Wild pitch
Encyclopedia
In baseball
, a wild pitch (abbreviated WP) is charged against a pitcher
when his pitch
is too high, too short, or too wide of home plate
for the catcher
to control with ordinary effort, thereby allowing a baserunner, perhaps even the batter-runner on strike three or ball four
, to advance.
A wild pitch usually passes the catcher behind home plate, often allowing runners on base an easy chance to advance while the catcher chases the ball down. Sometimes the catcher may block a pitch, and the ball may be nearby, but the catcher has trouble finding the ball, allowing runners to advance.
A closely related statistic is the passed ball
. As with many baseball statistics
, whether a pitch that gets away from a catcher is counted as a wild pitch or a passed ball is at the discretion of the official scorer
. The benefit of the doubt is usually given to the catcher if there is uncertainty; therefore, most of these situations are scored as wild pitches. If the pitch was so low as to touch the ground, or so high that the catcher has to jump to get to it, or so wide that the catcher has to lunge for it, it is usually then considered a wild pitch and not a passed ball.
A wild pitch may only be scored if one or more runners advance. If the bases are empty, or the catcher retrieves the ball quickly and the runner(s) are unable to advance, a wild pitch is not charged. A runner who advances on a wild pitch is not credited with a stolen base
unless he breaks before the pitcher begins his delivery.
.
Nolan Ryan
is the modern-era leader in the category, throwing 277 wild pitches over his 27 years in Major League Baseball
. He also led his league
in the category in six different seasons. However, the all-time record belongs to Tony Mullane
, who threw 343 in the early years of the game from 1881 to 1894. After Ryan's 277, the next pitcher on the list is Mickey Welch
274, followed by Tim Keefe
's 233.
Bill Stemmeyer
still holds the single-season record, throwing 63 wild pitches in 1886. Since 1900, however, the highest total in a season has been 30 (by Red Ames
in 1905). The modern record in a single game is 6, held by three different pitchers.
R.A. Dickey, Phil Niekro
, Walter Johnson
, and Kevin Gregg
all hold the modern-era single inning wild pitch record with four. Rick Ankiel
, however, has produced five wild pitches in the 3rd inning of the 2000 NLDS. Bert Cunningham
of the Players League (Considered a major league) in 1890 also threw 5 in an inning.
The current active leader (as of August 18, 2011) is Tim Wakefield
, with 129 wild pitches. The other active pitchers with 100+ wild pitches are A.J. Burnett with 114 and Miguel Batista
with 100.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, a wild pitch (abbreviated WP) is charged against a pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
when his pitch
Pitch (baseball)
In baseball, a pitch is the act of throwing a baseball toward home plate to start a play. The term comes from the Knickerbocker Rules. Originally, the ball had to be literally "pitched" underhand, as with pitching horseshoes. Overhand throwing was not allowed until 1884.The biomechanics of...
is too high, too short, or too wide of home plate
Home Plate
Home Plate is the fifth album by Bonnie Raitt, released in 1975 .-Track listing:#"What Do You Want the Boy to Do?" – 3:19#"Good Enough" – 2:56#"Run Like a Thief" – 3:02...
for the catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
to control with ordinary effort, thereby allowing a baserunner, perhaps even the batter-runner on strike three or ball four
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
, to advance.
A wild pitch usually passes the catcher behind home plate, often allowing runners on base an easy chance to advance while the catcher chases the ball down. Sometimes the catcher may block a pitch, and the ball may be nearby, but the catcher has trouble finding the ball, allowing runners to advance.
A closely related statistic is the passed ball
Passed ball
In baseball, a catcher is charged with a passed ball when he fails to hold or control a legally pitched ball that, with ordinary effort, should have been maintained under his control. When, as a result of this loss of control, the batter or a runner on base advances, the catcher is thereby charged...
. As with many baseball statistics
Baseball statistics
Statistics play an important role in summarizing baseball performance and evaluating players in the sport.Since the flow of a baseball game has natural breaks to it, and normally players act individually rather than performing in clusters, the sport lends itself to easy record-keeping and statistics...
, whether a pitch that gets away from a catcher is counted as a wild pitch or a passed ball is at the discretion of the official scorer
Official scorer
In the game of baseball, the official scorer is a person appointed by the league to record the events on the field, and to send the official scoring record of the game back to the league offices...
