-=> Quoting Ed Grinnell to Scott Zolnoski <=-
 EG> I've always favored a system that credits a pitching with 1/4 runs.
 EG> How this works is that if a guy pitcher leaves anyone on base, they
 EG> get "credit" for the number of bases that left the reliever. A guy on
 EG> first would count 1/4 of a run (3/4s to a reliever), one on second
 EG> would count as 1/2 a run (and 1/2 to the reliever) and anyone on third
 EG> would count as 3/4s of a run (and 1/4 of a run to the reliever). Of
 EG> course, those 1/4s would only count if that player scores. An extreme
 EG> example is if the pitcher leaves the bases loaded and the reliever
 EG> gives up a granny. This would *normally* count as 3 runs against the
 EG> first pitcher and 1 against the reliever. Under the system that I'm
 EG> talking about, the first pitcher would get *credit* for 2 runs (1/4 +
 EG> 1/2 + 3/4) and the reliever would get 2 runs (3/4 + 1/2 + 1/4 + 1). 
I think that would be much fairer, and would make reliever's ERA's mean
a little more.  After all, if a starter leaves a runner on first with two
outs and that runner scores, the reliever obviously played a major part
in that run, but takes no penalty to their stats.  Under that system,
the situation would be more accurately reflected in the stats.  Under
the current system, a reliever could blow game after game and maintain a
0.00 ERA, as long as the only runs that score were inherited baserunners!
... Gonna feel like hell tomorrow so I won't go to sleep tonight-TMJ
--- Blue Wave v2.12 [NR]
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