Pitching is considered to be the dominant factor in baseball. One of the most well-known sayings about the game is that "pitching is 80 percent of baseball." While great hitters have been known get hits against the best pitchers, the prevailing opinion is that when pitchers put the ball where they want it to go, they are going to get the better of hitters the majority of the time. Sometimes, however, the fielders will not do their part — making errors on plays that they should make, which can lead to unearned runs.
Earned Runs Formula
Earned-run average (ERA) is one of the primary ways pitchers are judged. If a pitcher gives up three runs in nine innings on the mound and all of those runs are the result of hits or walks, and not errors, he has given up three earned runs. That will give him an ERA of 3.00. That means that he gives up three earned runs per nine innings pitched. If the pitcher gave up the three runs in the first three innings and then had been removed from the game by his manager, his ERA would be 9.00. Since he gave up one run per inning pitched, the formula extrapolates those statistics to show how many runs he would have given up over a complete nine-inning game.
Unearned Runs
If a pitcher retires the first two batters of an inning, and the third batter hits a ground ball to shortstop, the pitcher can reasonably expect to be out of the inning if the shortstop picks up the ball and makes an adequate throw to first base to retire the batter. However, if the shortstop makes an error and the batter reaches base, the inning continues. If the team at bat is able to take advantage of that error and score runs, those runs are not deemed to be "earned." The pitcher is not charged with any of the runs that may result, because his teammate should have made the play in the field that would have resulted in the third out. While the pitcher has done his job, he cannot point the finger at his teammate and relax. He must try to get what should have been a fourth out if he wants to keep his team from giving up runs. The mature pitcher knows that that same teammate may have made a play at a another point, taking away a sure base hit from an opponent with a diving catch or a great throw.
Earned Runs After Error
If errors allow the batting team to remain on offense when it should have been retired, the pitcher is not liable for those runs being scored. However, if the manager brings in a relief pitcher after what should have been the third out, the new pitcher is responsible for any new base runners who eventually score. If a relief pitcher comes in with two out and one runner on base who reached on an error, he is not responsible for that base runner. However, if the next four batters all get hits, and the fourth of those batters hits a home run, he has given up four earned runs that inning. The fifth run does not count against the previous pitcher or the relief pitcher.
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