I thought for sure I would not be writing an article about killing the win until at least a month into the season. I thought it would take a little while before enough pitchers took garbage losses or enough relievers blew saves only to have their team win the bottom part of the inning and earn that all telling “win”. However, I was wrong, just a mere seven days in the season and I’m already screaming from the rooftops, “KILL THE WIN”!
I have well documented my dislike of the win – loss records in baseball, In my opinion it is the worst stat in sports. A stat invented in the 1800;s should not be the first stat listed after a players name, yet flip on the TV tonight and watch any baseball game. The first stat every person will mention when talking about a pitcher will be the win loss record. Watch the scrolling news bar on the bottom of ESPN tonight, it will give match ups followed by that famous meaningless stat. For Example, Cliff Lee (2-0) vs James Shields (0-1).
The first week of the regular season has provided me with even more fuel for my fire. In fact I didn’t even have to look past opening day for the most atrocious example of this. When Cliff Lee took the mound on opening day against the Texas Rangers, nobody could have assumed the mess that would follow. The Rangers and Phillies combined for 14 runs and pitching from both sides was about as bad as it could be.
Both of these stat lines are from opening day, quickly – who do you think got the win this day?
Johnny Cueto , Cincinnati Reds – 7 Innings / 3 Hits / 1 Run / 1 Earned Run.
Cliff Lee, Philadelphia Phillies – 5 Innings / 11 Hits / 8 Runs / 8 Earned Runs.
Johnny Cueto took a loss while Cliff Lee was granted a win. Hilarious. The mere fact that anybody would put any stock into the win-loss record in current day baseball is laughable. But the blasphemy that took place on opening day was not the only time this has happened this season, in fact here are some more pitchers who pitched solid, win worthy games but were handed with a loss or a no decision.
Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers vs the Baltimore Orioles –
8 Innings / 5 hits / 2 runs / 2 earned runs / 2 walks / 3 strikeouts
With a lind like that Verlander still took a loss. Yeah, Verlander gave up two runs, but he also pitched eight strong innings sand only allowed fived hits. I would take eight innings pitched and two earned runs from any pitcher, any day of the week. yet Verlander gets planted with a loss on this day.
James Shields, Kansas City Royals vs the Chicago White Sox –
7 Innings / 5 hits / 1 run / 1 earned run / 0 walks / 8 strikeouts.
This might be the most attrocious example of a pitcher getting no credit at all based on his team failing to score any runs. Shields pitched shutout baseball into the 6th inning and dazzled with 8 Ks and 0 walks yet took the loss on the chin. Another disgusting example of the win-loss record telling us absolutely nothing about how that pitcher pitched that day.
Alex Cobb, Tampa Bay Rays vs the Texas Rangers
7 Innings / 0 runs / 0 earned runs / 1 walk / 6 strikeouts
Cobb earned a no decision after his team failed to score any runs vs Rangers starter, Yu Darvish. Not a loss, but Cobb pitched one of the best games we have seen so far this young season, yet won’t have the holy grail of stats, the Win to show for it.
However, I saved my best from this week for last, Matt Garza, Milwaukee Brewers vs the Atlanta Braves
8 Innings / 2 hits / 1 run / 1 earned run / 1 walk / 7 strikeouts.
Not only did Garza post one of the best pitching lines of the year, he also had a no hitter into the 7th inning against the Braves. It just so happened that his opponent that day, Aaron Harrang also had a no hitter into the same stretch of the game. Both pitchers subsequently lost their no hitters, but Garza lost even more as he was given the loss on the day after only allowing one run. Its just mindless to think that Matt Garza pitched bad enough to deserve a loss.
The win-loss record in baseball is the most outdated, meaningless stat that you can find. How many times have you seen a closer blow a save only to have his team come back and win the game earning that closer the win. It’s just silly. How about a starter that goes 7/8 innings allowing three runs or fewer and leaves the game tied earning a no decision, only to have a reliever come in and throw a pitch or two and be the ‘pitcher of record’ after said team scores a run the following inning.
I know that I’m not the first one to write a “kill the win” article this year, and there will probably be a hundred more written this week alone, but we as fans have to be smarter than to put any stock into a stat from the 1800’s. Please be smarter than that, the game has evolved and its time for you to evolve away from the win-loss record.
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