User:GhostRiver/opener

In baseball, an opening pitcher, more frequently referred to as an opener, is a pitcher – often a relief pitcher – who specializes in getting the first outs of a game before he is relieved by a traditional starting pitcher.

Usage
In baseball, the starting pitcher begins the game and is expected to pitch at least five innings. This is in contrast to a relief pitcher, who makes a shorter appearance later in the game, sometimes in high-pressure situations. Beginning in the 1980s with players like Dennis Eckersley, Jeff Reardon, and John Franco, individual relief pitchers were given specific roles in a game: middle relief pitcher, long reliever, setup man, and closer. While some managers deploy relievers based on inning, with a designated setup man in the eighth inning and closer in the ninth, others have adopted a "bullpen by committee" approach, where the best relievers enter the game against their opponent's best hitters.

History
Before the 2018 MLB season, use of an opener was rare, and used with the intention of tricking opposing teams. In 1924, Bucky Harris and the Washington Senators announced that Curly Ogden would start Game 7 of that year's World Series, and the New York Giants designed their lineup with the right-handed pitcher in mind. Ogden faced two batters before he was relieved by the left-handed George Mogridge, who held the Giants scoreless for four innings.
 * Ted Power, 1990 NLCS
 * Tony La Russa & the 1993 A's