OAKLAND — To win their first World Series in Oakland, back in 1972, the A’s used a primitive version of “bullpenning.”
Only it was more like starter-ing. In Game 7 against the Cincinnati Reds, Manager Dick Williams unleashed Blue Moon Odom (for 4.1 innings) before turning things over to Catfish Hunter (2.2) and Ken Holtzman (one batter) before eventually getting to an actual reliever (Rollie Fingers).
That strategy helped preserve a 3-2 victory and a parade through downtown Oakland. At the time, those three starters, Odom, Hunter and Holtzman, were all essentially 200-inning workhorses who today might be apt to tell bullpening to get off their lawn.