Was This A Save, Or Not?

[lafayette1]

My club is leading in this game, 8-0. Penny gives up 3 runs and Putz comes in and retires the next three hitters for the ___?___

Shouldn't have Putz been credited with a save here? He wasn't in the boxscore.


*** TOP OF INNING 9 ***
0 J.Posada 4-10 Single & Error - CF b-3 fly(CF)x
0 3 Y.A Passed Ball 3-H
0 Y.A 3-4 Walk b-1
0 1 M.Stairs 3-10 Home Run (RF) 1-H b-H bpHR 1-6
SUBSTITUTE P - J.J. Putz
0 K.Griffey Jr 1-10 Ground Out (SS) b-0
1 A.Rowand 6-10 Ground Out (SS) b-0 gb(SS)x
2 G.Gross 4-4 Foul Out (C) b-0 catch-x

[AeroDave10]

No. That was not a save opportunity. There are three criteria a pitcher must meet in order to earn a save.

1. Must be the final pitcher for the winning team.
2. Must not be the winning pitcher.
3. Must meet one of the following:
a. Enter the game with the potential game-tying run on-base, at-bat, or on-deck.
b. Enter the game with a lead of no more than 3 runs and pitch at least one full inning.
c. Enter the game with any lead and pitch "effectively" for at least 3 innings.

Putz met 1 and 2, but not 3. To meet 3a, Penny would have had to allow at least three baserunners after the Stairs homerun before Putz entered. To meet 3b, Penny would have had to allow five to seven runs in the 9th inning AND not record an out before Putz entered. To meet 3c, Putz would have had to enter the game in the top of the 7th, as long as you had the lead by the 6th inning.