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In baseball statistics, walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP) is a sabermetric measurement of the number of baserunners a pitcher has allowed per inning pitched. It is a measure of a pitcher's ability to prevent batters from reaching base.

$WHIP=\frac{BB+H}{IP}$

While earned run average (ERA) measures the runs a pitcher gives up, WHIP measures a pitcher's effectiveness against the batters faced more directly. It is calculated by adding the number of walks and hits allowed and dividing this sum by the number of innings pitched; therefore, the lower a pitcher's WHIP, the better his performance. One key distinction between WHIP and ERA is that the former will continue to rise as long as batters reach base. If an error is committed with two outs in an inning, any runs scored beyond that point in the same inning will be considered unearned and will not cause that pitcher's ERA to rise. A WHIP of 1.0 or smaller over the course of a season will often rank among the league leaders in Major League Baseball.

WHIP is one of the few sabermetric statistics to enter mainstream baseball usage. (On-base plus slugging, or OPS, a comparable measurement of the ability of a hitter, is another example.) It is one of the most commonly used statistics in fantasy baseball, and is standard in fantasy leagues that employ 4×4, 5×5, and 6×6 formats.

The lowest single-season WHIP in baseball history was posted by Pedro Martínez, who was then with the Boston Red Sox, in 2000. Martínez allowed 128 hits and 32 walks over 217 innings for an 0.7373 WHIP.^[1] Cleveland Indians right-hander Addie Joss currently holds the record for the lowest career WHIP, with a 0.9678 WHIP in 2327 innings. However, it may be noteworthy to point out that Joss' career was cut short by meningitis at the age of 31, and he therefore never underwent the "decline phase" that typically befalls athletes. Chicago White Sox spitballer Ed Walsh is the only other pitcher with a career WHIP under 1.00, with a 0.9996 WHIP in 2964 innings. Providence Grays and New York Gothams right-hander John Ward is third all-time with a career WHIP of 1.0440 (not counting New York Yankees right-hander Mariano Rivera's 1.0199 in only 1023 2/3 innings, the lowest career WHIP by a relief pitcher). As of the end of the 2008 season, Pedro Martínez is fourth all-time with a career WHIP of 1.0512.

[edit] References

^ "WHIP in Baseball Leaders Stats". Article on ESPN NEWS. http://www.cooperspick.com/fullarticle.asp?54-Baseball-Whip-What-is-Whip-in-baseball-and-how-do-you-calculate-it%3F. Retrieved September 04 2002.

[edit] External links

[0] "WHIP in Baseball Leaders Stats". Article on ESPN NEWS. http://www.cooperspick.com/fullarticle.asp?54-Baseball-Whip-What-is-Whip-in-baseball-and-how-do-you-calculate-it%3F. Retrieved September 04 2002.

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