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Quarterback is to Football as Pitcher is to Baseball


DCarp1231

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An idea recently popped in my head:

 

Would it be possible to operate a football league where the quarterback system is similar to how pitchers are used in baseball? Instead of a QB depth chart you have your QB1 (Starter), one or two relief QBs, and then a "closer" QB who specializes in the two minute offense. The starter QB would have to play at least 2.5 quarters to be considered the winning QB and the closer QB would have to maintain the lead from the time they enter the game until the end to be credited with the equivalent of a save. Relief QBs would be used to help get their team gain the lead and maintain it until the closer QB enters the game.

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Well, pitchers can pitch a complete game and it seems more practical to have one QB that is actually good rather than a bunch of lackluster ones, so I'd imagine such a league would just revert to how football is normally played anyways.

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1 hour ago, DNAsports said:

An idea recently popped in my head:

 

Would it be possible to operate a football league where the quarterback system is similar to how pitchers are used in baseball? Instead of a QB depth chart you have your QB1 (Starter), one or two relief QBs, and then a "closer" QB who specializes in the two minute offense. The starter QB would have to play at least 2.5 quarters to be considered the winning QB and the closer QB would have to maintain the lead from the time they enter the game until the end to be credited with the equivalent of a save. Relief QBs would be used to help get their team gain the lead and maintain it until the closer QB enters the game.

 

No.

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The whole point of relief pitchers is that starting pitchers usually start to lose their effectiveness, right? Has anyone ever thought a QB was gassed from throwing too many passes in a game? Maybe it's happened, but it's not a common occurrence.

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Starting pitchers lose their effectiveness after the 100th pitch.  The NFL record for passes in a game is 70, and usually only throw around 30 in a game.  I'd be shocked if that ever actually happened.

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There are teams that have specialist quarterbacks, aren't there?  I think I have seen CFL teams bring in a specialist for 2nd-and-long situations.  This is broadly analogous to bringing in a ground-ball pitcher when you need a double play, or bringing in a lefty pitcher to face a lefty hitter.  (Though the main quarterback goes back in afterwards; so it would be like stationing your starting pitcher at a defensive position while you let the specialist reliever face a certain number of hitters.)

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I know there are CFL teams who Put their backup QB in on 2nd or 3rd and 1 situations for sneaks, but I figure what the OP had in mind was something like what the Raiders did in the late 60s, when George Blanda would often relieve Daryle Lamonica.  Either that or what the Dolphins were doing just before they drafted Marino, David Woodley started, and Don Strock would relieve him if necessary.

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11 hours ago, Ferdinand Cesarano said:

There are teams that have specialist quarterbacks, aren't there?  I think I have seen CFL teams bring in a specialist for 2nd-and-long situations.  This is broadly analogous to bringing in a ground-ball pitcher when you need a double play, or bringing in a lefty pitcher to face a lefty hitter.  (Though the main quarterback goes back in afterwards; so it would be like stationing your starting pitcher at a defensive position while you let the specialist reliever face a certain number of hitters.)

 

When I was a kid, I definitely saw (more than once) a team move a pitcher to right field for a batter or two and then back to pitcher.  For some reason I think it was the Mets and Roger McDowell, but can't find evidence.

 

Quick research showed that Joe Maddon did it too with the Cubs, but for a whole inning.  

 

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5 minutes ago, BringBackTheVet said:
11 hours ago, Ferdinand Cesarano said:

it would be like stationing your starting pitcher at a defensive position while you let the specialist reliever face a certain number of hitters.)

 

When I was a kid, I definitely saw (more than once) a team move a pitcher to right field for a batter or two and then back to pitcher.  For some reason I think it was the Mets and Roger McDowell

 

In a 1986 game, the Mets used both Roger McDowell and Jesse Orosco in the outfield, while alternating them on the mound.

 

 

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