How does Baseball reference acknowledge "saves" stats?

[nolemmings]

Today I was recalling the 1960 World Series and wanted to refresh my memory on the scores of the Yankee beatdowns and saw that in Game 2 Bobby Shantz is credited with a save for getting the final two outs of a 16-3 drubbing. Now I know that the save rule has changed from time to time and was relatively unknown (certainly not official) in 1960, but how on earth and when was that acknowledged as a save? It is listed in his career totals as well. Does Baseball Reference make that call or if not, who does/did?
Relatedly, I see where Babe Ruth is credited with four career saves by Baseball Reference. What saves rules were used to make this determination and when was he first given credit for these? Maybe there is a ready explanation and/or this was discussed before but I was unable to find it.

EDITED TO ADD: I should clarify that my source for the Shantz save I mentioned was Baseball reference which is why I was curious as to its involvement-- I did not scour old newspapers or the Sporting News.

[John1941]

Originally Posted by nolemmings

Today I was recalling the 1960 World Series and wanted to refresh my memory on the scores of the Yankee beatdowns and saw that in Game 2 Bobby Shantz is credited with a save for getting the final two outs of a 16-3 drubbing. Now I know that the save rule has changed from time to time and was relatively unknown (certainly not official) in 1960, but how on earth and when was that acknowledged as a save? It is listed in his career totals as well. Does Baseball Reference make that call or if not, who does/did?
Relatedly, I see where Babe Ruth is credited with four career saves by Baseball Reference. What saves rules were used to make this determination and when was he first given credit for these? Maybe there is a ready explanation and/or this was discussed before but I was unable to find it.

EDITED TO ADD: I should clarify that my source for the Shantz save I mentioned was Baseball reference which is why I was curious as to its involvement-- I did not scour old newspapers or the Sporting News.

BR explained in 2010 how it calculated pre-1975 saves: https://www.baseball-reference.com/b...ives/7371.html
"For 1920-1949, saves are awarded on the "encyclopedia basis": a pitcher who finished a game his team won, but did not get the win himself, is awarded a save. This policy is so named because it was used by the first Big Mac encyclopedia and later by Pete Palmer.
For 1950-1968, the policy is to use the 1969 rule (the first official one) and apply it retroactively. However, David Smith of Retrosheet admits that it hasn't been applied as rigorously to these seasons as the encyclopedia rule was applied to 1920-49, so there may be instances where saves were or were not awarded precisely according to the 1969 rule.
For post-1968 seasons, the rule in place at the time is used."

I presume this hasn't fundamentally changed.

The 1969 rule says: "The relief pitcher must enter the game with a lead and hold it. He can be taken out of the game only for a PH or PR. If more than one pitcher qualifies, the scorer gives it to the 'most effective' one."
The 1974 rule says: "The relief pitcher must face the potential tying or winning run at the plate or on base, or pitch effectively for at least three innings, and in either case preserve the lead. Same as #3 above, one save per game, given to the most "effective" reliever."
The save rule beginning in 1975 is the one we all know and love today.

The explanation doesn't address pre-1920 saves, but presumably they calculate them the same as 1920-49.

[nolemmings]

Originally Posted by John1941

BR explained in 2010 how it calculated pre-1975 saves: https://www.baseball-reference.com/b...ives/7371.html
"For 1920-1949, saves are awarded on the "encyclopedia basis": a pitcher who finished a game his team won, but did not get the win himself, is awarded a save. This policy is so named because it was used by the first Big Mac encyclopedia and later by Pete Palmer.
For 1950-1968, the policy is to use the 1969 rule (the first official one) and apply it retroactively. However, David Smith of Retrosheet admits that it hasn't been applied as rigorously to these seasons as the encyclopedia rule was applied to 1920-49, so there may be instances where saves were or were not awarded precisely according to the 1969 rule.
For post-1968 seasons, the rule in place at the time is used."

I presume this hasn't fundamentally changed.

The 1969 rule says: "The relief pitcher must enter the game with a lead and hold it. He can be taken out of the game only for a PH or PR. If more than one pitcher qualifies, the scorer gives it to the 'most effective' one."
The 1974 rule says: "The relief pitcher must face the potential tying or winning run at the plate or on base, or pitch effectively for at least three innings, and in either case preserve the lead. Same as #3 above, one save per game, given to the most "effective" reliever."
The save rule beginning in 1975 is the one we all know and love today.

The explanation doesn't address pre-1920 saves, but presumably they calculate them the same as 1920-49.

Thank you. Very helpful. And one can only imagine the level of stress that must have been going though Bobby Shantz' mind when he was asked to come in and hold a 13 run lead with two outs to go.

[ALBB]

I thought the rule was - pitcher come in game ..and tying or winning run on base, at bat, OR - ON Deck ??

[John1941]

Originally Posted by ALBB

I thought the rule was - pitcher come in game ..and tying or winning run on base, at bat, OR - ON Deck ??

The current rule says that:

"A relief pitcher recording a save must preserve his team's lead while doing one of the following:
Enter the game with a lead of no more than three runs and pitch at least one inning.
Enter the game with the tying run in the on-deck circle, at the plate or on the bases.
Pitch at least three innings."

https://www.mlb.com/glossary/standard-stats/save

So if you pitch the last three innings of a 30-3 win you get the save (this happened to a Rangers pitcher around twenty years back.)