Baseball has always been a game that’s driven by stats. For pitchers, one of the metrics that’s been used to grade performance is fielding independent pitching (FIP). FIP in baseball is used to measure the effectiveness of a pitcher without taking defense into account. It’s measured similarly to a pitcher’s earned run average (ERA) but ignores defensive plays made behind a pitcher.
Since it ignores defense, the FIP baseball stat focuses on how many walks, strikeouts, hit batters, and home runs are on a pitcher’s stat line at the end of their appearance based on the number of innings they pitched. This is done because these are the events a pitcher controls. For any ball in play other than a home run, a pitcher’s ERA and effectiveness are influenced by his teammates playing defense behind him, as well as fortunate circumstances that are out of a pitcher’s control. FIP takes defense and luck out of the equation, showing the effectiveness of a pitcher in the areas that he can control.
For most fans, ERA is a more common metric for grading pitchers than FIP. That’s why we wanted to explore this metric a little deeper to show how to calculate FIP in baseball and how best to utilize this particular stat for judging MLB pitchers.
Defining FIP in Baseball?
For fans who want to know how to calculate FIP in baseball, five figures go into the equation. This is a little more involved than calculating ERA, which only looks at earned runs and innings pitched. Therefore, FIP is believed to be a more accurate way to quantify how a pitcher performs.
First, the number of home runs allowed is multiplied by 13. Next, the number of walks and hit batters are added together and multiplied by three. Next, the number of strikeouts is doubled. The values from home runs and walks/hit batters are then added together before subtracting the strikeout figure. That number calculated from that is the top half of the equation. Meanwhile, the bottom half of the equation is the number of innings pitched plus the FIP constant, which is typically around 3.2. By adding the FIP constant, this metric can be put on the same scale as ERA.
The bottom figure (innings pitched plus the FIP constant) is then divided by the top figure (home runs, walks, and hit batters minus strikeouts). Mathematically, the top of the FIP equation is [(HR x 13) + (3 x (BB + HBP)) – (2 x K)] while the bottom is IP + FIP constant.
What is a Good FIP in Baseball?
A good FIP in baseball is similar to a good ERA. Anything under 3.00 is considered exceptional while 4.00 is right around average. During the 2023 MLB season, only three starting pitchers finished with a FIP below 3.00 whereas five starting pitchers finished the season with an ERA below 3.00.
In 2023, Sonny Gray was the only pitcher to finish with a FIP and an ERA below 3.00. National League Cy Young winner Blake Snell had the best ERA in the majors at 2.25 but was only 12th in FIP at 3.38. Those numbers indicate that Snell benefited from strong defense and a little bit of luck.
What is a Bad FIP?
Typically, any FIP of 5.00 or higher is considered poor. With 4.00 being a respectable FIP, the further away from 4.00 and the closer to 5.00 that pitchers get, the less effective they are on the mound. For example, during the 2023 season, Patrick Corbin posted a 5.20 ERA and a 5.22 FIP while losing 15 games, confirming that it was another subpar season for the lefty.
How to Consider FIP for Baseball Betting?
FIP is certainly a metric that can be used while betting on baseball. After all, comparing the starting pitchers in a game is one of the biggest factors sportsbooks use when assigning odds to a game. It’s also one of the biggest factors bettors tend to consider when trying to predict what team will win.
As mentioned, FIP can be a useful way of measuring a pitcher’s performance rather than only looking at their ERA. The trick is recognizing that FIP measures past performance and isn’t necessarily a predictor of future performance. Also, keep in mind that FIP emphasizes a pitcher’s home runs allowed, walks allowed, and strikeouts. Therefore, a high FIP can indicate that a pitcher is allowing a lot of walks and home runs compared to the number of strikeouts they’re accumulating.
When betting on baseball, it’s a good idea to compare a pitcher’s FIP with his ERA. If a pitcher’s FIP is significantly lower than his ERA, it usually means he’s pitching better than his ERA and other stats might indicate. A pitcher like this might be undervalued by oddsmakers, so backing him could be a good idea. Of course, the opposite is true as well. If a pitcher has a low ERA but a high FIP, he has likely benefited from good defense and a little bit of luck, meaning his performance hasn’t been as good as his ERA would indicate. A pitcher like this is someone bettors could consider fading in his next start. Just remember to follow safe gambling practices when placing bets on baseball.
Bet on Baseball with BetVictor CA
For anyone who wants to bet on baseball, BetVictor CA is one of the best platforms available. For starters, there are some amazing promotions available that are regularly updated to keep things interesting. We also have a well-designed platform that makes it easy to find the exact bet you want. Equally important, there is no shortage of betting markets available during the MLB season, so the possibilities are almost endless.
19+ | Opt in | T&Cs apply | Connexontario.ca | Play responsibly.
Baseball FIP FAQs
FIP is calculated in baseball with a formula that takes into account a pitcher’s home runs, walks, hit batters, strikeouts, and innings pitched.
FIP is considered a more accurate measurement of a pitcher’s performance than ERA, which calculates the end results based solely on earned runs allowed and innings pitched.
FIP is important in baseball because it helps to remove luck and defense from the equation. Instead, FIP attempts to measure a pitcher’s effectiveness of only the things under his control.
In baseball betting, a pitcher’s FIP should be compared to their ERA. If the FIP is considerably lower than the ERA, that pitcher is likely to be undervalued by oddsmakers.
