Losing Pitcher
Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2012 6:33 am
While I have kept score for many years, I had always left W/L credit to the coaches as they prepare their reports to the media. This year, I am sending box scores directly to local media through iScore. (Thanks for that feature/ability, by the way.)
I think I pretty well have the winning pitcher stuff down, but find the rule on losing pitcher to be a little vague. Rule 10.17(d) states "A losing pitcher is a pitcher who is responsible for the run that gives the winning team a lead that the winning team does not relinquish." The comment on the rule is "Whenever the score is tied, the game becomes a new contest insofar as the losing pitcher is concerned."
Does that mean that if a starting pitcher pitches a whale of a game, leaving with a 1-0 deficit, his reliever gives up several runs, and then his team comes back and scores several runs but never ties it up or takes the lead and loses by a run or more, he still gets the loss? I guess I have never paid that close of attention to the pitchers of record in MLB games.
Here is the situation that is prompting the question (Legion baseball, so Major League Rules but 7 inning game).
We are away. Pitcher A pitches five complete innings, leaving the mound with a 4-3 deficit. We fail to score a run in the top of the sixth (while he is still in the lineup as pitcher). Pitcher B enters the game in relief and gives up a run in the bottom of the sixth (now a 5-3 deficit). Top of the seventh, we rally to threaten a big inning, but only score one run before a double play ends the game (5-4). Pitcher A gave up 4 runs, which ties the number of runs we scored, but we never actually tied or regained the lead.
The way I am understanding the rule, Pitcher A still gets the loss, even though Pitcher B was the one who gave up the run that gave the opposing team sufficient runs to maintain their victory. Is this correct?
That seems counter-intuitive to me. I would think that the losing pitcher ought to be the pitcher that gave up the run that was one greater than the number of runs you scored, not the pitcher that was pitching when they first took a lead. But that doesn't seem to be what the rule states.
I think I pretty well have the winning pitcher stuff down, but find the rule on losing pitcher to be a little vague. Rule 10.17(d) states "A losing pitcher is a pitcher who is responsible for the run that gives the winning team a lead that the winning team does not relinquish." The comment on the rule is "Whenever the score is tied, the game becomes a new contest insofar as the losing pitcher is concerned."
Does that mean that if a starting pitcher pitches a whale of a game, leaving with a 1-0 deficit, his reliever gives up several runs, and then his team comes back and scores several runs but never ties it up or takes the lead and loses by a run or more, he still gets the loss? I guess I have never paid that close of attention to the pitchers of record in MLB games.
Here is the situation that is prompting the question (Legion baseball, so Major League Rules but 7 inning game).
We are away. Pitcher A pitches five complete innings, leaving the mound with a 4-3 deficit. We fail to score a run in the top of the sixth (while he is still in the lineup as pitcher). Pitcher B enters the game in relief and gives up a run in the bottom of the sixth (now a 5-3 deficit). Top of the seventh, we rally to threaten a big inning, but only score one run before a double play ends the game (5-4). Pitcher A gave up 4 runs, which ties the number of runs we scored, but we never actually tied or regained the lead.
The way I am understanding the rule, Pitcher A still gets the loss, even though Pitcher B was the one who gave up the run that gave the opposing team sufficient runs to maintain their victory. Is this correct?
That seems counter-intuitive to me. I would think that the losing pitcher ought to be the pitcher that gave up the run that was one greater than the number of runs you scored, not the pitcher that was pitching when they first took a lead. But that doesn't seem to be what the rule states.