WHIP stands for Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched. It is an advanced statistic used in Major League Baseball (MLB) to measure a pitcher’s effectiveness in limiting the number of runners to reach base. It is calculated by dividing the total number of walks and hits allowed by the total number of innings pitched. The lower the WHIP, the better a pitcher is at preventing base runners.
WHIP is one of the most important statistics in baseball and is used to measure a pitcher’s ability to limit base runners. It is often used to compare pitchers against one another and determine which pitchers are the most effective in preventing runs from scoring.
How is WHIP calculated?
WHIP is calculated by dividing the total number of walks and hits allowed by the total number of innings pitched. The formula looks like this:
WHIP = (Walks + Hits) / Innings Pitched
For example, if a pitcher allows two walks and three hits in three innings pitched, their WHIP would be 1.67.
What is the MLB average WHIP?
The MLB average WHIP in the 2020 season was 1.34, which is the lowest it has been since the statistic was introduced in 1913. The average WHIP has been declining over the years, likely due to the increased use of relief pitchers and the emergence of more strikeout pitchers.
The league leaders in WHIP in 2020 were Jacob deGrom of the New York Mets (0.75) and Shane Bieber of the Cleveland Indians (0.87). Both pitchers had remarkable seasons and were among the best in the league in terms of limiting base runners.
What Factors Influence WHIP?
Several factors can influence a pitcher’s WHIP. These include the pitcher’s strikeout rate, walk rate, and batting average against.
Strikeouts are the most important factor in WHIP because they remove the hitter from the equation and prevent base runners from reaching. Pitchers who have high strikeout rates are more likely to have lower WHIPs because they are more likely to get batters out without allowing them to reach base.
Walk rate is also important because it measures how often a pitcher is issuing walks. Pitchers with high walk rates are more likely to have higher WHIPs because they are putting more base runners on.
Finally, batting average against measures how often hitters are reaching base against a particular pitcher. Pitchers with low batting average against are more likely to have lower WHIPs because they are limiting the number of hits allowed.
Conclusion
WHIP is an important statistic used to measure a pitcher’s effectiveness in limiting the number of runners to reach base. It is calculated by dividing the total number of walks and hits allowed by the total number of innings pitched. The MLB average WHIP in the 2020 season was 1.34, which is the lowest it has been since the statistic was introduced in 1913. Several factors can influence a pitcher’s WHIP, including the pitcher’s strikeout rate, walk rate, and batting average against.