It may or may not be part of the analytics movement, but it's obvious that the way starting pitchers prepare for the opening of the regular season these days is a drastic change from what can only be called the "old school" way. Or, perhaps more accurately in modern terminology, the "not so good old days."
The accepted rule of thumb in a bygone era was for each team to get its top starters up and running as soon as possible. With complete games an expected goal, rather than an accidental accomplishment, every member of the starting rotation would go seven innings at least once before breaking camp.
If you were so inclined, you could make book that the first pitcher on the mound for the first exhibition game would also be on the Opening Day starter. Those days seem light years ago compared to today's emphasis of starting the control of innings pitched from the very outset of spring training.
