How Can You Save a 27 Run Lead?
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Wes Littleton received his first save of the season on Wednesday evening as he pitched three grueling innings against the Orioles. I assumed he must had faced some late inning rally or had to secure a small lead to save this game. I was wrong.
In the future, this save will look like any other in the record books. It will look the same as New York Yankee Mariano Rivera saving a one-run game with the tying run on third and the winning run on second base. It will look the same as Mariner J.J. Putz holding onto a one-run lead with a man on first base and Angels Vladimir Guerrero up at the plate.
The only difference is Wes Littleton saved the Rangers game against the Orioles and the final score was 30-3. Clearly, it’s time to change the rule book.
As I looked at the box score and was amazed to see a save opportunity in this game, I asked myself several questions:
- When was the last time I noticed a Texas /Baltimore box score?
- Do the teams play a different type of baseball when they play each other?
- Does the field have 27 bases? Was Littleton stressed about giving up a 28-run homer?
I don’t have any specifics suggestions for how to change the rule book. I’m unfortunately not a stat guru like many of my colleagues, friends, and readers. I’ll leave that to the experts.
However, I do suggest egregious stats be referred immediately to the official scorer to make a decision. Yes, the same official scorer that decides if a play is a hit or an error. The same scorer that clearly gives the home team the advantage by rarely giving errors to a home player that has a no-errors streak. The official scorer could have clearly deciphered this game wasn’t a save and scratched it from the books.
For a sport which treasures its records, baseball needs to clean up some of its errors. Just this season, we’ve witnessed the home run record broken by a man who is more than happy to have his friend sit in jail for him and a 27-run save.
If a fan could come out of the stands to save the game, there’s definitely something wrong with the stat.
Chris Fry
sportprojections@gmail.com
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