High ERA

dk31621 · 08-16-2017, 05:28 AM

In the a.l. Major league quick start. AL Era is 4.68 half way through the season. 2017 it was 4.13 2018 was 4.60 2019 was 4.64 2020 was 4.55. NL 2017 was 3.98 2018 was 4.32 2019 was 4.15 2020 was 4.14 2021 was 4.19. The AL seems to be getting higher while the NL is not. I am managing the Mariners, and the elite starter are all around 4. era.

4+ years is pretty good sample size. Anyone else notice anything like this?

Danius · 08-16-2017, 06:31 AM

It hasn't been my experience. There could be a few changes to the leagues over time that has sparked this; more elite starters moving from the AL to the NL and not so many moving the other way (to the AL), more elite hitters moving to the AL and not so many moving to the NL, the influx of new talent coming into the league is much better in the AL than in the NL, or even aging pitching in the AL compared to the NL. Even a slight combination of all four could have a large effect.
Historically, since the DH came into play, the NL has always had a lower ERA (because pitchers get to pitch to pitchers every 9th at bat). Weirdly enough, this year (in real life) they are almost identical. This has been coming for a few years (getting closer and closer between the leagues), and this year, it's come full circle. Logic says that it will normalize at some point (back to the ERA in the AL being about 0.25 points higher than the NL), but for now, it appears we are riding an anomaly. These things happen in baseball (history says so), and it's not always apparent why, at least not to the naked eye.

ohiodevil · 08-16-2017, 08:51 AM

Did you enable League Evolution by chance?

08-16-2017, 05:28 AM	#1
dk31621 Bat Boy Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 6	High ERA In the a.l. Major league quick start. AL Era is 4.68 half way through the season. 2017 it was 4.13 2018 was 4.60 2019 was 4.64 2020 was 4.55. NL 2017 was 3.98 2018 was 4.32 2019 was 4.15 2020 was 4.14 2021 was 4.19. The AL seems to be getting higher while the NL is not. I am managing the Mariners, and the elite starter are all around 4. era. 4+ years is pretty good sample size. Anyone else notice anything like this?

08-16-2017, 06:31 AM	#2
Danius Minors (Double A) Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Northern Indiana, USA Posts: 121	It hasn't been my experience. There could be a few changes to the leagues over time that has sparked this; more elite starters moving from the AL to the NL and not so many moving the other way (to the AL), more elite hitters moving to the AL and not so many moving to the NL, the influx of new talent coming into the league is much better in the AL than in the NL, or even aging pitching in the AL compared to the NL. Even a slight combination of all four could have a large effect. Historically, since the DH came into play, the NL has always had a lower ERA (because pitchers get to pitch to pitchers every 9th at bat). Weirdly enough, this year (in real life) they are almost identical. This has been coming for a few years (getting closer and closer between the leagues), and this year, it's come full circle. Logic says that it will normalize at some point (back to the ERA in the AL being about 0.25 points higher than the NL), but for now, it appears we are riding an anomaly. These things happen in baseball (history says so), and it's not always apparent why, at least not to the naked eye.

08-16-2017, 08:51 AM	#3
ohiodevil OOTP Roster Team Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Rocky River, Ohio Posts: 2,442	Did you enable League Evolution by chance?