So this is interesting. Not sure what else to make of it.

 

With speed as his biggest asset, I'm not sure pitching is the best place for him but best of luck.

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/01/dodgers-sign-jordan-schafer.html

He's actually got a good pitching arm. I've always found it funny that he was such a highly regarded pitcher, yet he had such an average outfield arm.

 

I'm surprised this doesn't happen more often. There's already talk about it happening with a player in the Braves organization who has a pure rifle in right field, but he also has very good speed/power combo stats right now, so he's not likely to be shifted for a bit.

I saw some comments on TradeRumors site.  Say he does make it to the Majors as a pitcher, can he come in as pinch runner for the pitcher in say the top of the 7th, then go and pitch the Bottom of the 7th and become a defensive replacement in the 8th Inning?  Also, could he come back in to pitch after playing in the field if needed?

This surprises me too as I didn't really think of him having that strong of an arm from the outfield.

 

That's an interesting point about him being a reliever and a pinch runner. Based on 2014, I thought that he was up there with the best base stealers that I have watched.

Back when Drew Butera pitched an inning for the Twins back in 2012 and hit 95 mph, I remember thinking that he really should go back to the minors and be a pitcher.  He was 28 at the time and Shafer is 29.

 

I saw some comments on TradeRumors site.  Say he does make it to the Majors as a pitcher, can he come in as pinch runner for the pitcher in say the top of the 7th, then go and pitch the Bottom of the 7th and become a defensive replacement in the 8th Inning?  Also, could he come back in to pitch after playing in the field if needed?

 

It's not high school. He can't come in and out of the game.

 

However, he could pinch run for someone, and then through a double-switch, he could come in and pitch.

 

Back when Drew Butera pitched an inning for the Twins back in 2012 and hit 95 mph, I remember thinking that he really should go back to the minors and be a pitcher.  He was 28 at the time and Shafer is 29.

 

The difference is that Schafer has been up and down over several years, and after the Twins let him go last year, no one picked him up. Butera's been on a big league roster for like 5 straight years. No need for him to switch positions or waste time in the minors.

 

It's not high school. He can't come in and out of the game.

 

However, he could pinch run for someone, and then through a double-switch, he could come in and pitch.

He could also come in to pitch, then go to the OF, and then resume pitching.  (Comes into the game to replace the pitcher, another pitcher comes into the game later to replace an OFer in the lineup but pitches, then another OFer comes into the game to replace the second pitcher).

 

He could also come in to pitch, then go to the OF, and then resume pitching.  (Comes into the game to replace the pitcher, another pitcher comes into the game later to replace an OFer in the lineup but pitches, then another OFer comes into the game to replace the second pitcher).

 

Correct... just one spot in the lineup.

 

Pitchers with two appearances in one game.

(PDF)

 

What if in a parallel universe there two opposite handed, athletic ace pitchers on the same team playing game 7 of a World Series. A team with Bumgarner and Greinke, for example. And they just switch off batter by batter to face same-handed baters the entire game, with the non-pitching guy covering the weak side of an overshift. Each pitcher making 10 appearances during the game... and then winning the game after 8 2/3 innings because the home team is forced to forfeit after its fans... storm the field and riot?

He's actually got a good pitching arm. I've always found it funny that he was such a highly regarded pitcher, yet he had such an average outfield arm.

Throws that drop six inches just in front of the cutoff man are not an asset.

 

It's not high school. He can't come in and out of the game.

 

However, he could pinch run for someone, and then through a double-switch, he could come in and pitch.

I didn't mean come out of the game.  I meant could he technically pinch run, then pitch, then go to the outfield, then come back in to pitch.  I know once you leave the game you are done.

 

Pitchers with two appearances in one game.

(PDF)

I think this strategy is underused.

 

What if in a parallel universe there two opposite handed, athletic ace pitchers on the same team playing game 7 of a World Series. A team with Bumgarner and Greinke, for example. And they just switch off batter by batter to face same-handed baters the entire game, with the non-pitching guy covering the weak side of an overshift. Each pitcher making 10 appearances during the game... and then winning the game after 8 2/3 innings because the home team is forced to forfeit after its fans... storm the field and riot?

This is a really interesting idea, but probably not for ace pitchers because they tend to do fairly well against everyone. Where this would be more useful is in the case of two pitchers who have markedly disparate stats between righty and lefty batters. Opposing managers wouldn't be able to pinch hit based on handedness. The fly in the ointment would be switch hitters, but at least you could force the batter to hit from his weaker side.

This makes me think of a question: Would the rules allow for 8 warm-up pitches every time a switch was made?

Edited January 21, 201610 yr by spinowner

_{Well, Schaffer can hit better than the average pitcher, but not by much}

I found this rule:

 

Rule 5.10(d) Comment (Rule 3.03 Comment): A pitcher may
change to another position only once during the same inning;
e.g. the pitcher will not be allowed to assume a position other
than a pitcher more than once in the same inning.

 

This puts the kibosh on the strategy discussed above. Oh well.

 

I think this strategy is underused.

I do too. Especially the first one, bringing in a batting title leader to face his closest rival. That would be fun to see.

There have got to be enough batters in MLB with terrible platoon splits or who never hit opposite field (like Dozier) that a manager could comfortably position his pitcher somewhere temporarily. There are also enough pitchers who are all-around athletes (like Chargois) who might be a candidate for this type of switch. Definitely underused!

Schafer avoids Tommy John.

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/03/jordan-schafer-to-undergo-elbow-surgery.html

 

Pitchers with two appearances in one game.

(PDF)

Awesome reading.  It was interesting to see Pinella in there twice - he never struck me as a think outside the box kind of guy.  It was also funny to see that he did it 16 years apart. Are the situations where it would be useful that rare?  You'd think that he would either a. Decide it was useful and employ it at least occasionally throughout his career, or b. Evaluate and reject the idea as not useful.

I was surprised that Sam McDowell is listed only twice. I thought they pulled that scenario with him more often than that.