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Someone help me out here. I'm sure I just don't know all the convoluted rules of saves, but Todd Jones came into the ninth inning of the Detoit game with one out and a three run lead. He closed out the game but was not credited with a save. Can someone tell me why or is this a mistake that will be corrected?

Originally posted by bjoak:

Someone help me out here. I'm sure I just don't know all the convoluted rules of saves, but Todd Jones came into the ninth inning of the Detoit game with one out and a three run lead. He closed out the game but was not credited with a save. Can someone tell me why or is this a mistake that will be corrected? That's not a save. The tying run was not on deck when he came in and he didn't pitch a full inning.

bjoak--





A SAVE can be achieved in three specific ways:





-- 1) Enter with a lead of 3 runs or less, and record at least 3 outs to finish the game without giving up the lead.





-- 2) Enter with the tying run either in the on-deck circle, or closer to potentially scoring a run, and finish the game without giving up the lead.





-- 3) Enter with any lead, pitch 3 or more innings and finish the game without giving up the lead.





Jones would have gotten you a Save if there had been at least one runner on base when he entered the game, or if he had come in before the first out and recorded all three outs in the inning.



Managers often wait for that runner to get on base, in order to create a Save situation for their Closer, but many times the smarter move is to get their best reliever in the game even if he won't be able to add to his most significant stat. In this case, Leyland could have waited one more batter and possibly hooked you up, but instead he called on Jones for the "unofficial" save because he felt the game needed saving.



Sucks when it plays out that way.