[w_sohl]

forget the word effective. If a reliever comes into a game no later than the seventh inning if the visitor and sixth if the home with a lead, I don't care if it is 5-1 or 25-1, as long as the lead is not relinquieshed he is credited with a save. If fewer than three innings with the lead the lead has to be equal to or less than the number of baserunners and batters to be faced by such reliever. For example, Troy Percival comes into a game in the ninth inning up 1-0, all he has to do is hold the lead and face at least one batter to record a save. Same sitch except they now lead 5-0, if there is nooone on base all he can face is three batters which cannot tie or take the lead (you cannot pitch yourself into a save sitchuation) if there are at least two baserunners the baserunners plus the batters equal five therefore a tie can happen and this is a save sitchuation. Any questions or anything you don't understand just ask. This is the way I understand the save stat and I am pretty sure this is exactly correct.