Baseball is a game of stats. The league keeps them, fans follow them and stats can gauge the value of players. Pitchers have a set of statistics based on how many runs they give up, when the other team scores and which team ultimately wins the game.
Holds
Coined by USA Today, but not an official stat, according to Major League Baseball, a hold pertains to a relief pitcher. If a reliever protects the lead and gets at least one out, he is credited with a hold, according to MLB. Eventually, another pitcher will come in to relieve him, but he maintained the status quo of the game while he was in.
Saves
A relief pitcher can get a save if his team is ahead by no more than three runs when he enters the game and he pitches one inning. If his team is ahead by more than three runs, he must pitch three innings. If the other team can potentially tie the game with a player on base or in the on-deck circle when the relief pitcher takes over, he does not have to pitch for any set amount of innings to get the save. All he has to do is not relinquish the lead.
Wins
A starting pitcher can get a win if he pitches at least five innings, his team is in the lead when he leaves the game and it maintains the lead without falling behind. If the team does fall behind, he cannot get the win unless his team regains the lead while he is in the game. If he leaves the game and his team falls behind, he does not get the win. If the team rallies and takes back the lead while the relief pitcher is in, the relief pitcher would get the win.
Exceptional Accomplishments
Some rare circumstances might be better than a win. A pitcher can throw a no-hitter if he pitches the entire nine innings of a victory without giving up a hit. If he pitches nine innings without allowing a base runner, it is a perfect game. As of 2010, there were 267 no-hitters in Major League Baseball history and 20 perfect games.
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