In baseball, an earned run is any run for which the pitcher is held accountable (i.e., the run scored as a result of normal pitching, and not due to a fielding error or a passed ball). All others are unearned runs. An error made by the pitcher in fielding his position is counted the same as an error by any other player. A view of the playing field at Busch Memorial Stadium, St. ... In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances safely around all three bases and returns safely to home plate. ... A baseball pitcher delivers the ball to home plate In baseball, pitching is the act of throwing the baseball from the pitchers mound toward the catcher with the goal of retiring a batter who attempts to make contact with it, or draw a walk. ... In baseball, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or runner to reach one or more additional bases, on a play that would normally be completed successfully with ordinary effort. ... In baseball, a catcher shall be charged with a passed ball when he fails to hold or to control a legally pitched ball which should have been held or controlled with ordinary effort, thereby permitting a runner or runners to advance. ...

Earned runs are specially denoted because of their use in calculating a pitcher's earned run average – the number of earned runs allowed per 9 innings pitched. In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. ...

To determine whether a run is earned, the official scorer must reconstruct the inning as it would have occurred without the errors (for purposes of this rule, the "errors" also include passed balls). The benefit of the doubt is always given to the pitcher in determining which bases would have been reached by errorless play. In the game of baseball, the official scorer is a person appointed by the league to record the events on the field and to send this official record of the game back to the league offices. ... An innings, or inning, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably baseball and cricket – during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. ...

If no errors occur during the inning, all runs are automatically earned. In a few cases, an error can be rendered harmless while the inning is still going on. For example, a runner on first base advances to second on a passed ball. The next batter walks. Since the runner would now have been at second anyway, the passed ball no longer has any impact on the earned/unearned calculation.

A run is counted as unearned when:

• A batter reaches base on an error, and later comes around to score in that inning.
• A batter or runner advances one or more bases on an error, and the inning ends before he otherwise would have scored.
• A baserunner scores after the third out would have been made.

In the first two cases above, "on an error" includes situations where the batter makes a clean hit, but should have been out earlier in his at bat on a foul fly ball which was dropped by a fielder for an error.

While the inning is still being played, this last scenario can cause a temporary situation where a run has already scored, but its earned/unearned status is not yet certain. For example, with two outs, a runner on third base scores on a passed ball. For the time being, the run is unearned since the runner should still be at third. If the batter strikes out to end the inning, it will stay that way. If the batter gets a base hit, which would have scored the runner anyway, the run now becomes earned. The position of the third baseman Third base redirects here. ... Cincinnati Reds outfielder Adam Dunn strikes out swinging to Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz (not pictured). ... In baseball statistics, a hit (denoted by H), sometimes called a base hit, is credited to a batter when he safely reaches first base after batting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielders choice. ...

When pitchers are changed in the middle of an inning, and one or more errors have already occurred, it is possible to have a run charged as earned against a specific pitcher, but unearned to the team. The simplest example is when the defensive team records two outs and makes an error on a play that would have been the third out. A new pitcher comes into the game, and the next batter hits a home run. The runner who reached on the error comes around to score, and his run is unearned to both the prior pitcher and the team. However, the run scored by the batter is counted as earned against the relief pitcher, but unearned to the team (since there should have already been three outs). Had the team not switched pitchers, neither run would be counted as an earned run because that pitcher should have already been out of that inning. Mark McGwire swinging for the fences. ...

A pitcher is only charged with the number of runners that reached base while he was pitching. When a pitching change occurs, the new pitcher is said to "inherit" any runners that are on base at the time, and if they later score, those runs are charged (earned or unearned) to the prior pitcher. Most box scores now list inherited runners, and the number that scored, as a statistic for the relief pitcher. // Colorful term used to describe the appearance of a baseball caught in the tip of the webbing of a glove. ... In baseball, the statistical summary of a game is reported in a box score. ...

Historical differences

In the early history of major league baseball, the difference between the number of earned runs given up by a pitcher and the total number of runs given up was much more significant than today. For instance, Jim Devlin in 1876 pitched 66 complete games (662 innings pitched) with a 1.56 ERA but managed to record only five shutouts. The seeming discrepancy comes from the difference in the number of allowed runs (309) versus earned runs (108). Jim Devlin James Alexander Devlin (June 6, 1849 - October 10, 1883) was one of the best young pitchers in the early National League. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 1876 throughout the world. ... In baseball, a complete game (denoted by CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game himself, without the benefit of a relief pitcher. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

External links

• Major League Baseball Rule 10.16 - Determining Earned Runs

See also

• Baseball statistics
• Earned run average
• Run average