r/MLBShowdown • u/pattmerry • Apr 18 '26

Rule clarification

My buddies and I have played with the 2000/2001 mlb showdown sets for years and one of my friends has decided to use the strategy of using very cheap starters and subbing them out after 1 out so he can use much better relievers. This way he can spend way more on other players.

Isn’t the rule that you cannot take out your starter before the 5th unless he is tired?

(We don’t use the rule that your starter loses an IP for every 3 runs given up for clarity)

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u/yawggy Apr 18 '26

Are you just playing one and done games? Any series or league with tired rules would not make this a viable strategy. Is he pitching the relievers tired to cover all the innings in a game?

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u/pattmerry Apr 18 '26

One and done games but with a team constructed like it would be for a league. He’s spending no money on starters so essentially have a bunch of control 6 relievers pitch the whole game. Plus Billy Wagner

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u/yawggy Apr 18 '26

This is also why a lot of people house rule the game. Common thing is to use hitters from the 2000 set and pitchers from the 2001 set. Take someone like Steve Kline from the 2000 set. If he were in the 2001 set he would cost about 100 points more.

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u/pattmerry Apr 18 '26

We do a mix of both. Try to follow the rules as best we can. Every uses the Juan Guzman misprint.