This article is part of our Mound Musings series.
One of the most intriguing questions fantasy owners will need to contend with when the season begins will be the impact of a compressed schedule on starting assignments and bullpen usage. Discussions suggest teams might play more than the usual days in a row with scheduled doubleheaders sprinkled (perhaps fairly liberally) into the mix. When and how the schedule will take shape is still being bantered about. The last plan standing will make all the difference, but we'll keep trying, and we'll continue to do all we can to help with the many twists and turns. There are so many things to look at, so let's go.
The sixth man could almost be a baseball necessity: In basketball, the sixth man is the first person off the bench, charged with providing a burst of energy to teammates perhaps beginning to suffer some level of fatigue. In the 2020 version of MLB, the sixth man pitcher(s) could take one or more forms ranging from a sixth starting pitcher to a start by committee bullpen with openers and a greater number of relievers trying to shoulder the heavier workload of the anticipated compressed season.
This week, we'll focus on potential six-man rotations. But, before we rush to add these sixth starters to our draft lists, maybe we should start with a little history. Fifty years ago approximately 20 teams had four-man rotations (roughly 80 primary starters) who pitched a lot of innings. For example, did you know that over his amazing 27-win
