ERA formula

2002 OBR Rule 10.22(e) Pitcher's earned run average, multiply the total earned runs charged against his pitching by 9, and divide the result by the total number of innings he pitched. NOTE: Earned run average shall be calculated on the basis of total innings pitched including fractional innings. EXAMPLE: 9 1/3 innings pitched and 3 earned runs is an earned run average of 2.89 (3 ER times 9 divided by 9 1/3 equals 2.89).

Since LL Inc no longer includes rule 10, I had to go find an old book.

1996 LL Inc Rule 10.21(e) Pitcher's earned run average, multiply the total earned runs charged against said pitcher by 6, and divide the result by the total number of innings the pitcher pitched.

In HS 7 innings are used.

Now comes my standard question when I hear about ERA. Why are you calculating them at all?

I'm not saying don't do it, because I happen to believe that keeping stats and showing them to the players helps them set goals and try to reach them. I also happen to believe a coach should as many different stats as he has the time to properly analyze in context with each other. But the best reason is, because they are fun to look at and in reality, baseball is really nothing more than statistics.

I really haven't ever seen a youth "league" that kept ERA's. I think its because the logistics are too cumbersome and scoring is too inconsistent. Usually, a team will do that for a coach's purposes, but not on a league wide basis.

Personally, the more I work with different stats, I'm finding ERA is actually one of the worst ways to determine a pitcher's success relative to other pitchers. If you saw the two stats I posted about the LLWS pitchers, I can look at those things and make as good or better an assessment about a pitcher than by using ERA exclusively.

The problem with stats is, there comes a point where you run into paralysis by analysis. Without the time to really analyze them, the stats really mean nothing.

Take this for an example: You look at a list of 10 pitchers, the top 3 all have an ERA of 4.00 and you have to pick one to throw. its a tossup right? Wrong!

P1 gives up 4 runs every 9 innings, but its a run here and a run there on singles, SB's and sacrifices. P2 gives up 2 HR's every 9 innings and P3 walks 8 batters a game and throws 6 WP's every 9 innings.

I'm not saying that you, as a coach wouldn't realize the difference. But, mom and dad who only show up for the games when their boy pitches won't get it. And, people looking at lists of pitcher's ERA's from a league won't get it either.

Sorry for the long answer. Am going through tying withdrawal the last few days since the BB has slowed down on the big arguments. LOL