what is the rule to determine the winning pitcher in a baseball game?

Question

Thank you all for the answers. "For starters, he has to pitch at least 5 innings. He must leave with the lead, and the lead must not be lost after he departs."

Can we take the followng as an example: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap;_ylt=Ao4EMHdGmOPbXwkjquvq_F8RvLYF?gid=260911101 (fresh print)

"Randy Johnson (17-10) won his third straight start for the Yankees, allowing five runs and nine hits in six innings. When he walked off the mound for the last time, New York trailed 5-2. ". At the time he was released, NY was trailing. This seems to disagree with most answers here. I have seen many other cases like this: "W" doesn't mean that a winning pitcher has to be in the leading position when he/she leaves. I must be wrong..

Answer 1

For starters, he has to pitch at least 5 innings. He must leave with the lead, and the lead must not be lost after he departs. If the lead is lost (even if it is regained later) he still doesn't get the "W".

If the starter doesn't get the "W", then the victory is assigned to the last pitcher to record an out before the winning team took the lead (and did not subsequently give up the lead).

Answer 2

"Randy Johnson (17-10) won his third straight start for the Yankees, allowing five runs and nine hits in six innings. When he walked off the mound for the last time, New York trailed 5-2. ". At the time he was released, NY was trailing. This seems to disagree with most answers here. I have seen many other cases like this: "W" doesn't mean that a winning pitcher has to be in the leading position when he/she leaves. I must be wrong.."

In this case, he must have 'walked off the mound' having retired the side; the Yankees then scored 4 or more in the following half-inning, and a reliever started the next inning for the Yanks. He walked off the mound trailing 5-2, but was still the "pitcher of record" when his team took the lead for good.

Answer 3

Starters have to pitch at least five innings and be in the lead when they leave the game.

Relievers win if their team scores the winning run while they're pitching.

If any opposing runners are on base when a pitcher leaves the game, they're his responsibility. If they score, they're charged to the pitcher who was on the mound when they got on base.

For example: A pitcher is ahead by two runs and leaves after he walks the bases loaded. The reliever gives up a grand slam to the next batter. The first three runs are charged to the first pitcher, the fourth to the reliever. If the reliever stays in the game and his team ultimately wins, he'll get credited with the win; the first pitcher will get a no-decision.

That is correct, except it isn't ALWAYS a minimum of 5 innings....in a rain delay w/ only 3-4 innings played a pitcher could get a win if his team was leading.

Answer 4

Johnson got the win, in this case, because the Yanks took the lead prior to his first relief pitcher coming in. Had he been removed with, let's say, two out in the bottom of the 6th inning (before the Yankees explosion in the top of the 7th) then the pitcher that relieved him probably would have gotten the win. But he was still the pitcher of record at the time the Yanks scored all those runs in the 7th, as he was not actually relieved on the mound until the following inning (bottom of the 7th).

Answer 5

Starters have to pitch at least five innings and be in the lead when they leave the game.

Relievers win if their team scores the winning run while they're pitching.

If any opposing runners are on base when a pitcher leaves the game, they're his responsibility. If they score, they're charged to the pitcher who was on the mound when they got on base.

For example: A pitcher is ahead by two runs and leaves after he walks the bases loaded. The reliever gives up a grand slam to the next batter. The first three runs are charged to the first pitcher, the fourth to the reliever. If the reliever stays in the game and his team ultimately wins, he'll get credited with the win; the first pitcher will get a no-decision.

Answer 6

See Rule 10.19: Winning & Losing Pitcher (stated above); it depends on the scenario, and I can't really explain it and be any more brief than the actual rule, without ommitting things which would leave you with more questions than real answers. Also, it is a slightly different situation if you're talking about an All-Star game, because in any other type of game (pre-season, regular-season or post-season), no matter what else is involved, a starting pitcher MUST pitch at least 5 innings to have any chance at a win (unless the game lasts only 5 innings due to rainout, et c.; in that situation it's 4 innings). However, in an All-Star game (mainly because of the number of players involved, and the fact that the managers will try to allow as many people to participate as possible), the starting pitcher needs only complete 2 to 3 full innings (but usually 2).


