Though for now it is totally legal and endorsed by the manual.

I think that in addition to not giving relievers who never started 30BFA to start, relievers who did start should have 2 changes for them:

1) They should only be allowed to start up to 200% of the games they ACTUALLY started. A reliever who pitched 100 innings but only started 1 game should not be able to be a full time starter...especially in the playoffs.

2) Probably the relievers grade (of a reliever who started) should be reduced when he is used as a starter. In general I think relievers have lower OPS and ERA than starters. Assuming the stats bear this out...a reliever who starts should have his grade reduced by the same difference in the average grade for full time starters vs the average grade for full time relievers...or some modification of such a formula...or just drop his grade a point or 2 if the calculation is too difficult to use.

3) For relievers who did not start the manual says that "can be used as a starter, but will be severely degraded by the GAME. This practice should only be tried in an emergency situation because in addition to the degradation of his skills, it is a severe drain on the reliever's innings." However, in my experience the reliever does NOT seem to be "severely degraded". He should be given a low INN type grade. This would discourage the practice more than anything else.


Until the game is officially changed though, don't complain about opponents who start relievers against you. It is legal and ok with the COMMISH according to the manual. Note that the manual suggests the reason for not using a reliever who did not start as a starter is because of his degradation and innings usage...NOT BECAUSE THE PRACTICE IS PROHIBITED OR CHEATING OR "SMART". So for now, I view it as one of the standard managerial practices, just like platooning [which should also be curtailed severely IMHOP].