Should the way earned runs are given, be changed?

[jeff550]

Let's say a starting pitcher walks a batter in the top of the 7th inning, and the next batter hits a double. There are now no outs, and runners on second and third. The relief pitcher comes in and allows a single that scores both runners. He then proceeds to strike out the side.

Is it really fair to charge two runs to a reliever that simply gave up one hit?

Had he come into the inning at the top of the inning with no one on base, he wouldn't have given up any runs, just a single.

Quite simply, you can forget about it being changed. For the most part, "cheap" earned runs earned by a starter will be earned by ALL starters. It washes out in the end when you compare starting pitchers. It's not like one pitcher's ERA is going to go up a ton (compared to another) because his bullpen gives up the runs he left on base. All starting pitchers are going to have some runs score from runners left on base when they leave. You compare starters to starters, not starters to relievers, so like I said, it's a wash in the end.


David

thats why i voted no. great points broght up there

 

[nborton]

The only change that I would like to see in regard to earned runs is that a if a runner reaches base on the pitcher's error and scores, the pitcher should be responsible for an earned run.

Doesn't earned mean earned on the part of the hitting team? That's why regardless who made the error, the run is unearned because the hitter didn't actually earn his hit.

I have always thought of earned runs as runs earned off the pitcher. I figured that this is the reason ERA is associated with a pitcher rather than a team's offense.

ERA is earned runs allowed. It's only associated with the pitcher because of the allowed part. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's how I've always understood it. Which is the reason errors on the pitcher are still unearned runs.

 

[leatherman]

ERA = Earned Run Average

 

[nborton]

ERA = Earned Run Average

I just reread my post and realized it looked like I thought the A meant allowed. ::facepalm:: Not at all what I was meaning to say. It would be pretty hard to get a .4 of a run. :lol:

I meant to state that runs are allowed, not earned. The offensive team earns the run, while the defense allows them.

 

[i43770]

I voted No as well.

Most people are going talking about a situation of a starter leaving with a runner or two on in 6/7 inning and the reliever letting them score.

I thought about a starter who is getting his a** kicked. A few runs in the first, a few more in the second, and leaves with; no outs, bases loaded, losing 7-0 in the third. So the team is playing up, and a batter drops one over the SS, so why should the reliever be penalized for the starter not being able to do their job?

 

[nborton]

Something else I just thought about with the whole ERA deal is that it came about only because of relief pitching. Before RP was common place they didn't track it. The only reason they started to was the fact that RPers would come in and blow wins for guys. So they had to come up with a way of measuring how good a guy pitched outside of wins.

 

[Mighty Bombjack]

The only change that I would like to see in regard to earned runs is that a if a runner reaches base on the pitcher's error and scores, the pitcher should be responsible for an earned run.

Nah, it's solely a pitching stat, not a fielding stat