I am putting this in this forum due to the better baseball talk here as well as this particular example includes an ex-Astro. Arizona is leading the Dodgers 3-2 in the SIXTH inning. Qualls enters with runners on first and third and no outs. He retires all 3 batters he faces, but the first hits a sacrifice fly to tie the game. Qualls gets a blown save. This is a reason that blown saves cannot be viewed at face value when rating relievers.
I am of the opinion that all of those non-production related stats (W-L record, saves, holds, blown saves, etc...) are all kind of useless when assessing the value of a player. Like you said, Qualls came into an already precarious situation, and for all intents and purposes, did exactly what he was supposed to do, which was not allow the runner on FIRST to score. A man on third with no outs has a better than 50% chance of scoring, so to penalize Qualls on that is kind of bunk. W-L record is also a BS stat when you take into account that your aces are generally going to be facing the other team's ace, and the 4-5 starters are going to be facing other 4-5 starters, therefore increasing the likelihood of more runs being scored. The only stats that should really be considered when assessing a pitcher are the "per inning" stats (ERA, WHIP, opponents BA, etc...).
Holds are just as useless, IMO. What I'd like to see in the average stat line is the percentage of inherited runners allowed to score, and the WHIP. Those seem like useful stats, at least to my simple mind.
I've been on a crusade to change one rule in regards to stats... If a pitcher makes the error that leads to a run, it should be charged as an earned run. It's absolutely asinine that the pitcher basically gets off the hook stats wise even though it was his f***up that led to the run.
The only reasonably stated reasoning I have heard for this is that ERA measures a pitcher's ability to pitch and not his ability to field. I do agree it should be charged to his ERA. It is ridiculous that a wild pitch which scores a runner from third is an earned run and a bad pickoff at 3rd that results in the runner scoring is an unearned run. In both cases a bad throw enabled the runner to score.
IMO, the ERA should measure a pitcher's ability to not allow runners to score, period. Therefore, if the pitcher is the one making the error, it should absolutely count against his ERA.
Intellectually, anytime I really think about it I feel like errors committed in the field should not count against a pitcher's ERA. However, in the heat of the moment when a pitcher is in a tight spot with 1 out and 2 or 3 runners on, and he gets a comebacker that he promptly airmails into centerfield instead of starting the inning ending double play...I must admit, I VEHEMENTLY want those runs to count against the pitcher's ERA. (I realize that some probably would since you can't assume a double play...but you get my point)
