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Earned Run Average
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Posted by: jilter

SOAK:
I am a Big Cubs fan........and as a 43-year old mom of three boys, I pride myself on the fact my son comes to me for his baseball questions rather than his dad. However..........
I can not explain to him exactly what an earned run is as opposed to an unearned run. I know it innately, but I can not find the words to explain it to my young inquiring child.....Any help?.........

Posted by: Satchel

Earned run (Baseball), a run which is made without the assistance of errors on the opposing side.

Posted by: Satchel

Another

Earned Run___
A run that is charged to the pitcher and is scored without the aid of an error, passed ball, obstruction, or catcher's interference.

Earned Run Average_ The average numbers of earned runs scored on a pitcher for a full nine-inning game._

Posted by: Maniacal1

To figure out whether a run is earned or not, you basically reconstruct the inning without any errors or passed balls. If, in the opinion of the official scorer, the run would not have scored, the run is unearned.

From the official rules:

EARNED RUNS
10.18
An earned run is a run for which the pitcher is held accountable. In determining earned runs, the inning should be reconstructed without the errors (which include catcher's interference) and passed balls, and the benefit of the doubt should always be given to the pitcher in determining which bases would have been reached by errorless play. For the purpose of determining earned runs, an intentional base on balls, regardless of the circumstances, shall be construed in exactly the same manner as any other base on balls. (a) An earned run shall be charged every time a runner reaches home base by the aid of safe hits, sacrifice bunts, a sacrifice fly, stolen bases, putouts, fielder's choices, bases on balls, hit batters, balks or wild pitches (including a wild pitch on third strike which permits a batter to reach first base) before fielding chances have been offered to put out the offensive team. For the purpose of this rule, a defensive interference penalty shall be construed as a fielding chance. (1) A wild pitch is solely the pitcher's fault, and contributes to an earned run just as a base on balls or a balk. (b) No run shall be earned when scored by a runner who reaches first base (1) on a hit or otherwise after his time at bat is prolonged by a muffed foul fly; (2) because of interference or obstruction or (3) because of any fielding error. (c) No run shall be earned when scored by a runner whose life is prolonged by an error, if such runner would have been put out by errorless play. (d) No run shall be earned when the runner's advance is aided by an error, a passed ball, or defensive interference or obstruction, if the scorer judges that the run would not have scored without the aid of such misplay. (e) An error by a pitcher is treated exactly the same as an error by any other fielder in computing earned runs. (f) Whenever a fielding error occurs, the pitcher shall be given the benefit of the doubt in determining to which bases any runners would have advanced had the fielding of the defensive team been errorless. (g) When pitchers are changed during an inning, the relief pitcher shall not be charged with any run (earned or unearned) scored by a runner who was on base at the time he entered the game, nor for runs scored by any runner who reaches base on a fielder's choice which puts out a runner left on base by the preceding pitcher. br /> NOTE: It is the intent of this rule to charge each pitcher with the number of runners he put on base, rather than with the individual runners. When a pitcher puts runners on base, and is relieved, he shall be charged with all runs subsequently scored up to and including the number of runners he left on base when he left the game, unless such runners are put out without action by the batter, i.e., caught stealing, picked off base, or called out for interference when a batter runner does not reach first base on the play. EXCEPTION: see example 7. EXAMPLES: (1) P1 walks A and is relieved by P2. B grounds out, sending A to second. C flies out. D singles, scoring A. Charge run to P1. (2) P1 walks A and is relieved by P2. B forces A at second. C grounds out, sending B to second. D singles, scoring B. Charge run to P1. (3) P1 walks A and is relieved by P2. B singles, sending A to third. C grounds to short, and A is out at home, B going to second. D flies out. E singles, scoring B. Charge run to P1. (4) P1 walks A and is relieved by P2. B walks. C flies out. A is picked off second. D doubles, scoring B from first. Charge run to P2. (5) P1 walks A and is relieved by P2. P2 walks B and is relieved by P3. C forces A at third. D forces B at third. E hits home run, scoring three runs. Charge one run to P1; one run to P2, one run to P3. (6) P1 walks A, and is relieved by P2, P2 walks B. C singles, filling the bases. D forces A at home. E singles, scoring B and C. Charge one run to P1 and one run to P2. (7) P1 walks A, and is relieved by P2. P2 allows B to single, but A is out trying for third. B takes second on the throw. C singles, scoring B. Charge run to P2. (h) A relief pitcher shall not be held accountable when the first batter to whom he pitches reaches first base on four called balls if such batter has a decided advantage in the ball and strike count when pitchers are changed. (1) If, when pitchers are changed, the count is 2 balls, no strike, 2 balls, 1 strike, 3 balls, no strike, 3 balls, 1 strike, 3 balls, 2 strikes, and the batter gets a base on balls, charge that batter and the base on balls to the preceding pitcher, not to the relief pitcher. (2) Any other action by such batter, such as reaching base on a hit, an error, a fielder's choice, a force out, or being touched by a pitched ball, shall cause such a batter to be charged to the relief pitcher. NOTE: The provisions of 10.18 (h) (2) shall not be construed as affecting or conflicting with the provisions of 10.18 (g). (3) If, when pitchers are changed, the count is 2 balls, 2 strikes, 1 ball, 2 strikes, 1 ball, 1 strike, 1 ball, no strike, no ball, 2 strikes, no ball, 1 strike, charge that batter and his actions to the relief pitcher. (i) When pitchers are changed during an inning, the relief pitcher shall not have the benefit of previous chances for outs not accepted in determining earned runs. NOTE: It is the intent of this rule to charge relief pitchers with earned runs for which they are solely responsible. In some instances, runs charged as earned against the relief pitcher can be charged as unearned against the team. EXAMPLES: (1) With two out, P1 walks A. B reaches base on an error. P2 relieves P1. C hits home run, scoring three runs. Charge two unearned runs to P1, one earned run to P2. (2) With two out, P1 walks A and B and is relieved by P2. C reaches base on an error. D hits home run, scoring four runs. Charge two unearned runs to P1, two unearned runs to P2. (3) With none out, P1 walks A. B reaches base on an error. P2 relieves P1. C hits home run, scoring three runs. D and E strike out. F reaches base on an error. G hits home run, scoring two runs. Charge two runs, one earned, to P1. Charge three runs, one earned, to P2.

