Batting Average CalculatorERA Calculator – Earned Run AverageFielding Percentage CalculatorMagic Number CalculatorOn Base Percentage CalculatorSlugging Percentage CalculatorWHIP Calculator for BaseballWAR Calculator (Wins Above Replacement)FIP Calculator (Fielding Independent Pitching)

What is FIP?

FIP, or Fielding Independent Pitching, is a key statistic in baseball that evaluates a pitcher’s performance based on factors they can control, such as home runs, walks, hit by pitch, and strikeouts. It eliminates external variables like defensive plays and luck, providing a more accurate measure of a pitcher’s effectiveness.

Key Terms in FIP Calculation:

  • Home Run (HR): When a batter hits the ball and successfully circles all bases without defensive errors.
  • Walk (BB): Awarded when a batter takes four pitches outside the strike zone.
  • Hit by Pitch (HBP): Occurs when a batter is hit by a pitched ball, granting them first base.
  • Strikeout (K): Happens when a batter accumulates three strikes during their at-bat.
  • Innings Pitched (IP): The number of innings a pitcher completes, measured by the number of batters faced.

Using the FIP Calculator:

  1. Choose Constant: Decide if you want to use a standard constant or calculate it based on current league statistics.
  2. Input League Stats: If calculating the constant, provide league ERA, home runs, walks, hit by pitch, strikeouts, and innings pitched.
  3. FIP Calculation: Input the pitcher’s stats for home runs, walks, hit by pitch, strikeouts, and innings pitched.
  4. Get FIP: The calculator will return the Fielding Independent Pitching value.

FIP Formula:

FIP=IP(13×HR)+(3×(BB+HBP))−(2×K)​+FIP constant

Calculating the Constant:

ERA−(13×league HR)+(3×(league BB+league HBP))−(2×league K)league IPFIPconstant=league ERA−league IP(13×league HR)+(3×(league BB+league HBP))−(2×league K)​

Example Calculation:

Given a pitcher with 21 home runs, 55 walks, 13 hit by pitch, 235 strikeouts, and 145 innings pitched, using the 2019 league constant of 3.214:

FIP=145(13×21)+(3×(55+13))−(2×235)​+3.214=3.26

Why Use FIP?

FIP is a powerful metric for assessing a pitcher’s performance, focusing solely on their skills and providing valuable insights for improvement. While not flawless, it’s one of the most accurate ways to analyze a player’s abilities, making it a crucial tool for players, coaches, and fans.

Conclusion:

Understanding and calculating FIP gives a nuanced view of a pitcher’s effectiveness, helping individuals and teams make informed decisions for training and game strategy.

Discover related metrics in our WHIP calculator and slugging percentage calculator.