Points League Question

[elpibes]

Hello everyone. I know most of you don't like points leagues, but I have a question regardless. There is a bit of debate in my head-to-head league about pitcher's points. Right now we have the following point system for pitching:

Walks Issued (Pitchers) -1
Blown Saves -3.5
Complete Games 5
Earned Runs -1
Hits Allowed -0.5
Home Runs Allowed -0.5
Innings 2
Strikeouts (Pitcher) 1
Losses -5
No-Hitters 5
Perfect Games 10
Pick Offs 1
Saves 7
Shutouts 5
Wins 10


Should there be minus points for losses? My opinion is that starting pitchers already get hit for runs, walks, and hits allowed. Should a pitcher get minus points for losses when their team possibly only score 1-2 runs and they pitched a great game? Is penalizing a closer for blowing a lead -3.5 devalue a closer to nothing?

A person in our league made the following comment: "why are we penalizing for blown saves? ...relievers will be devalued out of existence. "

Thanks for your input.

[Jackie Treehorn]

Question 1: If you want the most realism reflected in scoring, yes, count losses.

Question 2: Penalizing blown saves adds realism, and really the top closers are probably only going to blow a handful of games each year while the lesser closers will blow more meaning the scoring system will clearly separate good closers from average ones while still leaving value to the top guys at that position.

In general, my experience in point leagues has been that you want to try to create a scoring system that makes pitchers and hitters roughly equal. The true studs will still stand out and be more valuable (RJ, Bonds, Vlad, A-Rod, etc). The best way to evaluate the scoring system is to figure up what a bunch of players would have had last year based on the system and see what you come up with.

[TheRock]

Hell yes you count losses. Same argument could be made for wins. Ever seen a closer blow a lead in the top of the 9th, then get the win because his team bails him out in the bottom? If you count wins and saves, you count losses and blown saves. None are ALWAYS in the pitcher's control but the good ones will be pretty consistent in the end.