Posted by: midas

Basically, an unearned run is any run that wouldn't have scored if an error hadn't occured. As an example, a runner reaches first on a throwing error. The next batter hits a home run. If there are less than 2 outs, one run is earned, one run is unearned since the runner on first wouldn't have been there if not for the error. If there are 2 outs, neither run is earned since the inning would have been over had the error not occured.

Another example would be a runner that is on 2nd base with less than 2 outs, then reaches third on a passed ball. If a sacrifice fly is now hit, the run is unearned. However if the next batter gets a single, the run would indeed be earned.

It's hard to find an hard and fast rule describing all this since it's really up to the official scorers decision.

EDIT: Well I guess there is a rule. But it's still the official scorer that has the final decision.

Posted by: zaknafein

Unearned runs are a bit subjective in their scoring.

Take, for instance, if a batter grounds to third, and the third basemen airmails the throw to first. If that runner eventually scores, he will be unearned. However, the official scorer could then consider any subsequent runs in that inning -- regardless if they reached as a result of a hit -- unearned. (edit: what midas said)

Posted by: smak

It is definately not as easy as it sounds.

Especially in the case of a guy being on with a hit, but getting an extra base because of an error...

If a guy singles, but gets to second on a throwing error, and the next guy doubles, would he have scored from first???

I believe that becomes up to the official scorer, to decide whether he would have scored if he was at first base without the error.

But with one out, if a guy doubles, gets to third on a bad throw, and the next guy gets an infield single scoring the guy from 3rd, that would be unearned. An outfield single probably would be earned...

It's very subjective in those type cases, maybe it's a very hard single to right and Ichiro Suzuki or Shawn Green are there with great arms, if the guy was on second, not third, maybe he doesn't even attempt to go home.

-smak-

Posted by: mbklein

Also, if a pitcher enters the game with a runner on base, and that runner scores, the run is usually charged to the pitcher who let the runner on, not the pitcher who let him score.

Posted by: JPriller

Hey, a baseball thread!

(I don't have anything to contribute, I just want to bask in the glow :))

Posted by: zaknafein

quote:
Originally posted by mbklein
Also, if a pitcher enters the game with a runner on base, and that runner scores, the run is usually charged to the pitcher who let the runner on, not the pitcher who let him score.

This is a rule I think should be changed. Inherited runners should only charge to the original pitcher if they are on in socring position. If the runner is on first, he should be charged to the reliever.

Posted by: Breacagan

If the runner is on first with no outs, this puts the reliever at a significant disadvantage. A runner on first with two outs definitely should be charged to the reliever, however.

Posted by: logic88

quote:
Originally posted by byronshock
If the runner is on first with no outs, this puts the reliever at a significant disadvantage. A runner on first with two outs definitely should be charged to the reliever, however.

Why? The inherited runner wasn't the fault of the reliever. If the batter cranks a homer, it would have only counted for only 1 run instead of 2 if the previous pitcher didn't let the runner on.

ERA is an interesting stat but not as funky as a "hold" though. :)

Posted by: jilter

Thanks guys! I love this place!

Posted by: smak

What if the error we are talking about was made by the pitcher, shouldn't that be an earned run?

-smak-

Posted by: Breacagan

I'm pretty sure that is not an earned run. ERA-padding opportunities abound. :)

Posted by: sschwart

If the pitcher makes an error that is recorded as an error (ie not a wild pitch), it is not an earned run. Silly, isn't it?

Then again, why isn't a wild pitch or a passed ball a recorded error?