Lost Art; Complete Games Are a Rare Feat for Today's Pitchers

Summary

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Jack McKeon isn't trying to reinvent the baseball wheel. He just doesn't see the sense of removing a starting pitcher with three outs to go merely because your bullpen closer is available.

"If I think my starting pitcher is in command of the game, I say, Finish it,' " said the Florida Marlins' venerable manager. "You can tell when a pitcher is done. I don't need a pitch count to tell me."

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Lost Art; Complete Games Are a Rare Feat for Today's Pitchers

In an age when complete games have gone the way of the 25-cent beer, McKeon's Marlins are the exception to the rule. Entering the series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park Tuesday night, Florida's starting pitchers had completed 13 games, tops in the major leagues. Only St. Louis was close with 11.

Leading the way is phenomenal 23-year-old left-hander Dontrelle Willis, who has completed six starts, tied with St. Louis' Chris Carpen...

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