Opening day is just one game. As we get into the last two weeks of ST I would think Rocco will be looking at the first three series of the season and try to set up the rotation to give us the best match-ups against KC, Miami, and Houston that he can. His preference for who should start which games will determine the rotation and, working back from that, who will start on opening day. At least that's how I think it should be done. Taking that approach means the opening day starter will be in that role almost by default, so to me, as Brock said, it's not real important or significant.

5 hours ago, chpettit19 said:

Would they be interested in leaving Mahle and/or Maeda in Florida to get a little extra work/treatment at the facility while the rest of the team heads to KC and have them be your #4 and 5 guys who face the Marlins?

Good point. For sure there's reason to have the #5 guy, whoever that is, stay in Ft. Myers. I suppose the #4 guy should travel just in case he would be needed to cover one of the first three games.

7 hours ago, stringer bell said:

The Home Opener is a week later against the Nats, I believe.

Actually Houston. Big difference.

With Maeda and Mahle perhaps most likely to have the shortest starts, at least early on, I’d prefer to have them separated in the rotation. With Lopez perhaps most likely to throw the longest starts, I’d put him in between them.

And I tend to give the veteran the advantage over the younger guy, so that leaves me with Gray-Ryan-Mahle-Lopez-Maeda.  That also gives Ryan the home opener. 

OR, I’d consider going with Lopez No. 2, since that’s the only spot that doesn’t get an extra day between the first and second starts. It also avoids the Marlins. I’d think that the hitters have an advantage over the pitcher when the pitcher has just moved from one team to the other. 

But mainly, I’d be fine with drawing them out of the hat if it means that all get through spring training healthy. 

You could always go with the Opener tactic for the opener and let Pagan pitch the first inning.

Agree with Indiana Twin on the rotation - Gray-Ryan-Mahle-Lopez-Maeda. If we come out of ST with all 5 available this would be a good rotation.

Would it somehow depend partially on how  you want to sequence your pitchers, not putting similar pitchers back-to-back, rather than a popularity contest? No specific ideas as to what order would work best, but would want to give the least ready pitcher the extra time to prepare.

1 minute ago, Dakota Southwest said:

Would it somehow depend partially on how  you want to sequence your pitchers, not putting similar pitchers back-to-back, rather than a popularity contest? No specific ideas as to what order would work best, but would want to give the least ready pitcher the extra time to prepare.

Yes that is how it should go. I don't think other than maybe opening day a manager would go with most popular, and if I was a manager I would go with the best pitcher. Then you adjust the rotation around that. Definitely have seen it play out where some one gets puched back, for example, because they want a lefty in between 2 righties.

As someone said:  It really doesn't matter.  But I think it kinda does.  It's supposedly an honor to get the opening day start.  So I would put my rotation in order right from the start.  And since this is just an opinion, I would go with Gray, Lopez, Ryan, Maeda, Mahle.  And as I type in the names and in order it looks like a pretty darned impressive rotation.  Hopefully we can keep them all relatively healthy.  Also, I wouldn't have a problem plugging Ober into any one of those spots when needed.  I'm getting kinda pumped.  See you at the ballpark.