I need help understanding this box score

[Matt Williams]

Yankee-Tampa Game 2

OK, I have never heard of anything like this before. In the 2nd game tonight, Matt DeSalvo pitched 4 2/3 innings. He left w/ the score 7-4 Yankees. He doesn't get the win because he didn't pitch 5 full innings. I get that. So w/ 2 outs in the top of the 5th, Bruney comes in and gets the last out. He also gets the 1st 2 outs of the 6th inning. He's relieved by Mike Myers who gets the last out of the 6th. In the 7th, Vizcaino comes in and pitches 1 1/3 inning.

When the score was 17-5 later in the game, Michael Kay says on air that he talked to the crew chief and was told that Bruney would not be getting the win, but Vizcaino would. The box score credits Bruney as the winning pitcher, but Vizcaino got the actual record to make his W-L record 8-2.

Why would this happen? The Yankees had the lead the entire game. I know why DeSalvo didn't get the win, he didn't pitch 5 full innings. But why wasn't Bruney given the win since he finished the 5th inning w/ the lead?

[pudley4]

When the starter doesn't go long enough to qualify for the win, but his team keeps the lead the rest of the game, doesn't the official scorer get to make a judgement call and basically decide on his own which pitcher to give credit to for the win?

Here's the rule from MLB:

If the pitcher whose team assumes a lead while such pitcher is in the game, or during the inning on offense in which such pitcher is removed from the game, and does not relinquish such lead, is a starting pitcher who has not completed
(1) five innings of a game that lasts six or more innings on defense, or
(2) four innings of a game that lasts five innings on defense, then the official scorer shall credit as the winning pitcher the relief pitcher, if there is only one relief pitcher, or the relief pitcher who, in the official scorer’s judgment was the most effective, if there is more than one relief pitcher

[vhawk01]

The way it works is that, if the starter doesn't go 5, he cannot get the win, and it is then up to the official scorer to decide who does. There aren't any guidelines, he can give it to whoever he wants. They usually give it to whichever reliver pitched the most, or whichever reliever pitched right after the starter, although it often depends on score and game situation. In this spot, I'd have guessed Burney and Vizcaino were a out 50/50 to get the win, and it went to Vizcaino.

[irunnotgood]

In the situation you described the win goes to the pitcher who is deemed to be "most effective" by the official scorer.

EDIT it seems I was a little slow on the trigger.

[Matt Williams]

Oh OK. I always assumed it was the guy who got the last out of the 5th inning.

OK, wait. Looking at the box score, Vizcaino came in when the score was 12-5. The game was already decided by then basically. If Bruney didn't get the W, Myers should have.

[pudley4]

Vizcaino came in in the 6th, when the score was still only 7-5, 2 outs, runner on 2nd. He got the out, then got Tampa to go 1-2-3 in the 7th. Bruney gave up a run on 2 hits in only 2/3 of an inning. Myers only pitched to one batter, and got him out. Looking at this, Vizcaino clearly was the most effective of the three.

[Matt Williams]

[ QUOTE ]
Vizcaino came in in the 6th, when the score was still only 7-5, 2 outs, runner on 2nd. He got the out, then got Tampa to go 1-2-3 in the 7th. Bruney gave up a run on 2 hits in only 2/3 of an inning. Myers only pitched to one batter, and got him out. Looking at this, Vizcaino clearly was the most effective of the three.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yikes, you are right. OK, I'm an idiot.

[Kos13]

As if we needed even more proof that wins are a stupid stat...

[MikeyPatriot]

This is probably stupid, but when the starter gets knocked out before the 5th, is it possible to get a win AND a save?

[mo42nyy]

Wins are a terrible stat and if they want it to have any significance MLB should employ their own official scorers who have more leway in deciding who gets wins and losses.