Taking a starter out when effective. Different than any other sport.

What other sport does the manager have to make decision to change strategy when the current strategy is effective. It just seems so counter-intuitive to winning baseball.

Taking a pitcher out of the game based upon pitch counts is part of baseball in 2008. It wasn't always this way but it certainly has become a staple of the way the game is played. Bullpens now consist of long men, short men, lefties, set up guys and closers. And, they are all needed because the starter has a limited number of pitches that he can throw.

Somewhere around the 100-120 pitch mark is all they'll allow a starter to throw. And, it doesn't matter if it's a 5-4 game in the seventh and the starter has retired the last 12 consecutive hitters. Out he comes.

Could you imagine a football team drive the length of the field by running it right up the gut for 12 straight plays. But, because they had reached a limit they had to abandon it in favor of the pass.

It's one of those things that makes baseball a great game.

It's also one of those things that makes managers so effective at the professional level. When to go to the bullpen?