Easy and Tough Saves

In recent seasons, we’ve seen many of the sabermetric principles we study and advocate at Baseball Info Solutions matriculate into the professional game. For example, if the current pace continues, teams will use the defensive shift three times as often this season as they did in 2011.

One aspect of the game that has remained largely unchanged is closer usage. The prevailing notion that there is something different about the ninth inning entices managers to use their closers, frequently their best arms in the bullpen, in situations that do not take full advantage of their abilities.

One way to measure that trend is with Easy Saves and Tough Saves. We define a save as easy if a reliever pitches one inning or less, and the first batter he faces does not at least represent the tying run. In contrast, a Tough Save requires a reliever to enter with the tying run on base. Here are the pitchers with the most Easy Save Opportunities in 2013:

The Easy Save leaders include some of the best relievers in baseball. In particular, Craig Kimbrel has a 0.97 ERA this season (which is even better than his 1.01 ERA in 2012), the second-best mark of all qualified relievers. However, on 32 occasions, the Braves called on him to close down a game in a low-leverage situation when most any reliever would get the job done.

Meanwhile, the low totals of the Tough Save leaders among closers show managers’ reluctance to bring in their closers in the middle of innings with runners on base, which are often the most critical times of games. Ernesto Frieri is the lone closer to have even four Tough Save opportunities this season.

Easy and Tough Saves are two of the many statistics you’ll find in the Relief Pitching section of the Bill James Handbook 2014, which is available for pre-order.