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Save (baseball)

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In baseball, a save (abbreviated SV or S) is credited to a pitcher who finishes a game for the winning team under certain circumstances. A save can be earned by entering a game in which his team is leading by three or fewer runs and finishing the game by pitching at least one inning without losing the lead; entering the game with the tying run in the on-deck circle, at the plate or on the bases and finishing the game; or by pitching at least three innings in relief and finishing the game regardless of how many runs your team was winning by when entering the game.[1] The number of saves or percentage of save opportunities successfully converted are oft-cited statistics of relief pitchers, particularly those in the closer role. The save statistic was created by journalist Jerome Holtzman in 1959 to "measure the effectiveness of relief pitchers" and was adopted as an official Major League Baseball (MLB) statistic in 1969.[2][3] The save has been retroactively tabulated for pitchers before that date. Mariano Rivera is MLB's all-time leader in regular-season saves with 652, while Francisco Rodríguez earned the most saves in a single season with 62 in 2008.

Mariano Rivera is the MLB all-time leader in saves.

History

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The term save was being used as far back as 1952.[4] Executives Jim Toomey of the St. Louis Cardinals and Irv Kaze of the Pittsburgh Pirates, and statistician Allan Roth of the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers awarded saves to pitchers who finished winning games but were not credited with the win, regardless of the margin of victory. The statistic went largely unnoticed.

The concept of a reliever “saving” a baseball game for a starting pitcher goes back even further. A 1933 Goudey baseball card of Firpo Marberry of the Detroit Tigers states he “Specializes in saving ball games when other pitchers are getting their bumps.”[5]

A formula with more criteria for saves was invented in 1960 by baseball writer Jerome Holtzman.[6] He felt that the existing statistics at the time, earned run average (ERA) and win–loss record (W-L), did not sufficiently measure a reliever's effectiveness. ERA does not account for inherited runners a reliever allows to score, and W-L record does not account for relievers protecting leads. Elroy Face of the Pittsburgh Pirates was 18–1 in 1959; however, Holtzman wrote that in 10 of the 18 wins, Face allowed the tying or lead run but got the win when the Pirates offense regained the lead.[7][note 1] Holtzman felt that Face was more effective the previous year when he was 5–2. When Holtzman presented the idea to J. G. Taylor Spink, publisher of The Sporting News, "[Spink] gave [Holtzman] a $100 bonus. Maybe it was $200." Holtzman recorded the unofficial save statistic in The Sporting News weekly for nine years before it became official in 1969. In conjunction with publishing the statistic, The Sporting News in 1960 also introduced the Fireman of the Year Award, which was awarded based on a combination of saves and wins.[7][10]

The save became an official MLB statistic in 1969.[7] It was MLB's first new major statistic since the run batted in was added in 1920.[7]

Notable saves

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Bill Singer was credited with the first official save, in 1969.

On April 7, 1969, Bill Singer was credited with the first official save when he pitched three shutout innings in relief of Don Drysdale in the Los Angeles Dodgers' 3–2 Opening Day victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Crosley Field.[11][12]

On April 27, 1969, Frank Linzy of the San Francisco Giants became the first pitcher to be credited with two saves in one day, registering saves in both games of a doubleheader against the Houston Astros.[13][14]

On April 29, 1970, Stan Williams of the Minnesota Twins became the first pitcher credited with a save without facing a batter.[15] In a home game against the Cleveland Indians with the Twins holding a 1–0 lead, Williams entered in relief of Jim Kaat in the top of the ninth inning with two outs and runners on first and second; he then picked off runner Tony Horton at second base, ending the game.[16]

On September 3, 2002, the Texas Rangers won 7–1 over the Baltimore Orioles as Joaquín Benoit pitched a seven-inning save, the longest save since it had become an official statistic in 1969.[17][note 2] Benoit relieved Todd Van Poppel (who entered the game in the first inning after starter Aaron Myette was ejected for throwing at Melvin Mora) at the start of the third inning, and finished the game while allowing just one hit. The official scorer credited the win to Van Poppel and not Benoit, a decision that was also supported by Texas manager Jerry Narron.[20]

On August 22, 2007, Wes Littleton earned a save with the largest winning margin ever, pitching the last three innings of a 30–3 Texas Rangers win over the Baltimore Orioles. Littleton entered the game with a 14–3 lead, and the final 27-run differential broke the previous record for a save by eight runs. The New York Times noted that "there are the preposterous saves, of which Littleton's now stands out as No. 1."[21]

