Quote:
Originally Posted by Pirates
The rule says REMOVED not REPLACED..
A pinch hitter/runner will remove a player/pitcher from the game.
Bringing in a new pitcher, replaces said player.
That's a big difference.
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No, there's no difference at all. At least not in the minds of the folks who wrote the rules of baseball, and who made no distinction between someone removed from the lineup and someone replaced in the lineup.
Look at it this way. Pitcher A is on the mound at the end of the top half of the sixth inning with the score tied. In the bottom of the sixth, an outfielder pinch hits for him. Does the pinch-hitter get credit for a game played in the outfield just because he is an outfielder and he appeared in the game as a pinch-hitter? No, not unless he takes his position in the outfield in the top of the seventh. Now, imagine that, instead of an outfielder, Pitcher B pinch-hits for Pitcher A. Does Pitcher B get credit for a game pitched just because he pinch hit? No, he doesn't.
In fact, a pinch-hitter isn't anything except a pinch-hitter unless and until he takes the field. A pitcher who pinch hits for another pitcher doesn't become the pitcher of record until he steps on the mound and throws a pitch. Until then, he's just a pinch-hitter, and he can't get credit for a win until he takes the field. To illustrate: with the score tied, starting Pitcher A is removed from the lineup in the bottom of the sixth and Pitcher B pinch hits for him. Pitcher B hits a home run. In the top half of the next inning, Pitcher C takes the mound to pitch the rest of the game for the home team, and that team never relinquishes the lead. Who gets the win? If you think it's Pitcher B, you definitely need to
re-read the rules.