Do #1 starters face tougher opposing starters?
December 8, 2009 Teams traditionally line up their ace starters to pitch on Opening Day in order to get the season started off right. If team schedules aligned perfectly, wed see the aces square off against each other every fifth day; but injuries, off days, trades, and general ineffectiveness often jumble up the rotation and fans dont get to see as many marquee matchups. But how often do two teams Opening Day starters face fellow aces? In 2009, the 30 Opening Day starters combined for 824 starts, and around 20% were against fellow #1 starters, more than any other single rotation spot. However, a surprising 31% of their starts come against pitchers who werent even in the opposing teams starting rotation to start the season! Heres the breakdown by rotation slot: Ace Starters’ Opposing Starters, 2009 Opposing Starter Rank Starts Pct 1 162 19.7% 2 116 14.1% 3 116 14.1% 4 107 13.0% 5 91 11.0% 6+ 255 30.9% Some starters oppose more fellow aces than others. Justin Verlander faced the opposit
