Ryan and run support

[G1911]

Originally Posted by steve B

ERA and whatever ERA+ is are only ok indicators of how effective a pitcher is.
Comparing average against, they're closer.
Ryan .203
Palmer .211
The exact same percentage of HR, Ryan had about double the percentage of strikeouts, but more walks at 12% to 9.5%

Giving up runs is a team thing, and consider how the Orioles had an excellent fielding team while the Angels had an assortment of marginal players. More errors which of course don't count towards ERA, but it's also probable they simply couldn't make some plays, allowing earned runs on non- error plays where the Orioles would have gotten an out.

How can you say ERA+ is only an okay indicator, while simultaneously saying you do not know what it is? It seems the latter is a pre-requisite to any valid judgement.

[steve B]

Originally Posted by G1911

How can you say ERA+ is only an okay indicator, while simultaneously saying you do not know what it is? It seems the latter is a pre-requisite to any valid judgement.

That's a fair criticism.
So I went and looked it up. I may have known it once but forgotten?

Anyway, it still seems just OK. Comparing ERA to the league average isn't a bad start, but omits a lot of detail in how the game is played. Especially being tied to the park factor.
I suspect many excellent pitchers are actually better than ERA+ would indicate. But I'd have to spend ours looking at how often teams facing a great pitcher made sure to have their best batters in the game compared to how many chalked it up as a loss and gave some players a rest day. (Along with how many gave star players a day off when facing a number 5 starter, not to mention left/right platooning)

And it really doesn't account for the quality of the team backing them up.