On October 29, 2014, in Game 7 of the 2014 World Series, Madison Bumgarner of the San Francisco Giants recorded the longest save in World Series history, pitching five scoreless innings of relief in a 3–2 victory over the Kansas City Royals.[22]

Usage

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In baseball statistics, the term save is used to indicate the successful maintenance of a lead by a relief pitcher, usually the closer, until the end of the game. A save is a statistic credited to a relief pitcher, as set forth in Rule 9.19 of the Official Rules of Major League Baseball; the current definition has been in place since 1975.[citation needed] That rule states the official scorer shall credit a pitcher with a save when such pitcher meets all four of the following conditions:[23]

  1. He is the finishing pitcher in a game won by his team;
  2. He is not the winning pitcher;
  3. He is credited with at least ⅓ of an inning pitched; and
  4. He satisfies one of the following conditions:
    1. He enters the game with a lead of no more than three runs and pitches for at least one inning
    2. He enters the game with the potential tying run either on base, at bat or on deck
    3. He pitches for at least three innings.

The definition of a save has not always been the same. As initially defined in 1969, a relief pitcher could earn a save if he entered a game with his team in the lead and he held the lead through the end of the game, regardless of the score or for how long he pitched.[24] This produced some especially "easy" saves, such as Ron Taylor being credited with a save after pitching a scoreless ninth inning in a 20–6 New York Mets win over the Atlanta Braves in August 1971.[24][25] In 1974, tougher criteria were adopted for saves where either the tying run had to be on base or at the plate when the reliever entered to qualify for a save, or the reliever had to preserve a lead of any size for at least three innings in completing a game.[26][27] The rule was slightly relaxed in 1975 to the current definition as outlined above.[28][27] Statistical sites, including MLB.com, include saves in pitching records prior to 1969 by retroactively applying the 1969 criteria.[citation needed]

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The ratio of saves to save opportunities is save percentage.[29] A save opportunity (or "save situation") occurs when a reliever enters a game in a situation that permits him to earn a save. Note that a pitcher who enters a game in a save situation and does not finish the game, but departs with his team still leading, is not charged with a save opportunity.

If a relief pitcher satisfies all of the criteria for a save except he does not finish the game, he will often be credited with a hold (abbreviated H), which is a statistic that is not officially recognized by Major League Baseball.[30]

A blown save (abbreviated BS; alternately BSV or B)[note 3] occurs when a reliever in a save situation surrenders the lead (allows the tying run, or more, to score). Like the hold, the blown save statistic is not officially recognized by Major League Baseball.[30] The blown save was adopted as part of the points system used by the Rolaids Relief Man Award starting in 1988.[31][30] Note that if the tying run was scored by a runner who was already on base when the reliever entered the game, the reliever will be charged with a blown save even though the run is charged to the pitcher who allowed that runner to reach base. A reliever cannot blow multiple saves in a game unless he has multiple save opportunities, a situation only possible if the reliever temporarily switches to another defensive position, then returns to pitching.

Criticism

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Heath Bell is congratulated by San Diego Padres teammates after a save in 2009

As Francisco Rodríguez pursued the single-season saves record in 2008, Baseball Prospectus member Joe Sheehan, Sports Illustrated writer Tom Verducci, and The New York Sun writer Tim Marchman wrote that Rodríguez's save total was enhanced by the number of opportunities his team presented, allowing him to amass one particular statistic. They thought that Rodríguez on his record-breaking march was less effective than in prior years.[32][33][34] Sheehan offered that saves did not account for a pitcher's proficiency at preventing runs nor did it reflect leads that were not preserved.[32]

Bradford Doolittle of The Kansas City Star wrote, "[The closer] is the only example in sports of a statistic creating a job." He decried the best relievers pitching fewer innings starting in the 1980s with their workload being reduced from two- to one-inning outings while less efficient pitchers were pitching those innings instead.[35] ESPN.com columnist Jim Caple has argued that the save statistic has turned the closer position into "the most overrated position in sports".[36] Caple and others contend that using one's best reliever in situations such as a three-run lead in the ninth—when a team will almost certainly win even with a lesser pitcher—is foolish, and that using a closer in the traditional fireman role exemplified by pitchers such as Goose Gossage is far wiser. (A "fireman" situation is men on base in a tied or close game, hence a reliever ending such a threat is "putting out the fire.")[36][37]

