Giving a pitcher credit for a win?

Question

I saw a triple-A ballgame last month. The home starter pitched 6-2/3 innings and was pulled with runners on second and third and a 3-0 lead. The reliever hit 2 batters in succession, then gave up a 2-run single. An error allowed a 4th run to score. Finally he got an out to end the inning.

In the bottom of the inning, the home team scored 3 runs; the next pitcher threw two shutout innings, and the home team won 6-4. The pitcher who got 1 out while blowing the lead got the win.

I recalled that the rules say that awarding the win to the “pitcher of record” was only a guideline which could be overruled if the pitcher of record was ineffective and a subsequent pitcher was effective. I looked it up – it’s there in rule 10.17(c), and it matches this situation exactly.

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/official_rules/official_scorer_10.jsp

So– have you ever heard of an official scorer actually following this rule and not awarding a win to an ineffective pitcher of record?

Answer 1

No I have never seen a scorekeeper do that. You are correctin the interpretation though.



To bad you were not the official scorekeeper that night.

Answer 2

c) The official scorer shall not credit as the winning pitcher a relief pitcher who is ineffective in a brief appearance, when at least one succeeding relief pitcher pitches effectively in helping his team maintain its lead. In such a case, the official scorer shall credit as the winning pitcher the succeeding relief pitcher who was most effective, in the judgment of the official scorer.

Rule 10.17(c) Comment: The official scorer generally should, but is not required to, consider the appearance of a relief pitcher to be ineffective and brief if such relief pitcher pitches less than one inning and allows two or more earned runs to score (even if such runs are charged to a previous pitcher). Rule 10.17(b) Comment provides guidance on choosing the winning pitcher from among several succeeding relief pitchers.

Answer 3

Nope, never heard of it.

Answer 4

why do you really care who gets the win?