Measuring a pitcher's earned run average, or ERA, is a way of determining how effective the pitcher is without taking other players' errors into account. ERA represents how many runs a pitcher gives up during an entire game pitched (seven innings for high school baseball, nine for all other baseball leagues), so the lower the number the better. ERA standards have varied throughout the years; as of 2009, ERAs in the low 2.00s are considered excellent, with the average typically running over 4.00.
Step 1
Compute the total number of earned runs the pitcher has given up over the period of time you'd like to compute his ERA for. Don't count any unearned runs---that is, runs made because of errors on the field. You'll also need to know how many innings the pitcher pitched during the same time period.
Step 2
Divide the number of earned runs the pitcher is charged with by the number of innings pitched.
Step 3
Multiply the result from Step 2 by 9, unless the pitcher is in high school---in that case, multiply by 7. Round the answer to two decimal places if necessary. This final answer is the ERA for the pitcher in question over the time period you gathered the statistics for.
Things You'll Need
- Calculator
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