FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching) Calculator

Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) is a statistic used in baseball to measure a pitcher's effectiveness by focusing only on events under their control: home runs, walks, hit by pitch, and strikeouts. FIP is designed to remove the effects of fielding and luck from evaluating pitchers, providing a clearer sense of their actual performance.

Formula

The formula for FIP is:
\[ FIP = \frac{(13 \times HR) + (3 \times (BB + HBP)) - (2 \times K)}{IP} + \text{Constant} \]

Explanation

• HR (Home Runs): The number of home runs allowed.
• BB (Walks): The number of walks allowed.
• HBP (Hit By Pitch): The number of batters hit by pitches.
• K (Strikeouts): The number of strikeouts.
• IP (Innings Pitched): The total innings pitched.
• Constant: The constant (usually around 3.2) adjusts the FIP scale to match the average ERA across the league.

Example Calculation

If a pitcher has allowed 10 home runs, 20 walks, 5 hit-by-pitches, 100 strikeouts, and pitched 200 innings, the FIP would be:

\[ FIP = \frac{(13 \times 10) + (3 \times (20 + 5)) - (2 \times 100)}{200} + 3.2 = 3.95
\]

Importance

FIP provides a more accurate evaluation of a pitcher’s skill than traditional stats like ERA since it excludes fielding variables.