Getting the save without throwing a pitch?

[gator5]

This happened a few years ago. We had a huge lead. Our pitcher gets tired. We kept her in. Other teams mounts a huge comeback. Time is expiring - like basically no time left at all. We are up by a run or two with two outs. Runners on base. We make a pitching change. Our new pitcher does her warm ups and gets on the rubber to pitch. Runner on second runs off early, on purpose, to end the inning before time expires. Umpire calls her out, and also says time has expired. Game over.

I say the new pitcher gets a save even though she never threw a pitch (it was a one or two run game with runners on.) Our scorekeeper said no save. Granted our books were "based on a true story" and never reflected anything close to reality, but were they right this time?

 

[mkrupiper]

Interesting question. In MLB, you'd have to record one out. It defeats the intent of having the statistic of a save. It is supposed to be a measure of effectiveness in being able to seal the win. Is a save a stat that is measured in fastpitch?

 

[Nimrod]

Interesting question. In MLB, you'd have to record one out. It defeats the intent of having the statistic of a save. It is supposed to be a measure of effectiveness in being able to seal the win. Is a save a stat that is measured in fastpitch?

In MLB, you can pick off a batter to end the game and get a save. It's probably happened. I know it's happened that MLB pitchers have gotten a win without throwing a pitch. Instead, they got outs by picking off runners. In the OP situation, the player left early. That's an out and therefore a save, IMO. I agree,, it's a cheap save.

I'm not sure why in the OP that a runner would purposely make the final out of the game in a losing effort. Did she misjudge the clock?

 

[uncdrew]

I'm in the save camp (without knowing the official rules on the matter).

 

[uncdrew]

Interesting question. In MLB, you'd have to record one out. It defeats the intent of having the statistic of a save. It is supposed to be a measure of effectiveness in being able to seal the win. Is a save a stat that is measured in fastpitch?

Right. She did record one out, right? I mean the out happened while she was the pitcher.

Saves are a stat in Game Changer for softball. Not that that necessarily means it's a stat in fastpitch, but it's certainly something I score and award to a pitcher.

 

[radness]

Hmmm... its s Save!

The post topic made me think of this

Should a PINCH HITTER who hits
a walk-off get the save?

 

[radness]

This happened a few years ago. We had a huge lead. Our pitcher gets tired. We kept her in. Other teams mounts a huge comeback. Time is expiring - like basically no time left at all. We are up by a run or two with two outs. Runners on base. We make a pitching change. Our new pitcher does her warm ups and gets on the rubber to pitch. Runner on second runs off early, on purpose, to end the inning before time expires. Umpire calls her out, and also says time has expired. Game over.

I say the new pitcher gets a save even though she never threw a pitch (it was a one or two run game with runners on.) Our scorekeeper said no save. Granted our books were "based on a true story" and never reflected anything close to reality, but were they right this time?

Can't help but notice the story has in it
'and time expired'... without a time clock on the game could have resulted differently for the pitcher.

 

[mkrupiper]

Right. She did record one out, right? I mean the out happened while she was the pitcher.

Saves are a stat in Game Changer for softball. Not that that necessarily means it's a stat in fastpitch, but it's certainly something I score and award to a pitcher.

Yes. If we were to record saves, I think you'd have to in this scenario. After the question was brought up, I just don't recall any emphasis on this stat so far with my girls. In MLB, there is too much emphasis on it. If there is a save situation, managers make sure they get their single designated closer an opportunity to pad stats.

 

[CoachJD]

Saves exist in softball, but pitching staffs/bullpens aren't constructed in the same way. Seven-inning games are probably part of that.

In the OP's post, I don't see why it wouldn't result in a save. She was officially entered as a pitcher when the final out was recorded (and she even gets credit for the put out!).

 

[uncdrew]

Yes. If we were to record saves, I think you'd have to in this scenario. After the question was brought up, I just don't recall any emphasis on this stat so far with my girls. In MLB, there is too much emphasis on it. If there is a save situation, managers make sure they get their single designated closer an opportunity to pad stats.

Thanks to many years of playing fantasy baseball, I know when a save is awarded and when it's not. But trying to explain that to others is challenging...

"Well, if the number of outs she needed for the team to win exceeds the amount of baserunners and batters that could come to the plate if each of them got out... uhh, nevermind."