Jonah Patel
In baseball, a win for a pitcher is determined by a set of rules. The pitcher who is the 'pitcher of record' when their team takes the lead permanently is awarded the win. However, there are exceptions to this rule. For instance, a starting pitcher must pitch for at least five innings to qualify for a win, and if they don't, the win goes to the most effective relief pitcher. The official scorer's judgment plays a crucial role in deciding the winning pitcher, especially when multiple relief pitchers are involved. The pitcher who gives up the go-ahead run that puts the opposing team in the lead is often given the loss. These wins and losses are recorded in a pitcher's win-loss record, indicating their performance.
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Starting pitcher qualifications
To be a winning pitcher, a player must be the pitcher of record when their team takes the lead for good. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule.
Firstly, a starting pitcher must pitch at least five innings in a traditional nine-inning game or longer to qualify for the win. If they do not meet this criterion, the official scorer awards the win to the most effective relief pitcher. The official scorer may also deem a relief pitcher's appearance brief and ineffective, in which case the win may be awarded to the pitcher who followed.
Secondly, if more than one relief pitcher is used, the official scorer must determine the most effective relief pitcher and award them the win.
Thirdly, a pitcher can get the win if they leave the game while trailing, as long as their team takes the lead before the next pitcher comes in. This is because a pitcher gets credit for everything that happens until a new pitcher comes into the game.
Finally, a pitcher who starts a game but leaves without earning either a win or a loss (before either team gains or surrenders the ultimate lead) is said to have received a no-decision, regardless of their individual performance.
Cis-Trans Isomers: Constitutional Isomerism Explained
You may want to see also
Relief pitcher qualifications
Relief pitchers are pitchers who enter a baseball game after the starting pitcher. Relief wins are any wins by pitchers who were not the starting pitcher. Relief pitchers can earn wins in two main ways.
Firstly, if a relief pitcher is in the game when their team takes the lead and this lead is maintained, the relief pitcher is credited with the victory. This is the case even if the relief pitcher is deemed to have performed poorly, as long as they are not judged to have been "ineffective in a brief appearance". If this is the judgement, then the win is awarded to the succeeding relief pitcher who was most effective.
Secondly, if the starting pitcher pitches fewer than five innings, and the official scorer deems that the relief pitcher was the "most effective" in preserving the win, then the relief pitcher gets the win. This is because a starting pitcher must complete a minimum of five innings to be eligible for a win.
In some cases, if more than one relief pitcher is used, the victory shall be awarded based on the judgement of the official scorer as to which relief pitcher was most effective. The pitcher who gives up a lead or tie will get a loss.
AMA Sixth Edition: High Score Secrets
You may want to see also
Win-loss records
In baseball, a win–loss record is a statistic that indicates the number of wins and losses credited to a pitcher. For example, a 20–10 win–loss record would represent 20 wins and 10 losses. In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win, and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss. These pitchers are known as the pitchers of record. Only one pitcher per team receives a decision, and a starting pitcher who does not receive credit for a win or loss is said to have no decision.
A pitcher receives a win when they are the pitcher of record when their team takes the lead for good, with a few exceptions. Firstly, a starting pitcher must pitch at least five innings in a traditional nine-inning game or longer to qualify for the win. If they do not, the official scorer awards the win to the most effective relief pitcher. There is also a rarely used clause where an official scorer can deem a relief pitcher's appearance "brief and ineffective". If this is the case, the scorer can award the win to the next pitcher.
A pitcher receives a loss when a run charged to them gives the opposing team a lead that they never surrender. The pitcher is responsible for the number of runners they allow on base, and if they leave the game with their team in the lead, but with the go-ahead runner on base, and that runner scores, the pitcher is responsible for the loss.
In certain situations, another pitcher on the winning team who pitched in relief of the winning pitcher can be credited with a save. Holds can be awarded to relief pitchers on both sides, but these are never awarded to the pitcher who is awarded the win or loss.
The Evolving Constitution: Society's Impact
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Pitcher of record
In baseball, a win–loss record (or simply "record") is a statistic that indicates the number of wins and losses credited to a pitcher. In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win, and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only one pitcher per team receives a decision, and a starting pitcher who does not receive credit for a win or loss is said to have "no decision".
A pitcher receives a win when they are the pitcher of record when their team takes the lead for good, with a couple of rare exceptions. First, a starting pitcher must pitch at least five innings (in a traditional nine-inning game or longer) to qualify for the win. If they do not, the official scorer awards the win to the most effective relief pitcher. The official scorer can also deem a relief pitcher's appearance ""brief and ineffective", and in that case, they can award the win to the pitcher who followed.
The pitcher of record is also awarded a win if they leave the game while trailing, as long as their team takes the lead before the next pitcher comes in. However, if the pitcher leaves the game with their team in the lead or with the score tied, but with the go-ahead run on base, and this runner subsequently scores the go-ahead run, the pitcher is responsible for the loss. This is true regardless of how the batter scored.
In Major League Baseball, the winning pitcher is defined as the pitcher who last pitched before the half-inning when their team took the lead for good. There are two exceptions to this rule: the first is the five-inning minimum for starting pitchers, and the second is if the relief pitcher who last pitched before the half-inning when the winning team took the lead is deemed "ineffective in a brief appearance" by the official scorer, in which case the win goes to the succeeding relief pitcher who was most effective.
When Can Police Use Deadly Force?
You may want to see also
No decision
In baseball, a starting pitcher who does not receive credit for a win or loss is said to have received a "no decision". This occurs when a pitcher starts a game but leaves before either team gains or surrenders the lead. It is worth noting that a pitcher's individual performance does not factor into this decision.
A starting pitcher must pitch at least five innings in a traditional nine-inning game or longer to qualify for a win. If they do not meet this requirement, the official scorer awards the win to the most effective relief pitcher. This decision is based on the judgment of the official scorer, who deems which relief pitcher was the most effective.
In certain scenarios, a starting pitcher may pitch for five or more innings, but their team only gains the lead after they have been replaced. In such cases, the relief pitcher who helped the team gain the lead will be awarded the win.
Additionally, there is a rarely used clause where an official scorer can deem a relief pitcher's appearance "brief and ineffective". For instance, if a reliever gives up a one-run lead by allowing three runs but is still in line for a win after their team scores four runs in the following inning, the scorer may award the win to the succeeding relief pitcher.
It is important to understand that the rules for determining a win or loss for a pitcher can be complex, and there may be exceptions or variations depending on the specific league or tournament guidelines.
The Constitution's Name: A Tribute to Old Ironsides
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
A pitcher receives a win when they are the pitcher of record when their team takes the lead for good.
Yes, there are a couple of rare exceptions. Firstly, a starting pitcher must pitch at least five innings (in a traditional game of nine innings or longer) to qualify for the win. If they do not, the official scorer awards the win to the most effective relief pitcher.
A relief pitcher is a pitcher that comes in after the starting pitcher.
If only one relief pitcher pitches in the game, then they get the win. If more than one relief pitcher pitches in the game, then the official scorer determines the most effective relief pitcher and awards them the win.
A pitcher receives a loss when a run that is charged to them gives the opposing team a lead that they never give up.
