Fielding Independent Pitching in baseball is a statistic used to evaluate a pitcher’s performance. It determines exactly how good a pitcher has been independent of the contributions of other players on his team. This metric works by considering only factors like strikeouts, walks, home runs allowed, and any other aspects of the game that the pitcher directly controls. Keep reading as I take you through what ERA and FIP mean, how they’re calculated, and their differences. I’ll also explain how to use FIP in baseball betting and when to avoid it.
Calculating Fielding Independent Pitching can be done using the FIP formula developed by Voros McCracken, a baseball analyst.
FIP = ( (HR x 13) + (3 x (BB + HBP) ) — (2 x K) ) / IP + FIP constant
Where:
To use the formula for FIP, simply enter the stats appropriately and calculate to get your answer. For example, if the league FIP constant is 3.10, and a pitcher has the following stats:
The FIP calculation would be:
The lower the FIP, the better the pitching performance. Usually, pitchers with an FIP of 5.0 or more are considered poor. Those within the 4.00 range are considered average, 3.00 above average, and those below 3.00 are considered elites.
Now, let’s consider how Fielding Independent Pitching works in terms of proper baseball interpretation. A pitcher’s FIP is simply an estimate of the number of earned runs that they allow per nine innings pitched, regardless of the kind of defensive support they receive. As I mentioned, the ERA serves the same purpose but takes into consideration this defensive influence. This means that you can use the FIP to actually know if a pitcher is really good or if they are being carried by their defense.
On the other hand, if the pitcher has a high ERA but low FIP, that means they’re actually performing well in terms of strikeouts, walks, and home runs, but external factors like the defense are letting them down. In this case, you can bet in favor of the pitcher, especially when they take the mound.
Overall, when you know the ERA and FIP of a pitcher, you can easily use this information to make more informed decisions regarding your baseball wagers.
One good bet option for pitchers with high ERA but low FIP is the under bet. While it’s not common to all sports betting sites, some sportsbooks set their over/under bet odds based on the ERA. Such sites will most likely put the “over” score above what it would be if they used the pitcher’s FIP. Since low FIP pitchers will most likely allow fewer runs, this would be a perfect chance to bet the under as it could offer better odds.
You can also use this FIP-based strategy to bet online on the underdo. You can do this by wagering in favor of the weaker team if you discover they have a good pitcher, as shown by their FIP.
While the FIP doesn’t consider other players on the team, the ERA refers to a pitcher’s total Earned Run Average without ignoring defensive influence.
A pitcher’s ERA and FIP can tell us different things about their performance. By understanding and comparing these metrics, you can make a more profitable FIP bet in baseball.
The table below shows the main differences between both metrics.
| FIP | ERA |
|---|---|
| It determines the pitcher’s exact performance. | It shows the total earned runs allowed by the pitcher. |
| It focuses only on aspects within the pitcher’s control. | It factors in other aspects, including defensive influence. |
| It’s a more accurate indicator of a pitcher’s performance. | It may not accurately reflect a pitcher’s exact performance. |
| Reflects the pitcher’s independent performance. | Reflect the pitcher’s performance based on his team. |
There are times when the FIP doesn’t fully capture a pitcher’s skill and performance. One major example of this is pitchers who aren’t power pitchers and don’t focus on striking out batters.
These pitchers usually throw pitches that will cause the batter to make a weak hit, which will easily be caught or retrieved by a defensive player. The defensive player can then make a play that results in the batter being declared out.
The Fielding Independent Pitching stat is indeed useful in sports betting. If you understand how to use FIP, you can truly understand a pitcher’ ability and can use that information to enhance your bets. However, FIP can sometimes not truly display the pitcher’s true performance. Therefore, beyond just calculating the ERA and FIP, in-depth analysis of the Pitcher and their team is essential before making any betting decision.
