Quality Starts/Quality Appearances

[Tucci905]

Know I'm new here... but IMO, QS is a much better metric... any starter can throw 5 IP and give up 2 ER... I think it diminishes the value of the SPs that can go 6 and give up 3ER, but will roll with whatever everyone decides.

With the opener becoming more and more common, the QA give the actual starter who comes in as a reliever an opportunity to get a counting stat beside k's. With a QS he would not qualify even if he goes 8 shutout innings because he didn't  start. QA is a good compromised even if its devalued with only 5ip.

The "opener" is used by a handful of teams to fill a 5th starter spot, not for a rotation like Bieber, Plesac, McKenzie, or Degrom Carrasco Matz... Almost every team has 4 true SPs.  This is making a broad rule to fit the exception for the basically the Rays pitchers.

Well coming off a shorten season most teams will have a very strong pitch/innings count. This will increase the use of an opener this year while decreasing the chance of pitchers reaching the 6th inning. In a 30 team league such as this, the lower bar and flexibility of QA better reflects the contract values established over the years.