Hold (baseball)

A hold (abbreviated HLD, H or HD) is awarded to a relief pitcher who meets the following three conditions:

The hold is not an official Major League Baseball statistic.

Description

Unlike saves, wins, and losses, more than one pitcher per team can earn a hold for a game, though it is not possible for a pitcher to receive more than one hold in a given game. A pitcher can receive a hold by protecting a lead even if that lead is lost by a later pitcher after his exit.

The hold was invented in 1986 by John Dewan and Mike O'Donnell to give a statistical measure of the effectiveness of the vast majority of relief pitchers who are afforded few opportunities to close a game. While middle relievers earn their share, holds are most often credited to setup pitchers.

In 1994, PA SportsTicker created an alternate definition for a hold, removing the requirement that a pitcher needs to make an out in order to record a hold. In 2009, STATS LLC purchased PA SportsTicker, and the alternate definition is no longer in use.

Baseball

Baseball is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of nine players each who take turns batting and fielding.

The batting team attempts to score runs by hitting a ball that is thrown by the pitcher with a bat swung by the batter, then running counter-clockwise around a series of four bases: first, second, third, and home plate. A run is scored when a player advances around the bases and returns to home plate.

Players on the batting team take turns hitting against the pitcher of the fielding team, which tries to prevent runs by getting hitters out in any of several ways. A player on the batting team who reaches a base safely can later attempt to advance to subsequent bases during teammates' turns batting, such as on a hit or by other means. The teams switch between batting and fielding whenever the fielding team records three outs. One turn batting for both teams, beginning with the visiting team, constitutes an inning. A game comprises nine innings, and the team with the greater number of runs at the end of the game wins. Baseball is the only major team sport in America with no game clock, although almost all games end in the ninth inning.

Hold

Hold may refer to:

Juan Pierre

Juan D'Vaughn Pierre (born August 14, 1977) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2000–2013 for the Colorado Rockies, Florida/Miami Marlins, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox and Philadelphia Phillies. Known for his speed, he stole 614 bases in his career, the 18th most in MLB history at the time of his retirement. He now works at MLB Network as an on air analyst.

Pierre, who was named after Dominican Hall of Fame pitcher Juan Marichal, went to high school at Alexandria Senior High School in Alexandria, Louisiana.

College

Prior to his professional career, he played at Galveston College and the University of South Alabama, where he was 1998 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year.

Minor leagues

Pierre began his professional career with the Portland Rockies of the Northwest League, after being selected by Colorado in the 13th round of the 1998 MLB Draft. He won the league batting and stolen base titles in his first professional season with 38, and was a fan favorite even at that level. Pierre moved on to the Asheville Tourists the following year, again batting well over .300, and began 2000 with the Carolina Mudcats before finishing the year in Colorado.

Baseball bat

A baseball bat is a smooth wooden or metal club used in the sport of baseball to hit the ball after it is thrown by the pitcher. By regulation it may be no more than 2.75 inches in diameter at the thickest part and no more than 42 inches (1,100 mm) long. Although historically bats approaching 3 pounds (1.4 kg) were swung, today bats of 33 ounces (0.94 kg) are common, topping out at 34 ounces (0.96 kg) to 36 ounces (1.0 kg).

Terminology

Although using a stick to hit a ball is a somewhat simple concept, the bat is a complex object. It is carved or constructed very carefully to allow a quick, balanced swing while providing power. The bat is divided into several regions. The barrel is the thick part of the bat, where it is meant to hit the ball. The part of the barrel best for hitting the ball, according to construction and swinging style, is often called the sweet spot. The end of the barrel is not part of the sweet spot and is simply called the top, end or cap of the bat. The barrel narrows and becomes the handle. The handle is very thin, so that batters can comfortably grip the bat in their hands. Sometimes, especially on metal bats, the handle is wrapped with a rubber or tape grip. Finally, below the handle is the knob of the bat, a wider piece that keeps the bat from slipping from a batter's hands. Over the decades, the bat's form has become more refined. During the 19th century, many shapes were experimented with, as well as handle designs. Today, bats are much more uniform in design.