In the game of baseball, why must the starting pitcher finish five innings to get a win? A relief pitcher can toss a third of an inning and get the win! What is the rationale behind this rule?

dg_dave

MLB Rule 10.17 (found here - http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/official_rules/official_scorer_10.jsp) states what causes which pitcher to be the pitcher of record. If a pitcher leaves the game and their team is ahead, he shall be the pitcher of record. If the other team ties the game or takes the lead after the starter is relieved, then the reliever becomes the pitcher of record. Using the game on Friday, September 7 between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Texas Rangers, the winning pitcher was the pitcher that pitched the top half of the 11th inning, as the Rays won in the bottom half of that inning. Sep 08 12, 2:27 PM

drewh2os

I think my original reply is too long as is not being accepted in one post, so I will try two. I'm not sure of the rationale of that rule - that a starter has to go 5 innings - any more than any other rule such as, say, that 4 balls is a walk and 3 strikes is an out. However, there are some things stated in the rules that may hint at the logic. In rule 10.17, it does refer to a pitcher needing to be "effective" to qualify for a win. As a starter, pitching 5 innings is over half of a regulation 9 inning game and I would guess that's considered "effective" pitching, assuming you have the lead or are tied. Related to this thinking, a game is not considered "official" until the completion of 5 innings anyway (or 4 1/2 if the home team is leading). You can't assume any reliever is going to go a minimum of 5 innings, so relievers are exempt from the requirement. Losses, by definition, infer ineffectiveness. It does not matter how long you pitch to be credited with a loss as long as someone you allowed on base scores a go-ahead run and your team never ties or regains the lead. Sep 08 12, 11:09 PM

drewh2os

Furthermore, every game has to have a pitcher of record, so a reliever can get a win with only a third of an inning of work. Pitching at home, it would occur under the following conditions: (1) his team is at home (2) he enters the game with 2 outs in the top of the last inning and his team is tied or behind (3) he gets the third out of that inning and (4) his team then scores the game-ending go-ahead run in the bottom of that final inning. The final inning can be either the 9th inning, a final extra inning, or the final inning of a rain shortened game. Pitching on the road, it would occur as follows: (1) his team is the road team (2) he enters the game with 2 outs in the bottom of the next to last inning - say, the 8th - and his team is tied or behind (3) he gets the third out of that inning (4) his team then scores the go-ahead run in the top of the last inning and (5) he does not return to the game and one or more pitchers then record three outs in the bottom of the last inning without surrendering the lead. The link in the previous post refers to some of what I have addressed. The rest is just based on my 30+ years knowledge of the game. Clear as mud? LOL Sep 08 12, 11:09 PM