The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-12
NEW SYSTEM OF
RATING PITCHERS
Twirlcrs' Value viii Be Estab-
lished by Earned Runs
Against Him.

y Ed Grille, writing in the Washing
The won and lost SYSTEM Of rat,np. a
pitchers ability has been eliminated by
ne nIt a.mer l.e, League Hereafter a
the number OF earned runs opponents
make This system will give a much
better line on pitchers ability than
ability chance to make showing
even though he is with a losing team.
Johnson undoubtedly leads tho league
now. because only one run has been
scored of him. and that was the result
of an error and would not be charged
against MN according to the rules of
scoring.
The, following circular letter which
clal scorers gives a clear idea OF just
what q pitcher Will have TO show In
order TO get a good position among the
tWirlers Of the league, and II eliminates
all doubt as to which of several pitchers
should be charged with a defeat or get
credit for Il victory. as the case may be
President .JOinson's Letter.
Chicago. III, May 9. 1918
To official Scorers:
Dear Sir: Your attention is called to
several changes in The official score
season. the more important OF them
being for the purpose OF establishing.
r"cprds OF pitchers a Modification OF the
turlrcr earned run. Thi: is designed
20 replace the Won and los; system of
ratint pitchers ability.
&c accomplish this. II is desired 10
Obtain a complete reoor1 OF ~. runs FOR
which each pitcher WAS practically re-
from the basic idea Of the former
earned run In determining the mum
Der of runs earned by opponents" in
the pitchers summary This year, please
folio" this rule:
Charge tho pitcher with an earned
run every time Il player completes The
circuit and scores by the aid of bass
hitH. saciihce hits, stolen bases. bases
On balls batsnnen hit. wild pitches and
n - h = I.,
have been offered and missed.
n Tns iMsn r,o Of The rule is 10 include
;hal produce runs for which the pitch
II is CHIEFLY responsible.
tn"s on Errors Not TO Count,
errors of all kinds. or passed balls. are
not TO be charged 10 the pitcher in this
computation Runs should not he
by clean hitting, after good chances to
retire the side have been offered and
not accepted by. the ielders, including
the pitChcrs).
Complications and differences of opin-
ION may arise regarding certain runs,
particularly when change of pitchers
occurs with men on bases In such
cases the scorer should use his own
Judgment. or include the facts and the
difficulty encountered in his Official re-
port of the game so that faults In tho
system may be remedcd as far as pos
Sihe
1t VIII no longer be necessary TO de-
tcrminc the winning" and losing"
pitcher which Will onset partially the
additional task OF computing runs
earned by opponents"
An earned run" column has been
added TO the individual record OF the
batsmen and also columns showing in
dividual bases on balls and strikeouts.
First base on errors" has been elimi-
mated from the summary.
Care is requested in recording the
number of men left on bases" because
that furnishes the key by which a score
sheet IS proved up or balanced
In the pitchers summary under "a
bat opponents" please record the
tual number OF batsmen who faced each
pitcher.
am, yours truly,
T. e. JOHNSON