. The benefit of the doubt is usually given to the catcher if there is uncertainty; therefore, most of these situations are scored as wild pitches. If the pitch was so low as to touch the ground, or so high that the catcher has to jump to get to it, or so wide that the catcher has to lunge for it, it is usually then considered a wild pitch and not a passed ball.
A wild pitch may only be scored if one or more runners advance. If the bases are empty, or the catcher retrieves the ball quickly and the runner(s) are unable to advance, a wild pitch is not charged. A runner who advances on a wild pitch is not credited with a stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
unless he breaks before the pitcher begins his delivery.
.
Nolan Ryan
Nolan Ryan
Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. , nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers....
is the modern-era leader in the category, throwing 277 wild pitches over his 27 years in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. He also led his league
Sports league
League is a term commonly used to describe a group of sports teams or individual athletes that compete against each other in a specific sport. At its simplest, it may be a local group of amateur athletes who form teams among themselves and compete on weekends; at its most complex, it can be an...
in the category in six different seasons. However, the all-time record belongs to Tony Mullane
Tony Mullane
Anthony John "Tony" Mullane , nickamed "Count" and "The Apollo of the Box", was an Irish Major League Baseball player who pitched for seven teams during his 13-season career...
, who threw 343 in the early years of the game from 1881 to 1894. After Ryan's 277, the next pitcher on the list is Mickey Welch
Mickey Welch
Michael Francis Welch Born as Michael Francis Walsh , nicknamed "Smiling Mickey", was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the third pitcher to accumulate 300 career victories. Welch was born in Brooklyn, New York, and played 13 seasons in the major leagues, three with the Troy Trojans, and 10...
274, followed by Tim Keefe
Tim Keefe
Timothy John "Tim" Keefe , nicknamed "Smiling Tim" and "Sir Timothy", was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He was one of the most dominating pitchers of the 19th century and posted impressive statistics in one category or another for almost every season he pitched...
's 233.
Bill Stemmeyer
Bill Stemmeyer
William "Cannon Ball" Stemmeyer was a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Boston Beaneaters and Cleveland Blues....
still holds the single-season record, throwing 63 wild pitches in 1886. Since 1900, however, the highest total in a season has been 30 (by Red Ames
Red Ames
Leon Kessling "Red" Ames was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball for the New York Giants, Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, and Philadelphia Phillies.-Major league career:...
in 1905). The modern record in a single game is 6, held by three different pitchers.
R.A. Dickey, Phil Niekro
Phil Niekro
Philip Henry Niekro , nicknamed "Knucksie" because of his usage and skill level with the knuckleball, is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997....
, Walter Johnson
Walter Johnson
Walter Perry Johnson , nicknamed "Barney" and "The Big Train", was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Washington Senators...
, and Kevin Gregg
Kevin Gregg
Kevin Marschall Gregg is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles.-High school career:...
all hold the modern-era single inning wild pitch record with four. Rick Ankiel
Rick Ankiel
Richard Alexander Ankiel is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is currently with the Washington Nationals. He bats and throws left-handed....
, however, has produced five wild pitches in the 3rd inning of the 2000 NLDS. Bert Cunningham
Bert Cunningham
Ellsworth Elmer "Bert" Cunningham , is a former professional baseball player who played pitcher in the Major Leagues from 1887-1901...
of the Players League (Considered a major league) in 1890 also threw 5 in an inning.
The current active leader (as of August 18, 2011) is Tim Wakefield
Tim Wakefield
Timothy Stephen Wakefield is an American professional baseball pitcher. Wakefield began pitching with the Red Sox in 1995, making him the longest-serving player currently on the team. Wakefield is also the oldest current active player in the majors, and one of two active knuckleballers, the other...
, with 129 wild pitches. The other active pitchers with 100+ wild pitches are A.J. Burnett with 114 and Miguel Batista
Miguel Batista
Miguel Descartes Batista Jerez is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher. He has played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Florida Marlins, Chicago Cubs, Montreal Expos, Kansas City Royals, Arizona Diamondbacks, Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, Washington Nationals, St...
with 100.
External links
- Baseball Rules See section 10.13