Rule 10.19: WINNING AND LOSING PITCHER
(a) Credit the starting pitcher with a game won only if he has pitched at least five complete innings and his team not only is in the lead when he is replaced but remains in the lead the remainder of the game.
(b)The “must pitch five complete innings” rule in respect to the starting pitcher shall be in effect for all games of six or more innings. In a five-inning game, credit the starting pitcher with a game won if he has pitched at least four complete innings and his team not only is in the lead when he is replaced but remains in the lead the remainder of the game.
(c)When the starting pitcher cannot be credited with the victory because of the provisions of 10.19(a) or (b) and more than one relief pitcher is used, the victory shall be awarded on the following basis:
(1) When, during the tenure of the starting pitcher, the winning team assumes the lead and maintains it to the finish of the game, credit the victory to the relief pitcher judged by the scorer to have been the most effective;
(2) Whenever the score is tied the game becomes a new contest insofar as the winning and losing pitcher is concerned;
(3) Once the opposing team assumes the lead all pitchers who have pitched up to that point are excluded from being credited with the victory except that if the pitcher against whose pitching the opposing team gained the lead continues to pitch until his team regains the lead, which it holds to the finish of the game, that pitcher shall be the winning pitcher;
(4) The winning relief pitcher shall be the one who is the pitcher of record when his team assumes the lead and maintains it to the finish of the game. EXCEPTION: Do not credit a victory to a relief pitcher who is ineffective in a brief appearance, when a succeeding relief pitcher pitches effectively in helping his team maintain the lead. In such cases, credit the succeeding relief pitcher with the victory.
(d) When a pitcher is removed for a substitute batter or substitute runner, all runs scored by his team during the inning in which he is removed shall be credited to his benefit in determining the pitcher of record when his team assumes the lead.
(e) Regardless of how many innings the first pitcher has pitched, he shall be charged with the loss of the game if he is replaced when his team is behind in the score, or falls behind because of runs charged to him after he is replaced, and his team thereafter fails either to tie the score or gain the lead.
(f) No pitcher shall be credited with pitching a shutout unless he pitches the complete game, or unless he enters the game with none out before the opposing team has scored in the first inning, puts out the side without a run scoring and pitches all the rest of the game. When two or more pitchers combine to pitch a shutout a notation to that effect should be included in the league’s official pitching records.
(g) In some non-championship games (such as the Major League All- Star Game) it is provided in advance that each pitcher shall work a stated number of innings, usually two or three. In such games, it is customary to credit the victory to the pitcher of record, whether starter or reliever, when the winning team takes a lead which it maintains to the end of the game, unless such pitcher is knocked out after the winning team has a commanding lead, and the scorer believes a subsequent pitcher is entitled to credit for the victory.

I know this is alot of info, but I hope it goes a long way toward answering your question and doesn't confuse you more. : )

Answer 7

Basically, it's the pitcher who was pitching in the half-inning prior to his team taking the lead that they keep for the rest of the game. If it's a starter who doesn't make it through 5 innings, then the official scorer has discretion to award the W to whichever reliever he feels is most deserving of it.

In the game you reference - while NYY was behind when Johnson finished pitching after the bottom of the 6th inning, they scored 6 runs in the top of the 7th to take the lead before another pitcher was brought in for NYY. Thus, Johnson was the pitcher of record.

Answer 8

I'm going to take a gamble and try to answer in an intelligent manner. Could it be, that Randy Johnson was the only pitcher eligible (meaning enough innings pitched) to take credit for the win?

Wow, this is a good question because I thought you had to leave with the lead after five complete. I'm as interested in finding out as you are.

Great question,

Seeker42

Answer 9

The pitcher must exit the game with a lead and if a pitcher leaves runners on base and they score later off of another pitcher the runners left on base that scored count as the previous pitchers earned run average. And it can decide if that pitcher gets a win.

Answer 10

Must complete at least 5 full innings and his team must hold the lead when he leaves the game and not give it up for the remainder of the game.