June 25, 2008
Tough or Easy Save?
The Red Sox shut out the Diamondbacks 5-0 this evening. Tim Wakefield pitched seven strong innings, allowing two hits and one walk. Hansen tried to finish the game in the ninth, but loaded the bases with two out, setting up a save situation. Papelbon came in and struck out Tracy to end the game. Is that a tough or easy save? Even a mistake to Tracy still preserves the lead, and the closer only needs to get one out. None of the runners on base matter that much. What's your call?
Posted by David Pinto at
09:56 PM
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It's an easy save, because (as you say) he had to get just one out. It's like coming in to get one out with a three run lead and a man on first, or a two run lead and nobody on.
Put it this way: the Win Expectancy for the home team with a 5 run lead when the visitors have the bases loaded in the top of the ninth is 98.8%. If a closer comes in to start the top of the ninth with a 3 run lead, his Win Exp. is 98.0%. By that measure, the Save Papelbon got was easier than a common sort of easy save.
It's the cheapest save in history since he could give up a granny and still come away with a save.
It's a BS rule. Easy as pie.
The cheapest save in history is indisputably when Wes Littleton preserved the 30-3 lead for the Rangers last year, and was still awarded a save.