Talk:Earned run average

ERA Question
What happens if a pitcher has earned runs but no outs? Infinite ERA? -- Myria 05:57, 12 Nov 2004 (UTC)


 * Yes, I believe so, due to the fact that they can only divide innings as far as individual outs, so if a pitcher is taken off the field before he can even score an out it is an Infinity ERA as long as he has given up at least one run.User:67.86.88.191


 * Technically, yes, that pitcher has an infinite ERA; although in most statistical compilations, like the Baseball Encyclopedia, they would usually just show a dash for that person's ERA. There are in fact a few MLB pitchers who have had career ERAs of infinity! (Typically someone who pitched to only one batter and, needless to say, didn't do very well.) --Russ Blau (talk) 22:49, 14 September 2005 (UTC)


 * No, the resulting ERA would not be infinite. Dividing a positive number of earned runs by zero innings pitched would result in an undefined ERA. Division by zero is considered undefined when using standard rules of arithmetic. Bill dalto 21:53, 20 October 2005 (UTC)


 * This is correct, any web site that shows an infinite ERA, is mostly the result of software mishandling zero division errors.

Less than nine innings?
What about games that aren't nine innings? I know the league I care about (high school) plays seven innings. Drjayphd 06:46, 7 April 2006 (UTC)


 * Then the formula used would be ERA = 7 x (ER/IP) --Spiff666 12:59, 5 October 2006 (UTC)

Single Season Leaders
I'm changing the season leading ERA to the live-ball ERA, which would mean that Bob Gibson has the season record with 1.12. I'm not sure why Mariano Rivera is even on there, considering Eric Gagne and John Smoltz both posted lower ERAs than Rivera as relievers.

Pitcher makes fielding error?
What happens if a pitcher makes a fielding error that allows a runner to reach base? Does that count against his ERA if that runner later scores? If anyone has a definitive answer to this question, then I think it should be added to the entry. --Spiff666 13:03, 5 October 2006 (UTC)


 * Well, here's an answer to my own question: An error made by the pitcher in fielding his position is counted the same as an error by any other player. (From MLB Rule 10.18(e)) I put this clarification in a new sentence, in the opening paragraph, along with the explanation that runners reaching base on errors do not count toward ERA if they later score. I think this basic information on what an earned run is should be stated high in the article, but I would understand if others disagree. --Spiff666 13:33, 5 October 2006 (UTC)

Pitcher Errors
Runs count as earned if the player reaches base on a balk or a wild pitch. I'm not sure about a balk, but isn't a wild pitch considered an error on a pitcher? If so, then there would be earned runs that could be contributed to a pitcher even though he himself committed the error to allow the run on base. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.118.110.255 (talk) 00:21, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

The rule book specifically states that a wild pitch is solely the pitcher's responsibility. Thus, runs scored due to wild pitches can be earned runs (unless, of course, the runner reached base on an error in the first place, or if there should have been three outs). That's one of the excuses for separating wild pitches from passed balls, to fix the responsibility for the misplay.

If a batter strikes out on a wild pitch, he'd be a potential earned run, depending upon other circumstances as described above. However, the pitcher is off the hook when a passed ball advances a runner or puts the batter on during a strikeout.WHPratt (talk) 15:35, 9 June 2009 (UTC)

All time table
Removed Bob Gibson, for some reason his single season record low ERA was at the top of a table intended for lowest ERA over a career.

ERA interpretations
I changed the paragraph into a table, as this makes it easier to read. If you don't agree, revert it. :)  J o s h  19:46, 14 April 2008 (UTC)

Who Martinez?
Article makes reference to "Martinez and Rivera" and Rivera was mentioned earlier, but is this Pedro Martinez? ;Bear (talk) 03:00, 10 August 2008 (UTC)

Neutrality in ERA and baseball era
I cleaned up the ERA and baseball era section. It read like it was pushing the favorite pitchers of some previous author(s). For example, in baseball today there are a lot more pitchers than just Greg Maddux and Pedro Martinez who have a career ERA under 4.00. Same thing with the 1920s/1930s era. I left the example pitchers, but tried to reword the text to be more neutral. I also removed discussion of a "debate" over Mariano Rivera and his "greatness," since that belongs on his page, not an article on ERA. 128.153.13.243 (talk) 20:04, 25 February 2009 (UTC)


 * These look like good edits. Thanks. BRMo (talk) 23:45, 25 February 2009 (UTC)

All Time Table - Sandy Koufax
Good Day Just wonder why Sandy Koufax is not listed: Sporting News, www.baseball-almanac.com, and Wikipeada all list his C-ERA at 2.76? Kind of throws the whole list into doubt. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 63.133.206.2 (talk) 15:16, 25 July 2011 (UTC)

Lewis?
Should the article mention Lewis, "whose first name remains mercifully unknown", and whose ERA was 60.00 ? DS (talk) 13:59, 2 January 2012 (UTC)


 * I don't think so. The E.R.A. of someone whose career only lasted 3 innings isn't really relevant or notable. Hatster301 (talk) 03:30, 3 January 2012 (UTC)

DH Hitter
The article has: "This difference between the leagues (the DH) also affects relievers, but not to the same degree, as National League relievers actually pitch to pitchers far less than do AL starters for a number of reasons, chiefly because relievers are usually active in later innings when pinch hitters tend to be used in the pitcher's batting spot." How can NL relievers pitch to pitchers less than pitchers in a league that do not pitch to hitters at all? Should the sentence not read: "...National League relievers actually pitch to pitchers far less than do NL starters for a number of reasons,..."?
 * Yeah, that's clearly a mistake that should be corrected - Hatster301 (talk) 18:35, 22 October 2012 (UTC)

Fernando Rodney
Should some mention be made of Rodney's 2012 ERA of 0.60 for the Rays, which is the lowest single season ERA for a reliever. Seems significant enough to me for it to go in the article, but I might just be biased as I am a Rays fan. Source is http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/rays/rays-closer-fernando-rodney-gets-one-out-sets-record-for-relief-era/1254734 88.111.127.238 (talk) 20:16, 17 March 2013 (UTC)


 * I just added a sentance about Rodney. I made the IP comment above ages ago and see that no-one has objected. Oxfordowl1 (talk) 21:32, 11 April 2014 (UTC)

Original research tag, Nov 2010
I am removing this tag since there is no mention of the reasons on this talk page in the ensuing 4-1/2 years. Huw Powell (talk) 01:21, 24 June 2015 (UTC)

Proposed merge of Runs per nine innings into Earned run average
One sentence definition that can be covered in the scope of "Earned run average".-- Emir of Wikipedia (talk) 21:43, 2 November 2020 (UTC)
 * ✅ Klbrain (talk) 15:18, 12 May 2021 (UTC)