Comments on: Cole Hamels' win-loss record doesn't show it, but he's having a great season

By: Wallyhorse

Wallyhorse — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:11:30 +0000

They definitely need to redefine it:
To me, a quality start is one of the following:
Seven innings, TWO earned runs or less.
Complete game loss OR nine innings in a game that goes into extra innings, three earned runs or less (since you didn’t have to go to the bullpen at all)
Complete game win regardless of earned runs given up (as sometimes, a pitcher has a big lead to work with and can pitch without worry of giving up a run or two), since it means you didn’t have to use the bullpen.
Those to me are what should be defined as “quality starts.”

By: Benny Blanco

Benny Blanco — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 09:59:10 +0000

QS gives your team a chance to win. And very often if a pitcher gives up 3 or less runs, your pitching deeper than the 6th.

By: Jonny5

Jonny5 — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 09:11:03 +0000

Who measures them by a win/loss record anyway? It’s just another stat, such as IP or an ERA, which are better tools to measure with anyway when you’re looking at a pitcher. Most people do this. All baseball people do this. It’s just a stat that relies on the team effort and really doesn’t reflect a pitchers effort too much.

By: nps6724

nps6724 — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:40:44 +0000

They really need to amend what a QS is because in its current form, it equates to a 4.50 ERA. If you used that to measure how good a pitcher is, a very consistent 4.50 ERA pitcher would look relatively equal to the aces of the game.

By: BleedGreen

BleedGreen — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 19:37:36 +0000

I’m surprised Hamels hasn’t taken a bat to the knees of Utley, Howard, Rollins and the boys yet. So many games that he’s given up 1 run over 7 innings and they can’t even score a single run for him. It was getting ridiculous until this last game. Good on Cole for keeping his mouth shut in the media and just going about his business. Philly loves Cole Hamels, and wants him to succeed.

By: Mason

Mason — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 18:33:56 +0000

Nice writeup; I had no idea Hamels had such good peripheral numbers.

By: SouthofHeaven

SouthofHeaven — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 18:10:25 +0000

Starting pitchers should be measured by number of Quality Starts (at least 6 IP, less than 3 ER) than W-L record.