What Is A Hold In Baseball?

A hold in baseball is a statistical credit given to a relief pitcher who preserves a lead while he is in the game.

The Basics of a Hold

A hold in baseball is a statistic that is awarded to a relief pitcher who meets certain conditions. Specifically, a pitcher earns a hold when he enters the game in a save situation, records at least one out, and leaves the game without having surrendered the lead. If the pitcher surrenders the lead at any point, he is said to have blown the hold.

What is a hold?

In baseball, a relief pitcher records a hold when he enters the game in a save situation, with his team ahead by no more than three runs, and finishes the game without giving up the lead. A pitcher can also earn a hold by pitching at least one inning without giving up the lead, regardless of the game situation.

The hold has been an official Major League Baseball (MLB) statistic since 1986. MLB awards two points to a pitcher for each hold he earns during the season. The player or players on top of the leaderboard in holds at the end of the season are eligible for MLB Holds Leader Awards.

There is some dispute over whether or not a hold should be considered an official statistic, as some believe it does not measure a reliever’s true effectiveness. However, many MLB relief pitchers take pride in their ability to earn holds, as it is seen as a valuable contribution to their team’s success.

How does a hold work?

In baseball, a hold (abbreviated H) is awarded to a relief pitcher who meets certain statistical criteria. Specifically, a pitcher earns a hold by entering the game in a save situation, recording at least one out, and leaving the game with his team still leading by three or fewer runs. A pitcher can earn a maximum of four holds in any one game.

If a pitcher enters the game with his team leading by four or more runs, he cannot be credited with a hold even if he records outs and leaves the game with his team still leading. Conversely, if a pitcher enters the game with his team trailing by two or fewer runs and leaves the game with his team still trailing, he cannot be credited with a hold even if he records outs. In both cases, the pitcher can be credited with a win or a loss, but not a hold.

The number of holds has increased in recent years as teams have come to better understand the value of middle relievers. While starting pitchers are often lauded for their “ace” status, it is often middle relievers who play a vital role in getting the ball to the closer in a close game. Holds are thus seen as an important stat for measuring the effectiveness of relief pitchers.

The History of the Hold

The baseball hold has been a part of the game since the late 1800s, but its role has changed over time. Early on, the hold was used as a way to keep runners from stealing bases. But as the game evolved, the hold became more about controlling the flow of the game and giving pitchers a break. In the modern game, the hold is used to preserve a lead or to keep the score close.

When was the hold first used in baseball?

The history of the hold in baseball is somewhat disputed, but most experts believe that the concept was first used in the late 1800s. The earliest recorded use of the term was in 1887, when a Chicago newspaper described a relief pitcher as coming into the game with “the bases full and none out and ‘holding’ his opponents scoreless.” It is likely that the hold was developed as a way to give credit to relief pitchers who preserved a lead, but it did not become an official stat until holds were first tracked in 1986.

How has the hold changed over time?

In baseball, a hold (abbreviated H) is awarded to a relief pitcher who finishes a game in which his team never relinquished the lead. A hold is not an official Major League Baseball statistic; the official scorer awards it subjectively.

The hold did not become an official stat until 1986, when Jack O’Connell, then the secretary-treasurer of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA), began tracking it. O’Connell’s system awarded a hold to any relief pitcher who:
– entered the game with his team leading;
– recorded at least one out;
– left the game without his team losing the lead; and
– was not the pitcher of record when his team won.

The Impact of the Hold

The hold has become an important part of baseball over the past few years. In fact, some teams are now using the hold as a key part of their strategy. The hold can have a big impact on the game, but it can also be a risky move.

How does the hold impact the game of baseball?

The hold is a baseball statistic that measures the number of relief pitchers who enter the game in a save situation and preserve the lead until the end of the game. The stat was created to measure the value of relief pitchers who enter the game in a close game and prevent the opposing team from score.

The hold is an important stat because it measures the effectiveness of relief pitchers in preserving a lead. It can also be used to compare different relief pitchers. For example, if two relievers have identical ERA’s but one has a higher hold percentage, that pitcher is likely more effective in preserving leads.

The hold is also important because it gives credit to relief pitchers who enter the game in a close game and preserve the lead. Without the hold stat, many relief pitchers would not receive any credit for their valuable contribution to their team’s victory.

What are the benefits of the hold?

The hold can be an important weapon in a relief pitcher’s arsenal. By coming into a game in a situation where they are not facing the heart of the opposing lineup, the reliever can often get through their inning more easily. In addition, since most pitchers are right-handed, the hold can often be used to match up a righty reliever with a lefty batter late in the game.

There are also some strategic benefits to the hold. If a team is leading by one or two runs late in the game, they may want to keep their best reliever from pitching so that he is available for the next game. In this case, the hold can be used to keep the game close while preserving the relief pitcher for use in a more crucial situation.

What are the drawbacks of the hold?

The main drawback of the hold is that it can limit the number of closers available to a team. If a team has a closer and two setup men, then they can only use their closer in the ninth inning. This means that if the game is close in the eighth inning, the team will have to use one of their setup men, even if they would prefer to use their closer. This can lead to some tough decisions for managers and can also put additional pressure on relievers.