Firemen frequently pitched two- or three-inning outings to earn saves. The modern closer, reduced to a one-inning role, is available to pitch more save opportunities. In the past, a reliever pitching three innings one game would be unavailable to pitch the next game.[38] Gossage had more saves of at least two innings than saves where he pitched one inning or less.[39] "The times I did a one-inning save, I felt guilty about it. It's like it was too easy", said Gossage.[40] ESPN.com wrote that saves have not been determined to be "a special, repeatable skill—rather than simply a function of opportunities".[41] It also noted that blown saves are "non-qualitative", pointing out that both Gossage and Rollie Fingers, who each had over 100 career blown saves, were both inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.[41] Fran Zimniuch in Fireman: The Evolution of the Closer in Baseball wrote, "But you have to be a great relief pitcher to blow that many saves. Clearly, [Gossage] saved many, many more than he did not save."[42] More than half of Gossage's and Fingers' blown saves came in tough save situations, where the tying run was on base when the pitcher entered. In nearly half of their blown tough saves, they entered the game in the sixth or seventh inning. Multiple-inning outings provide more chances for a reliever to blow a save. The pitchers need to get out of the initial situation and pitch additional innings with more chances to lose the lead. A study by the Baseball Hall of Fame[note 4] found modern closers were put into fewer tough save situations compared to past relievers.[note 5] The modern closer also earned significantly more "easy saves", defined as saves starting the ninth inning with more than a one-run lead.[note 6][27] The study offered "praise to the combatants who faced more danger for more innings."[27]

 
Goose Gossage, namesake of the proposed "goose egg"

Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight has suggested the "goose egg", a new statistic that he considers to be a better evaluation of relief performance than the save.[43] A reliever earns a goose egg for each scoreless inning pitched (no earned or unearned runs, no inherited runners score) in the seventh inning or later, where when he starts the inning: the score is tied, his team holds a lead of no more than two runs, or the tying run is on base or at the plate. Should the reliever be charged with an earned run in a goose egg situation, he will be credited with a "broken egg", the counterpart of the blown save, unless he finishes the game. The statistic is named for Goose Gossage, who is the all-time leader in goose eggs but recorded relatively few saves compared to modern closers.[43]

In the piece in which he introduced the "goose egg" concept, Silver added more criticisms of the save, noting, "It doesn't give a pitcher any additional reward for pitching multiple innings — even though two clutch innings pitched in relief are roughly twice as valuable as one. And a pitcher doesn't get a save for pitching in a tie game, even though it's one of the highest-leverage situations." He also considered saves and blown saves "highly punitive to guys who aren't closers." As an example, Silver noted that in the 2016 season, Chicago White Sox middle reliever Nate Jones, who by Silver's calculations converted 83% of his goose opportunities, led the American League in blown saves with nine, while only recording three saves. Silver added, "The problem is that you can only get a save if you finish the game, whereas blown saves aren't restricted to the final inning."[43]

Leaders in Major League Baseball

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Saves

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The statistic was formally introduced in 1969,[7] although research has identified saves earned prior to that point.[44]

Key
Player Name of the player
Saves Career saves
Years The years this player played in the major leagues
† Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame
* Denotes pitcher who is still active
L Denotes pitcher who is left-handed

Most saves in a career

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See also: 300 save club

The 10 Major League Baseball players with the most saves in a career are:

Regular season
Player Saves Years
Mariano Rivera† 652 1995–2013
Trevor Hoffman† 601 1993–2010
Lee Smith† 478 1980–1997
Kenley Jansen* 443 2010–present
Craig Kimbrel* 440 2010–present
Francisco Rodríguez 437 2002–2017
John FrancoL 424 1984–2005
Billy WagnerL 422 1995–2010
Dennis Eckersley† 390 1975–1998
Joe Nathan 377 1999–2016
Stats updated through August 19, 2024[45]

Progression of career saves leaders

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The following 14 pitchers have led the major leagues in total saves for a career, since the formation of the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players (NA) in 1871.[46] This table is based on career totals at the end of each baseball season, including retroactive application of the saves definition prior to 1969, when it was first recognized as an official statistic by MLB.

Player Start End
Season Career saves Season Career saves
Harry Wright† 1871 3 1893 14
Tony Mullane 1894 15 1903 15
Kid Nichols† 1899 15 1906 16
Joe McGinnity† 1907 19 1909 24
Mordecai Brown† 1910 26 1925 49
Firpo Marberry 1926 53 1945 99
Johnny Murphy 1946 104 1961 107
Roy Face 1962 118 1963 134
Hoyt Wilhelm† 1964 146 1979 228
Rollie Fingers† 1980 244 1991 341
Jeff Reardon 1992 357 1992 357
Lee Smith† 1993 401 2005 478
Trevor Hoffman† 2006 482 2010 601
Mariano Rivera† 2011 603 incumbent 652

Notes:

  • Mullane and Nichols shared the record from 1899 through 1903.
  • Mullane pitched both right-handed and left-handed.

