ERA Calculation

Take the total earned runs given up this season, then divided by the total innings pitched for the season (the last game would be zero innings), multiply by seven (if HS), or nine (if college).

Straightforward.

Don't give up on him. Help him laugh it off. Confidence is important in sports, but nowhere more so than for a pitcher.

Thanks Texan. Although the experience brought both of us nearly to tears at the field, we did get a good laugh on the drive home talking about just how ugly it got. The coach gave him a nice pep talk after the game and made it clear he still believed in my son. He is learning that being the so called 'ace" on the high school team is not an easy job. He gets all the tough assignments.

We both know he's got allot of talent and all we had to do was look at several great pitchers in the MLB that got killed in the first week of the season to know that this stuff just happens sometimes. Spring break will give him some much needed time away from actual games to work in the bull pen to get his accuracy and confidence back.

DG
With a lefty son pitching in college, I closely track my son's ERA. As you can imagine, I love this topic.

A great lesson for your son, follow Okland A's Barry Zito.
On opening day 4/4/06 vs them dang Yankees, Zito posted the following:
1.1 IP, 7 ERs, ERA 47.25
As of today,
14.1 IP, ERA 7.53

My son finished his college freshman year at a DIII with a 1.48 ERA. During this his sophomore season, he was on track to match that when he had a finger, on throwing hand, slammed in a sliding glass door a week before conference play started. His first three game starts following his FREAK injury took his ERA up to 5.51.
Conference Week 1: 1.1 innings, 2 earned runs.
Conference Week 2: 6 innings, 4 earned runs & lost.
Conference Week 3: 7 innings, 9 earned runs & won.
He has since brought it down to a respectable 3.28 ERA & with the end of conference play near, but potential post season play, there may be opportunity for further movement; down or up.

In closing, having you and your son laugh it off, was great therapy. There are way too many factors that go into an ERA to FREAK out about. An ERA is just another number. The true story is what stories make up the season's ERA.
Ask Zito.
Ask D-Ruck.
You and your son will have many stories of your own.

Thanks Southpaw Pop.

PS: I'm a southpaw pop too.

Only a bad coach would give up on your son after one bad outing. He just has to move on, everyone has a bad day.