Save? Really?

The Seattle Mariners beat the Texas Rangers 21-8 yesterday. That is surprising enough but what was more bizarre was M's reliever Hisashi Iwakuma was credited with a save after entering the game in the seventh inning with a 17-5 lead. Maybe a "hold" but a save, really? According to the rules.... The official scorer shall credit a pitcher with a save when such pitcher meets all four of the following conditions;

1.He is the finishing pitcher in a game won by his team;
2.He is not the winning pitcher;
3.He is credited with at least ⅓ of an inning pitched; and
4.He satisfies one of the following conditions:
-He enters the game with a lead of no more than three runs and pitches for at least one inning
-He enters the game, regardless of the count, with the potential tying run either on base, at bat or on deck
-He pitches for at least three innings

Does anyone else find this ridiculous or am I a stingy score keeper?

I don't get it...based on what I know...and the rules you posted...he is not entitled to a save...right? Is this just a mistake?

i never knew this. if u finish the last 3 innings regardless of situation you get a save? ha!

wHEN THE rANGERS BEAT THE oRIOLES A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO 29- SOMETHING THEY ALSO HAD A PITCHER GET A SAVE BECAUSE OF THE RULE IF YOU PITCH 3 OR MORE INNINGS TO END A WINNING GAME YOU RECEIVE A SAVE.

lEE

Yep, rule is that if you pitch the last 3 innings of a game and your team wins, if you are not the winning pitcher then you get credited with a save.

I agree, one of the dumbest rules out there. It's right there with starting pitcher goes 4 innings, leaves the game with the lead and if the team never gives up the lead, he cannot get credit for the win even if he has the most innings pitched.

Well I guess it should be a save since the other team could have scored the runs to win. Of course the manager would not have kept him in game if he started giving up runs like crazy.

This brings back to mind my favorite Whitey Herzog quote. They had just won a lopsided game and the other manager complained that Whitey was still having his guys steal bases with a huge lead. His response, "I'll tell my guys to stop stealing bases when the other team promises to stop scoring more runs."

If there was one rule you could change in baseball what would it be? This aspect of a "Save" would be my nominee. A little antiquated, few relievers go 3 innings for a save any longer.

The win rule I cited. It's hard enough to get a win, but then to pitch the most innings and not credit for the win is just wrong.