wins/losses (for pitchers)= most overated stat in sports

[GiantsFanatic]

pitchers shouldn't get credited for wins and losses, the team should(which they already do) and keep it at that because pitcher is not the only guy playing baseball there are 8 other guys behind him

where is the "team concept" if your going to reward an individual with a win or loss

this goes for the same for a goalie in hockey

i dont see the QB in football get credited a W or L

i dont see a point gaurd in basketball get credited for a W or L

[ATLien]

lol @ BA being irrevelant

[HollywoodLeo]

BA isn't irrelevant, but OPS is more telling.

[HollywoodLeo]

In yesterday's Padres game Scott Linebrink blows the game and Scott Cassidy gets tagged with the loss simply because he happend to be the one pitching before Arizona finally won.

Linebrink should've got the loss, but the W/L stat is screwed up.

[HollywoodLeo]

Today Jason Schmidt pitches 8 1/3 innings giving up only 1 run (I don't care if the run that Benitez allowed in gets charged to him) and will either come out with a loss or a no decision.

[Providence A's]

thems the breaks!

oh, and it's Alou's fault for leaving him in there way too long...he had over 130 pitches!

[love_that_reefer]

Schmidt has gone five straight starts without allowing more than two runs.

[HollywoodLeo]

That's because he hasn't faced the Padres in awhile

[HollywoodLeo]

and today Felix Hernandez picks up a win despite giving up 7 ERs in 6 ip, 3 walks to 4 strikeouts.

[love_that_reefer]

Guys the whole point of the starting pitcher is to keep the team in the game. If your team scores six runs and you give up five you are still keeping the team in the game. You guys are reading way too much in this BS.

[HollywoodLeo]

I fail to comprehend how a pitcher is "keeping the team in the game" giving up 5 runs just because his offense scores 6, but not "keeping the team in the game" giving up those same 5 runs when his offense only scores 4.

What exactly is the pitcher doing different in the first scenario that he's not doing in the 2nd one?

[love_that_reefer]

They are still in the game even if he gives up five and his team only scores four. Its not hard to comprehend.

[HollywoodLeo]

ok, let me change the scenarios then.

Pitcher A gives up 7 runs and his offense scores zero

Pitcher B gives up 7 runs and his offense scores six

Pitcher C gives up 7 runs and his offense scores 10

Let's say for argument's sake, all 7 runs are given up in the exact same fashion, same pitch count, same amount of strike outs, same number of HRs, same hitters hitting them off the SP, etc etc etc.

So, tell me this, what exactly are pitchers B and C doing different from pitcher A to "keep their teams in the game"?

I'll answer it for you, not a damn thing. All three pitchers are having a piss poor outing. It's just lucky for Pitcher B and especially for Pitcher C that the opposing starter is having just as bad an outing or worse, respectively.

[love_that_reefer]

But if the offense is bailing you out and you keep your team in the game, what's the ****ing problem? Pitchers are going to have bad games and sometimes both pitchers are going to suck. There has to be a winner! Pitchers B and C kept their teams in the game unlike pitcher A. That's the difference. Sure their stats are going to look like shit but if they keep them in the game why can't they get the win? People read too much into wins and you are reading way too much into this crap. Stats tell half the story!

[HollywoodLeo]

Pitchers B and C kept their teams in the game unlike pitcher A.

again...how? By putting a voodoo hex on the opposing pitcher? By bowing to JoBu to help his offense? They're pitching the same exact game, that's my point.

And yes, it's good for the team if the team keeps themselves in it by answering back in an offensivly-dominated game, but that doesn't change the fact that that pitcher had a piss poor game that day.