Baseball question..

[57stratdawg]

I looked up what had to happen in order for a MLB pitcher to get a save and this is what I found....

(1) He is the finishing pitcher in a game won by his club; and
(2) He is not the winning pitcher; and
(3) He qualifies under one of the following conditions:

• He enters the game with a lead of no more than three runs and pitches for at least one inning; or
• He enters the game, regardless of the count, with the potential tying
  run either on base, or at bat, or on deck (that is, the potential tying
  run is either already on base or is one of the first two batsmen he
  faces)
• He pitches <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">effectively</span> for at least three innings.

What means does "pitches effectively" mean?

 

[jeremyrbrown]

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/of...s/official_scorer_10.jsp

this doesn't use the word "effectively". just says:

(3) He pitches for at least three innings

 

[topbulldawg]

I think it is up to the official scorer to determine. I think there is a similar idea to who gets the win when the pitcher doesn't go five innings.

 

[Todd4State]

of throwing in an extra word that's effectively not necessary.

I think all they're meaning to say is that the pitcher pitches three innings without blowing the lead.

Because if a pither comes in at the beginning of the seventh inning for a save (I know, how often does that happen anymore) and gives up the lead, he can't get a save because at that point, he would be on the hook for a loss or a win if his team comes back and takes the lead again.

I guess they're just trying to cover all of their bases so that someone isn't awarded a save and a win at some point in time from some scorer that doesn't understand the rules.

 

[Todd4State]

I think it is up to the official scorer to determine. I think there is a similar idea to who gets the win when the pitcher doesn't go five innings.

Although saves have a pretty specific criteria for scoring them. It's pretty cut and dried.

 

[patdog]

A pitcher can come into the game with a 3 run lead in the 9th, give up runs and still get a save. You should never get a save if the tying run wasn't at least at the plate when you came in.

 

[UpTheMiddlex3Punt]

But gets all three outs. Say the starter gives up a hit to start the 7th with a 5 point lead. A reliever comes in and finishes off the game. While he did not pitch the entire 7th inning, he effectively pitched it since he got all three outs. That could be what they mean.