Last Sunday, the Pirates walloped the Cubs.
In that game, starting pitcher Jameson Taillion was supposed to Start, but was sick.
The Pirates started Chad Kuhl on two days rest.
Kuhl performed admirably. He was staked to a 10 run lead in the first inning and only allowed one run to the usually hard-hitting Cubs.
For his efforts, Kuhl got an 'Attaboy, not a Win'.
The statistic of the 'Win' originated while pitchers were expected to throw complete games. Even if those games went beyond nine innings.
Five innings? Child's play, even for the meekest or weakest of starting pitchers.
Pitchers were winning 30 games or more. Some, throwing on consecutive days.
The 'Win', a statistic before the 'live' ball.
When playing with the live ball, there were more hits, more foul balls, and more avoidance of certain hitters.
This would make for more strategic play and more importantly, more pitches.
As time went on, the use of ace pitchers diminished. They went from consecutive day pitchers to two, three, and now four days of rest as we have now.
Their time in the game was determined by them and their Managers.
Until our age, where the pitch count overrules both the player and Manager.
Pitchers have gone from being as timeless as the game of baseball itself, to being monitored by a clicker.
Yet, the Win stays the same.
Baseball owners and magistrates are embroiled in their history of rules.
Notorious for not wanting to change any rule.
This, of course, comes back to bite them hard on the ass.
Right, Jackie Robinson?
It is time for the 'Win' statistic to change.
It is silly to take away a Win in modern day times, simply because a pitcher started a game and did not throw five innings.
The game is not like in the past.
Circumstances such as the Pirates had Sunday and other instances in which a player is incapable of throwing more than 80 pitches occur more frequently.
Rehabbing pitchers or relievers throwing four spotless innings to start a game, foiled by the rule.
But, if throwing those four spotless innings after the first inning, gold.
It makes little sense.
100 pitches puts teams on alert to pull a pitcher.
Everybody agrees that that figure will never go up, only down.
As it goes down, the number of pitchers qualifying for a Win will lessen.
As said, baseball is slow to change any long-standing rule.
This rule, however, is getting 'old fast' with the stifling of starters pitches.
I am probably alone in my thoughts in how to apply a new rule.
I believe that the Win-Loss should be eliminated from baseball.
Baseball is the only game where an individual is credited with a 'Win'.
The reality is that sometimes good hitting wins baseball games while in others, the pitching is the star.
To award one player a 'Win' every day, is ludicrous.
We have become a society that loves to individualize teams and sports, but not even Tom Brady has been credited with a 'W'. Neither has LeBron James.
We award Wins to pitchers who give up seven runs, simply because they lasted five innings and had a good run support that day.
They deserve a CS (CRAPPY START) statistic, not a Win.
It's darned silly.
I would also eliminate 'Saves'.
Think about it.
A starting pitcher pitches eight innings of shutout ball.
He leaves the game in the hands of his Closer with a 3-0 lead.
The Closer loads the bases, gives up a two-run double, then re-loads the bases with an intentional walk.
A double play grounder is induced and the game ends.
What has happened?
The Closer has given up more hits than the Starter.
More runs than the Starter.
He has given his Manager and the Starter a heart attack.
Yet, he is credited with a Save.
He didn't Save the game, he put the game in danger!
As a fantasy player, I hope for the Win and Save to last five more years.
That's how much longer I hope to play.
As a baseball fan, I hope that MLB gets ahead of the Win statistic.
Like 30 game winners or even 20 game winners, it is dying before our eyes.
There are more Chad Kuhl's now than there were Cy Young's when the Win was at its most populous.