Listing previous night's starter in lineup

[brett]

I was wondering about a couple of lineup tricks that might be used for a team on the road. The simplest idea was that you would list the previous night's starter as the starting pitcher for the game and in the 9 spot in the lineup. Then if you happen to get to the 9th spot in the lineup the first time up you can put in a pinch hitter. In any even you would bring in your "true" starter to pitch the bottom half of the first.

The other idea is to list no pitchers in your lineup to start the game, and then insert the pitcher into the lineup after your first time up.

Has anything like this been done before?

[ipitch]

Well, the starting pitcher must pitch to at least one batter.

3.05 (a) The pitcher named in the batting order handed the umpire in chief, as provided in Rules 4.01 (a) and 4.01 (b), shall pitch to the first batter or any substitute batter until such batter is put out or reaches first base, unless the pitcher sustains injury or illness which, in the judgment of the umpire in chief, incapacitates him from pitching.

Earl Weaver used to do something similar with the DH. He would put an off-day pitcher into the lineup so that he could pinch-hit either of his platoon DHs when the slot actually came up. I think there's a rule against that now. EDIT: Yes, there is a rule. The DH must come to bat at least once, unless the opposing team changes pitchers.