Most in a single season

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Below are the Major League Baseball players who have recorded 50 or more saves in a single season.

Regular season
Player Saves Team Year
Francisco Rodríguez 62 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 2008
Bobby Thigpen 57 Chicago White Sox 1990
Edwin Díaz* Seattle Mariners 2018
John Smoltz† 55 Atlanta Braves 2002
Éric Gagné Los Angeles Dodgers 2003
Randy MyersL 53 Chicago Cubs 1993
Trevor Hoffman† San Diego Padres 1998
Mariano Rivera† New York Yankees 2004
Éric Gagné 52 Los Angeles Dodgers 2002
Dennis Eckersley† 51 Oakland Athletics 1992
Rod Beck Chicago Cubs 1998
Jim Johnson Baltimore Orioles 2012
Mark Melancon Pittsburgh Pirates 2015
Jeurys Familia* New York Mets 2016
Jim Johnson 50 Baltimore Orioles 2013
Craig Kimbrel* Atlanta Braves 2013
Mariano Rivera† New York Yankees 2001
Stats updated through the 2023 season[47]
See also: List of Major League Baseball annual saves leaders

Most consecutive without a blown save

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Regular season
Player Saves Team(s) Years Ref
Éric Gagné 84 Los Angeles Dodgers 2002–2004 [48][49]
Zack BrittonL* 60 Baltimore Orioles 2015–2017 [50]
Tom Gordon 54 Boston Red Sox 1998–1999 [49]
Jeurys Familia* 52 New York Mets 2015–2016 [51]
José Valverde 51 Detroit Tigers 2010–2011 [52]
John Axford 49 Milwaukee Brewers 2011–2012 [53]
Brad Lidge 47 Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies 2007–2009 [49]
Grant Balfour 44 Oakland Athletics 2012–2013 [54]
Brad Ziegler 43 Arizona Diamondbacks 2015–2016 [55]
Rod Beck 41 San Francisco Giants 1993–1995 [49]
Trevor Hoffman† San Diego Padres 1997–1998 [49]
Heath Bell San Diego Padres 2010–2011 [49]

Stats updated through 2019 season[citation needed]

Blown saves

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Career

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The below table lists MLB pitchers who have accrued 80 or more blown saves during their careers.

Regular season
Player Blown
saves 		Saves Save % Years
Goose Gossage† 112 310 73.5 1972–1994
Rollie Fingers† 109 341 75.8 1968–1985
Jeff Reardon 106 367 77.6 1979–1994
Lee Smith† 103 478 82.3 1980–1997
John FrancoL 101 424 80.8 1984–2005
Bruce Sutter† 300 74.8 1976–1988
Sparky LyleL 95 238 71.5 1967–1982
Roberto Hernández 94 326 77.6 1991–2007
Gene Garber 82 218 72.7 1969–1988
Kent Tekulve 81 184 69.4 1974–1989
Gary LavelleL 136 62.7 1974–1987
Mariano Rivera† 80 652 89.1 1995–2013
Mike Timlin 141 63.8 1991–2008

Stats updated through 2020 season[56][57]

Single season

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The below table lists MLB pitchers who have accrued 13 or more blown saves during a single season.

Regular season
Player Blown
saves 		Saves Save % Team Year Ref.
Ron Davis 14 29 67.4 Minnesota Twins 1984 [58]
Rollie Fingers† 20 58.8 Oakland Athletics 1976 [59]
Gerry Staley 9 39.1 Chicago White Sox 1960 [60]
Bob Stanley 33 70.2 Boston Red Sox 1983 [61]
Bruce Sutter† 27 65.9 Chicago Cubs 1978 [62]
Goose Gossage† 13 22 62.9 New York Yankees 1983 [63]
John HillerL 13 50.0 Detroit Tigers 1976 [64]
Clay Holmes 29 69.0 New York Yankees 2024 [65]
Dan PlesacL 23 63.9 Milwaukee Brewers 1987 [66]
Jeff Reardon 35 72.9 Montreal Expos 1986 [67]
Dave RighettiL 31 70.5 New York Yankees 1987 [68]

Stats updated through 2020 season[69][70]

