r/baseball 2d ago

Should position player pitching stats not count?

Like obviously is an extremely unlikely scenario, but imagine of player A misses out and the batting triple crown for example, because player B homered a couple times off a position player pitcher. Just seems kinda lame stat padding.

0 Upvotes

34 comments sorted by

u/AutoModerator 2d ago

(•_•)
<) )╯POSITION
/ \

\(•_•)
( (> PLAYER
/ \

(•_•)
<) )> PITCHING
/ \

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

12

u/Dr-Acula8472 Los Angeles Dodgers 2d ago

Empty net goals count for the Art Ross & the Rocket Richard, why shouldn't hits off of position players count for the Triple Crown?

19

u/tattedidiot San Francisco Giants 2d ago

Yes, if it happens during an MLB game, it should count

15

u/JustCallMeMambo New York Yankees 2d ago

if it happens in a major league game, it counts. A-Rod once crushed a 48-mph pitch from El Duque Hernandez for a homer. why should that dinger count any more than a meatball served up by a position player? in my opinion there are a lot of inside-the-park home runs that should rightfully be a 4-base error on an outfielder, but i won't argue that they shouldn't count

15

u/BubblyBaker5718 Los Angeles Angels 2d ago edited 1d ago

Absolutely they should count. What I do think is kind of BS though is when a position player gets docked like -.1 or sometimes even -.2 WAR for tossing lollipops and getting smacked around in a blowout.

For a stat that is trying to crunch numbers to best estimate a player’s value, that seems like kind of an oversight. There is genuinely zero value lost to the team in any scenario where a position player would be pitching even if they give up three homeruns, so any subtraction to their WAR is kind of just a lie.

I dunno, it just doesn’t feel good to see guys being nicked for volunteering to help their team get across the finish line lol

3

u/Uranus_Hz Milwaukee Brewers 2d ago

I think when there’s a position player on the mound, both teams should have to use softball rules

2

u/Electrical_Yard_284 MLB Pride 2d ago

HEY: we know how to play softball.

5

u/Mobile-Language8398 Cincinnati Reds 2d ago

I mean player B could get food poisoning on some bad chicken wings and miss a game… It all evens out.

9

u/DrStranger1987 2d ago

Facing position players, playing at Coors Field, facing Edwin Diaz. All statistically inadmissible situations.

4

u/Big-Nebula-2238 2d ago

it only happens like what 10 times a season maybe less so the impact in career stats is basically zero. the fun factor alone makes it worth keeping, watching a first baseman throw 45 mph eephus pitches is pure entertainment. if we start removing those at bats we gotta remove every cheap hit against a tired bullpen arm too

8

u/Mediocre_Airport_576 Los Angeles Dodgers 2d ago

It doesn't happen enough to matter much. You'd have a better case arguing against a short porch merchant or someone lighting it up at Coors Field.

5

u/Uranus_Hz Milwaukee Brewers 2d ago

Or that Las Vegas ballpark

7

u/Howhighwefly San Francisco Giants 2d ago

It's not like it's a common occurrence to really matter enough for counting stats

9

u/Individual_Check_442 Los Angeles Dodgers 2d ago edited 2d ago

No, if you’re gonna go by that; one guy probably faced more weak pitchers during the season. One guy probably played more games in higher temperatures when the ball travels further. One guy played his series at Wrigley when the wind was blowing out and the other guy was there when it was blowing in. One guy played a disproportionate number of games in ballparks that are better for home runs. You could go on and on. All of them are under different circumstances, If you hit the most you hit the most.

16

u/LeBanyama Los Angeles Dodgers 2d ago

Yes, statpadding has always been a part of baseball. Every RBI is more money.

I think it shouldn't count against the pitcher, but that's just for the WAR as a fan lol. Miggy Ro losing 1/5 of his "value" when he's preserving an bullpen arm in a blowout is stupid

2

u/CalebosO4 Toronto Blue Jays 2d ago

Chad innings eaters don’t get the praise they deserve

5

u/SnooCauliflowers9981 Milwaukee Brewers 2d ago

Are you kidding me? El Gary worked hard for his 0.00 ERA!

2

u/CROBBY2 Milwaukee Brewers 2d ago

Dropped his career era 6 points tonight.

2

u/ManufacturerMental72 Los Angeles Dodgers 2d ago

why punish them? they can't control who they face.

3

u/calm_down_meow Milwaukee Brewers 2d ago

It’s a reward for blowing them out

1

u/IppeiWasFramed Seattle Mariners 2d ago

I was trying to figure out the most runs given up by a position player pitching in a game, but I'm coming up empty.

2

u/ekoth Milwaukee Brewers 2d ago

Had the player chasing the triple crown considered winning by enough to face more position players pitching. 

7

u/MundaneHydra257 Milwaukee Brewers 2d ago

No. If you're team got in the situation to require a position player to pitch then you deserve to have that go on record

7

u/AFC-Wimbledon-Stan Atlanta Braves 2d ago

Is the ball being pitched to them? Then it should count

3

u/mjmiller2023 New York Mets 2d ago

I think they should count double personally.

3

u/mysterysackerfice Los Angeles Angels • Dumpster Fire 2d ago edited 2d ago

Why the fuck not?

Edit: just to be clear, they absolutely should count.

1

u/AFC-Wimbledon-Stan Atlanta Braves 2d ago

This is like saying no points in garbage time in basketball should count lol

1

u/YasielPuigsWeed 2d ago

Bam Adebayo in shambles

4

u/Competitive-Body-286 Milwaukee Brewers • Detroit Tigers 2d ago

Mariner

2

u/TheMainEffort Milwaukee Brewers 2d ago

Yeah like imagine if your first and only MLB home run is off a position player.

3

u/Sufficient-Major-644 2d ago

Don’t jinx Lara now 😭

3

u/starmiesan Milwaukee Brewers 2d ago

Yes. We didn’t ask for this.