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Baseball scoring question: Blown save

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by dodiad, May 24, 2009.

  1. dodiad

    dodiad New Member

    The baseball rule book is explicit about the definition of a save (section 10.19), but says nothing about blown saves. I’ve run up against a confusing situation and don’t know how to score it:

    Pitcher A enters the game to pitch the bottom of the ninth with his team ahead by a run. He gives up a triple to the leadoff batter and is promptly replaced with pitcher B. The next batter doubles off B, tying the game. Next batter after that singles home the winning run. Clearly somebody has blown a save here, but who? Pitcher A entered the game with a lead and left it with the lead still intact. The lead was lost with pitcher B on the mound. But the tying run, which blows the save, is the responsibility of pitcher A, who put that runner on base in the first place. Can a pitcher be charged with a blown save retroactively, even after leaving the game with the lead intact? By rule, pitcher B is the losing pitcher; should he also be charged with a blown save? Should both pitchers be charged with blowing the save? Should pitcher A in fact be credited with a hold, since he entered in a potential save situation and left without having lost the lead? Does anyone know what is the correct scoring here?
     
  2. Angola!

    Angola! Guest

    Pretty sure the blown save and loss goes to Pitcher B. Even though it wasn't his batter, he allowed the inherited runner - which blew the save - to score.
     
  3. KP

    KP Active Member

    Pitcher B gets the blown save. Pitcher A does not get a blown save because it was still in tact when he left.
    Before last week I would have said A gets a hold because he left in a save situation, but I thought I ran across a spot where a reliever that didn't get an out did not get a hold.
     
  4. Football_Bat

    Football_Bat Well-Known Member

    The terminology is all wrong — it should be called a blown hold for a pitcher who is pulled after losing a lead, since that pitcher cannot get a save by virtue of not finishing the game.
     
  5. spnited

    spnited Active Member

    There should be no such things as a hold ... a bullshit agent-created stat to argue for bigger contracts for middle relivers.
     
  6. KevinmH9

    KevinmH9 Active Member

    I gotta go with Angola on this one. Pitcher A should be credited with the blown save while Pitcher B then recieves the loss. While Pitcher B allowed the the runner on base to score, it was Pitcher A who was credited with giving up the hit.
     
  7. spnited

    spnited Active Member

    Pitcher A left the game with the lead, Pitcher B blew the save.

    Think of it this way. Sabathia goes into the ninth leading, 1-0, give up a leadoff hit and Girardi pulls him. Rivera comes in and gives up a two-run homer. Who blew the save?
     
  8. Armchair_QB

    Armchair_QB Well-Known Member

    Is the correct answer "Kevin Gregg"?
     
  9. spnited

    spnited Active Member

    Usually, unless Aaron Heilman gives it up in the 8th.
     
  10. Editude

    Editude Active Member

    Pitcher B gets a blown save. Pitcher A gets a hold. And the starter is not pleased.
     
  11. Football_Bat

    Football_Bat Well-Known Member

    In that case, couldn't Pitcher A be credited with both a hold and a loss? He had the lead when he left, but the go-ahead run was charged to him.

    To clarify: Pitcher A enters the game with a 2-0 lead. He loads the bases, and is pulled. Pitcher B allows a bases-clearing double and the team loses 3-2.

    Therefore, he gets a hold for leaving the game with the lead intact, yet is responsible for all three runners and is tagged with the L.
     
  12. Armchair_QB

    Armchair_QB Well-Known Member

    The tying run was charged to him. He only put one guy on base.
     
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