Obviously if the starter had a recent start they wouldn't risk pitching him so soon. But a lot of teams do pitch starters in really long extra inning games where they run out of pitchers, or the next day after a long extra inning game when all their bullpen pitchers are tired. College converts some starters into relievers or closers. These conversions are usually done because the pitcher can throw it really hard or really well, but only for about 3 or 4 innings. They are usually able to convert them to relievers really easily because they can still throw the same way as they would as a starter.
Sure. You can also use position players as a relief pitcher,as Lyle Overbay and Mitch Moreland have done this season.
You can do it, but it's unlikely to happen outside of say the World Series, where teams often go to 3 man rotations. At one time it was normal however, pitchers like Walter Johnson often relieved between starts. He might start a game on Sunday, pitch in relief Tuesday, and start again Friday. Today, pitchers throw in the bullpen between starts, years ago, they pitched in relief.
I don't see why you wouldn't be able to, but if your talking about mlb, then they usually bring someone up from triple A if their bullpen is used up.
Certainly. At one time they had a spot starter. A team had five starting pitchers ( remember there was a time when a starting rotation was four pitchers). With enough days off the fifth starter often wasn't needed to start a game so he would pitch as a reliever.
Yes. Anyone on the roster can play any position. It's basically training and skills that drives who plays where.
You can do it, but most teams won't. Starting pitchers are generally kept on 5 man rotation and each pitcher has their own way of preparing for their next start. They are not usually made available to pitch out of the bullpen in between starts because of the regiment that they keep themselves on. Granted if it is an extremely important game and a team absolutely needs their number 1 starter to come in and shut the door it can and will happen, but on a nightly basis it will not happen because of the risk of arm injuries.
You can, and teams "sometimes" do, but they try to avoid it as best they can.
They might just use a position player to pitch, especially if the game is a blowout.
Say the bullpen is thin/used up and you need a pitcher to pitch in relief. Can you use another one of your starters to pitch in relief?
