August 25, 2004
What's wrong with this "picture"?
About two weeks ago I was casually reading my local sports section's article on the previous night's Northeast League matchup between the North Shore Spirit and the New Haven County Cutters when this sentence caught my eye: "Klae Calvert pitched the final 5 1/3 innings to earn the save for the Spirit". And sure enough, the boxscore lists starting pitcher Gordon as garnering the win with 4 2/3 innings pitched and reliever Calvert as pitching 4 1/3 for the save.
Regardless of the discrepancy over Calvert's actually pitching 4 1/3 instead of the 5 1/3 that the text of the article says, this appears to fly in the face of baseball's official scoring rules. Rule 10.19 requires that the starting pitcher complete 5 innings (unless the game itself is shortened to 5 innings) to be awarded the win. Unless the Northeast League has adopted some weird official scoring rules, this appears to be an erroneous awarding of a win and a save. I believe that Gordon is prohibited from being credited with a win, and that the win would have to go to Calvert, who therefore could not get a save.
This got me to wondering: is it ever possible for a reliever to pick up a save in a game in which he pitches more than 4 innings? After all, if the starter goes 5+ innings, then the most a reliever could go is 4 innings in a 9-inning game, and in extra innings the longest one could pitch while earning a save would be one inning. I think the answer would be that if the starting pitcher does not go at least 5 innings, then it would be possible. Hypothetical: starting pitcher leaves without retiring a batter; reliever number one comes in and pitches, say, 4 innings and his team takes a 2-run lead while he's in the game. Reliever number two comes in and finishes out the remaining 5 innings. I believe that the correct scoring would be a win for reliever1 and a save for reliever2 for his 5 innings of work. I just don't remember ever seeing this happen, but I'm sure when Dave returns he'll check this one out.
Jim
Posted by Jim Storer at
10:14 PM
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Isn't the win supposed go to "the most effective reliever" when the starter doesn't last four innings? If so, isn't it pretty hard to argue that pitching seven innings of relief in a 9 inning game doesn't make you the most effective reliever? Are we really that worried about finding someone to receive a save in every possible game?
IIRC, in college (may just be the SEC) if a team before hand announces that they are going to use 3 pitchers, then the first guy is eligible for a win if he leaves with a lead.
Are the rules somehow different for Spring Training or All-Star games? Maybe I'm imagining things, but I seem to remember starters getting credited with wins there when they've only gone 2 or 3 innings.
Adam
Certainly for All-star games. I believe catchers can come back into the game, and the roster is bigger.
Oh, and All-Star games can end in a tie.
Regular season games can end in ties as well. They just don't count as a win or loss.
I know, I just had to take that cheap shot.
Joaquin Benoit earned a 7 inning save against Baltimore on September 3, 2002.
Aaron Myette was the starting pitcher and was removed after walking one batter due to an injury. Todd Van Popple came in and threw 2 innings of shut out ball with 5 Ks, 1 walk and 0 hits. Texas was winning 4-0 when Van Popple was removed.
Joaquin Benoit then threw seven innings, allowing 1 run on one hit while striking out for and not walking a batter.
As an interesting side note I played junior college baseball with Joaquin's cousin Greg in Southern California that year.