FIP Calculator
Definition – What is Fielding Independent Pitching?
FIP evaluates a pitcher’s performance independent of the fielding team (except for the catcher).
It is part of a group of Defense-Independent Pitching Statistics (DIPS).
Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) is critiqued for not evaluating pitchers on what truly matters in the game (runs allowed). Proponents of the system prefer it for its ability to give a more objective evaluation of a pitcher.
Formula – How to calculate FIP
FIP = ((13 x Home Runs) + (3 x Walks) – (2 x Strikeouts)) ÷ (Innings Pitched + (Outs Pitched ÷ 3))
Example
If a pitcher has: 43 Walks | 207 Strikeouts | 35 Home Runs | 202 Innings Pitched | 1 Out (Partial Inning) Pitched, then:
FIP = ((13 x 35) + (3 x 43) – (2 x 207)) / (202 + (1 / 3))
FIP = (455 + 129 – 414) / 202.333
FIP = 170 / 202.333
FIP = 0.8402
Therefore, the pitcher’s FIP is 0.840
Sources and more resources
- Wikipedia – Defense-Independent Pitching Statistics – Wikipedia entry on DIPS.
- Glossary entries on FIP from Statliners, Fan Graphs, New English D, and Bless You Boys.
- Top pitchers in FIP from Baseball Reference.
- More on FIP from Joseph Flanagan – “Improving the FIP Model,” the International Journal of Humanities and Technology – “Beneventano, Berger, and Weinberg – Predicting Run Production and Run Prevention in Baseball: The Impact of Sabermetrics”
- Rules on baseball and baseball statistics from Major League Baseball, NCAA (Baseball), NCAA (Softball), NCAA (Baseball and Softball), NFHS, and the International Baseball Federation.