Quick Trip Down Pitcher Win Lane

Quick trip down Pitcher Win Lane . . .

Stephen Strasburg authored eight innings of dominance against Pittsburgh, allowing a run on two hits, no walks and 12 strikeouts. He took the loss despite Washington's two-spot in the bottom of the ninth because his relievers got pummeled in the top of the ninth.

Strasburg delivered the best pitching performance of the day. And his record says he failed.

So did Minnesota's Mike Pelfrey, who held the Angels to a run and five hits in six innings. Choker. He should have known his team wouldn't score when he allowed that first-inning run.

In Houston,  Bud Norris and Oakland's A.J. Griffin each allowed three runs in six-and-a-third. Griffin got the win. Norris, no decision. Different results for equal work? Not even.

Griffin's line appears as it does because his bullpen averted further damage in the seventh. Norris's performance was tarnished by reliever Travis Blackley, who allowed a two-run Coco Crisp homer that brought home a Norris holdout from the basepaths.

So the better performance earned a no-decision. The weaker performance earned a win. If by "earned" you mean absolutely nothing like its dictionary definition.

 

A Win Saved Is A Win Earned

When we say that Tim Hudson earned a win yesterday in the Braves game against the Blue Jays, we mean he earned the win. Hudson dominated Toronto over eight shutout innings and plastered a two-run homer for the only scoring of the game. Give that man a cookie.

Hudson relinquished just two hits in eight-plus innings, walking one and fanning eight. For those of you not bothering to keep score, that's a far finer effort than a five-walk, three-strikeout no-hitter.

That said, Hudson owes a tip of the cap and a malt beverage to closer Craig Kimbrel. After Hudson allowed his only free pass and a base hit to start the ninth, Kimbrel entered the game with first and third and the lead on the line. He preceded to blow away Jose Bautista (.330/.476/.657), Jose Lind (.324/.369/.605) and (anti-climax alert) Aaron Hill (.242/.284/.344) on 15 pitches. "Kimbrel" is to "closer" as "pizza" is to "meal."

Sometimes a win really is a win and a save really is a save.

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