Is it possible for a team to have zero earned runs charged against its ERA but a pitcher on that team to have an earned run charged against him?

Yes, it is.

 

One example ... a starting pitcher leaves the game after his team loads the bases with three errors. The next pitcher comes in and gives up a grand slam. The first three runs are unearned because, if the defense had made the plays, the inning would have been over. The relief pitcher's run is earned ... his ERA can't "benefit" from the errors committed behind his predecessor.

Yes, it is.

 

One example ... a starting pitcher leaves the game after his team loads the bases with three errors. The next pitcher comes in and gives up a grand slam. The first three runs are unearned because, if the defense had made the plays, the inning would have been over. The relief pitcher's run is earned ... his ERA can't "benefit" from the errors committed behind his predecessor.

 

Is the 4th run (the reliever's) charged against the team?

Yes, it is unearned ... for the team. For the pitcher, it's an earned run.

Yes, it is unearned ... for the team. For the pitcher, it's an earned run.

 

Correct. I was unaware of this until I read something this morning. I knew the runs were unearned but I thought they were unearned against the relief pitcher as well. I always thought that was sort of a free pass to the reliever.

It would also be unearned. The team should had been out of the inning. No earned runs .

It would also be unearned. The team should had been out of the inning. No earned runs .

 

Not for the pitcher it's not. He gets charged with an earned run.

Correct. I was unaware of this until I read something this morning. I knew the runs were unearned but I thought they were unearned against the relief pitcher as well. I always thought that was sort of a free pass to the reliever.

 

I wouldn't see it as a free pass. Come in out of the bullpen with the bases loaded. No room for mistakes. You can't nibble around the strike zone or you walk a run in. The batter knows you have to throw strikes and the Bottom line.....The reliever shouldn't even be in the game if the defense had done their job. Free pass? I don't think so.

I wouldn't see it as a free pass. Come in out of the bullpen with the bases loaded. No room for mistakes. You can't nibble around the strike zone or you walk a run in. The batter knows you have to throw strikes and the Bottom line.....The reliever shouldn't even be in the game if the defense had done their job. Free pass? I don't think so.

 

 

I was not clear in what I meant.

 

In my incorrect assumption about the credited earned runs, I assumed that once there "should have been" 3 outs that ALL runs after that were unearned. So, in my incorrect thinking, I assumed that at that point, it did not matter what the reliever did (ie 5 home runs) as all runs would be unearned, thus, the "free pass" comment.

I was not clear in what I meant.

 

In my incorrect assumption about the credited earned runs, I assumed that once there "should have been" 3 outs that ALL runs after that were unearned. So, in my incorrect thinking, I assumed that at that point, it did not matter what the reliever did (ie 5 home runs) as all runs would be unearned, thus, the "free pass" comment.

 

Ok. I'm with you now. And I agree.