I believe that is exactly the point. Then I don't understand what it is. There are many pitchers who fail at starting and then go on to be relievers. Some of them become good relievers, some bad. What makes Dempster more likely to be among the good relievers? If you'll note the quote I was responding to... abuck wrote that "i would not say that there have been "many" successful closers/set up men that were failed starters." My response refuted that, while also making the larger point that OF COURSE there are many failed starters that become relievers, because most relievers were starters. Whether or not that means they will be good or bad had nothing to do with my post-I simply was addressing the quote that there have "not been many successful closers that were failed starters." But thanks for the condescention from whomever piled on after TT's response. now list all the failed starters who also failed as reliever. that task may take a while b/c that list is 8 billion people long. That's fine. But its also correct that many failed starters have become effective relievers. It was an accurate statement. fine. compared to the number of failed starters that have become, say, astronauts, there are "many" failed starters who have become effective relievers. but compared to the number of failed starters who have not become effective relievers, i wouldn't say that "many" failed starters have become effective relievers.