Notes

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  1. ^ Baseball-Reference.com differs slightly and recorded it occurring in only seven of the 18 wins. Face blew leads in his wins four times (April 24, May 14, June 11, and July 12), allowed lead runs in tie games he won three times (April 22, Aug 30, and Sept 19), and allowed an additional run while already behind in a win once (Aug 9).[8] Associated Press also reported Face allowing a tying run to score in his July 9 win over the Chicago Cubs.[9]
  2. ^ Benoit bested the previous record of six innings by Horacio Piña of the Rangers in 1972.[18] Baseball-Reference.com retroactively credited eight-inning saves to pitchers prior to 1969 including Jim Shaw (1920), Guy Morton (1920), and Dick Hall (1961).[19]
  3. ^ An abbreviation of BL may be used to indicate that a reliever was charged with both a blown save and the loss.
  4. ^ The March 2006 study analyzed the career saves of Rollie Fingers, Goose Gossage, Bruce Sutter, Lee Smith, Dennis Eckersley, Trevor Hoffman, and Mariano Rivera. Hoffman and Rivera were still active, and had 436 and 379 career saves, respectively, at that time.
  5. ^ Tough save opportunities (tough saves + tough blown saves): Fingers (161). Gossage (138), Hoffman (49), Rivera (46).
  6. ^ Easy saves: Hoffman (261), Rivera (235), Fingers (114), Gossage (113).

References

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  5. ^ "#104 - Fred Marberry". tcdb.com. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
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  28. ^ "Baseball changes rules". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Lewiston, Idaho. AP. January 31, 1975. p. 3B – via Google News.
  29. ^ Dickson, Paul (2011). The Dickson Baseball Dictionary. W. W. Norton & Company. pp. 120, 741. ISBN 978-0-393-34008-2.
  30. ^ a b c Tourtellotte, Shane (December 28, 2017). "The Unofficial Rules: Of Holds and Blown Saves". fangraphs.com. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
  31. ^ "Thrown for a Loss". Sun-Sentinel. Fort Lauderdale, Florida. AP. May 21, 1988. p. 48. Retrieved June 6, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
  32. ^ a b Sheehan, Joe (September 11, 2008), "Prospectus Today: Closing In", BaseballProspectus.com, archived from the original on February 13, 2010
  33. ^ Verducci, Tom (July 22, 2008). "What would my idol say about K-Rod's chase of the saves record?". SI.com. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
  34. ^ Marchman, Tim (July 22, 2008). "K-Rod May Be Baseball's First 60-Save Man". The New York Sun. Retrieved October 5, 2011. Half of the Angels' games so far this year have offered a save opportunity, much higher than the typical team's rate, because they play a lot of close games, having only outscored their opponents 429-396.
  35. ^ Doolittle, Bradford (July 28, 2008). "Wishing that baseball's save statistic had never been invented". The Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on July 29, 2008. Retrieved February 28, 2011. Prior to the save, there was no such thing as a closer in baseball. It is the only example in sports of a statistic creating a job — a well-paying job. But that's not my issue with the save.
  36. ^ a b Caple, Jim (August 5, 2008). "The most overrated position in sports". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
  37. ^ Passan, Jeff (April 26, 2010). "Should managers play Scrabble with relievers?". Yahoo! Sports. Archived from the original on January 19, 2012.
  38. ^ Zimniuch 2010, pp.xxvi,158–9
  39. ^ Schecter, Gabriel (January 18, 2006). "The Evolution of the Closer". National Baseball Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on June 8, 2007. Gossage and Fingers weren't far behind, with Fingers the only pitcher who pitched at least three innings in more than 10% of his saves. Sutter and Gossage had more saves where they logged at least two innings than saves where they pitched an inning or less.
  40. ^ Zimniuch 2010, p.99
  41. ^ a b Philip, Tom (April 30, 2011). "Blown saves are overblown". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on August 8, 2011.
  42. ^ Zimniuch 2010, p.98
  43. ^ a b c Silver, Nate (April 17, 2017). "The Save Ruined Relief Pitching. The Goose Egg Can Fix It". FiveThirtyEight.
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  50. ^ Zucker, Joseph (July 23, 2017). "Zach Britton Sets AL Record After Converting 55th-Straight Save Opportunity". Bleacher Report.
  51. ^ "Mets' Jeurys Familia: Cruises to 24th save". RotoWite Staff. June 22, 2016.
  52. ^ "Tigers edge Red Sox after José Valverde blows save". ESPN.com. Associated Press. April 5, 2012. Archived from the original on April 7, 2012.
  53. ^ "Corey Hart, Brewers edge Cubs in 13 innings". ESPN.com. Associated Press. May 12, 2012. Archived from the original on May 15, 2012.
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  70. ^ "Player Pitching Season & Career Finder: For Single Seasons, In the Regular Season, from 1954 to 2021, requiring BSv >= 13, sorted by greatest SV%". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
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