re how does a pitcher get a save mikef bvc edu writes in article apr newshub ariel yorku ca cs ariel yorku ca geoffrey e dias writes the subject line says it all what is the rule that qualifies a pitcher as making a save imho this is the most untrustworthy silly stat by today s rules in all of baseball my understanding is to qualify as a save a pitcher cannot pitch more than three innings and the potential tying run must at least appear in the on deck circle also the lead a pitcher enters with cannot excede three runs this is a phenomenon known around work as ready fire aim i am astounded at the number of times people post strong opinions about things they not only don t understand but publicly admit to not understanding in fact there s a plausible argument that saves are a more rational stat than wins for the record there are two ways that a reliever can get a save he must finish the game and either have entered the game with the tying run on base at bat or on deck have pitched at least three innings effectively a pitcher may not get a win and a save in the same game i believe that the official scorers must assert more of their authority in determining winners savers etc for instance a pitcher can come in in the ninth with a lead blow the lead fall behind have his team come back in the next half inning and earn the win has this pitcher earned a win no way but this is an argument that wins is a dumb stat not saves i guy could pitch five strong innings of middle relief and see his teammates rally to tie the score assume he came in to start the fourth and left after the eighth his teammate holds the opposition scoreless in the ninth and they score a run in the bottom of the ninth to win the third pitcher earns the win and the middle reliever gets no stat satisfaction this again doesn t support your claim about saves at the beginning of your post mike jones aix high end development mjones donald aix kingston ibm com conceptual integrity is the most important consideration in system design frederick p brooks jr the mythical man month
