Did Major league baseball just change the rule?

[IHAVEAQUESTION]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/boxscore?gid=270502119

Looking at the box score, I would think the winning pitcher should go to one of the guy from the bullpen but instead it's credited to the starter. Is this new or has it been like this? And btw, what's H stands for?

 

[Farang]

Always like that. The pitcher who leaves the game while the winning team is ahead gets the win, as long as the winning team never loses its lead between his leaving and the end of the game.

 

[TallBill]

Originally posted by: Farang
Always like that. The pitcher who leaves the game while the winning team is ahead gets the win, as long as the winning team never loses its lead between his leaving and the end of the game.

Not entirely true. A starting pitcher has to complete a minimum of 5 complete innings before leaving the game as well.

 

[IHAVEAQUESTION]

Not the guy who pitched the 8th inning? Because that's when the dodgers score the winning run? Oh man...I need a drink.

 

[Syringer]

What Farang said--if the starting pitcher goes 5+ innings, and leaves the game with the lead and his team holds the lead, he will get the win.

If he leaves the game trailing and his team wins, it is the reliever who made the last pitch before his team takes the lead that wins..

e.g. pitcher A pitches 7 innings and leaves with his team down 3-2. Pitcher B goes in and pitches a scoreless inning. His team then goes on and scores 2 runs, putting them up 3-4. Pitcher B will get the W for the game, regardless of whether or not he pitched the 9th inning or not.

H then stands for Hold, which, as it implies, is if a pitcher holds a lead while he's in (like a save), provided certain circumstances hold. Look that one up--but essentially the go ahead run has to have a chance to come up during that inning (I believe).

 

[IHAVEAQUESTION]

Ok, what if the starter leaves the game with the score tied? The W will go to the bullpen?

 

[ungsunghero]

Originally posted by: IHAVEAQUESTION
Ok, what if the starter leaves the game with the score tied? The W will go to the bullpen?

The W will go to the pitcher from the bullpen who pitched when his team took the lead.

 

[ungsunghero]

Originally posted by: Syringer
H then stands for Hold, which, as it implies, is if a pitcher holds a lead while he's in (like a save), provided certain circumstances hold. Look that one up--but essentially the go ahead run has to have a chance to come up during that inning (I believe).

Not quite correct...only the tying run has to have a chance to come up for a hold to be registered.

From Wikipedia:

A hold is awarded to a relief pitcher who:

1. enters the game in a save situation; that is, one of the following three conditions applies:
* his team has a lead of no more than three runs (and he pitches at least one inning)
* the potential tying run is either on base, at bat, or on deck
* he pitches for at least three innings after entering the game
2. records at least one out;
3. and leaves the game without his team having relinquished the lead at any point.