ERA Test

1. ERA 1.5 (assumes Little League game; normal length 6 innings)

2. ERA 1.75 (assumes NFHS game; normal length 7 innings)

4. ERA 2.25 (assumes NCAA game; normal length 9 innings)

3 & 3a. This one isn't easy to answer. Apparently the games have been shortened by some agreement between the coaches/managers. The computation should be determined by the number of innings that are normally played in this league. Otherwise, in games of this nature, the ERA would be artificially low. That is, using a multiplier of 5 (ERA 1.0) instead of perhaps 7 (ERA 1.4) or 9 (ERA 1.8)

Okay, I'll bite.

1. Assuming they play seven inning games, 1.75.

2. Based on seven inning games, 1.75.

3. ERA, 1.40. I'm basing this on the same thinking as college games. The Ivy league plays two doubleheaders a weekend. A seven and then a nine inning game each day. Even if the first pitcher goes all seven in the first game his stats are figured based on a nine inning game. Might not seem fair, but that's the way it is.
3a. ERA, 1.40.

4. Based on nine inning games, 2.25.

So Fungo.....what's your answer? My thought is that the ERA would be based on the innings potential (6, 7, 9 in the given answers) but I've got a sneaky suspicion you're going to say that "regardless of the level, it should be based on 9 innings"....aren't ya?

ERA is calculated based on standard game length. NFHS rules specify that you calculate high school ERA based on their standard 7-inning game. Doesn't matter if the game is shortened for any reason, any more than it would matter if you had a tie game go into extra innings. The whole idea is to figure what the pitcher gives up over the course of a standard-length game so that you can compare apples to apples from one pitcher to another.

By the same reasoning, college and pro/MLB ERA's are always calculated based on a 9-inning standard. Youth leagues use a 6-inning standard. So, three pitchers at different ages who give up the same average number of earned runs per inning will have different ERA's, with the youth pitcher having the lowest and the college or pro guy having the highest.

Well Fungo....I think we've waited long enough.