leake if I was less confident. I expect Dusty would actually go with Arroyo, though.

jvs

Agreed. If we have a chance to catch St. Louis, we'll probably go all out in the weekend series. If we can't, we'll still have to do what we can to hopefully get home field advantage.

As someone else mentioned here, it's a shame that we'll likely see a 3 game series to determine home field advantage then a 1 game playoff. Hopefully the Cards drop a couple of games and we can win the division rather than fret over the possible outcomes against the Pirates.