Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP)

Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) is a pitching statistic that estimates a pitcher's performance based on the outcomes they can directly control, such as strikeouts, walks, and home runs. It removes the influence of teammates' fielding and luck, providing a clearer picture of a pitcher’s effectiveness. FIP focuses on these core factors because they are less affected by defensive errors and random events from the game. A lower FIP indicates better performance, suggesting the pitcher is likely to prevent runs effectively regardless of external factors.