Stat of the Day - 2009 ERA+ leaders

Tue May 12, 2009 4:58 PM EDT

Greinke blows away the field.

1. Zack Greinke - 905
2. Johan Santana - 559
3. Johnny Cueto - 289
4. Dan Haren - 255
5. Wandy Rodriguez - 231
6. Jair Jurrjens - 216
7. Mark Buehrle - 190
8. Josh Johnson - 185
9. Edwin Jackson - 185
10. Jered Weaver - 181
11. Joe Saunders - 180
12. Erik Bedard - 180

13. Chad Billingsley - 176
14. Matt Cain - 171
15. Jarrod Washburn - 170
16. Tim Wakefield - 170
17. Kevin Millwood - 162
18. Aaron Harang - 157
19. Dallas Braden - 157
20. Zach Duke - 151

- ERA+ is a pitcher's ERA, adjusted for ballpark, compared to the league ERA. A league-average starter in a league-average ballpark would come out at 100.

- Last among qualified pitchers if Seattle's Chris Jakubauskas, who comes out at 59 with his 7.67 ERA. That's the difference between Safeco Field and U.S. Cellular: Jose Contreras has an 8.19 ERA, but his ERA+ is 60. Jamie Moyer (61), Scott Olsen (64) and Bronson Arroyo (65) complete the bottom five.

- To put the current numbers of Greinke and Santana in perspective, Cliff Lee was the major league leaguer in ERA+ last year and he came in at 175. The last pitcher to finish above 200 was Roger Clemens in 2005 at 226. Pedro Martinez's 291 mark in 2000 is the highest ERA+ since 1900. He's the only "active" pitcher to have a 200 season and he's done it five times. Greg Maddux did it twice.

- Defense isn't accounted for in ERA+, so the Mariners starters and Zach Duke are likely being overrated. Also, unearned runs don't have any say in the numbers. Santana and Jackson have both given up four apiece, while Braden has allowed three.

- 17 of the 20 pitchers above have WHIPs under 1.20. The three who don't are Harang (1.24), Cain (1.34) and Braden (1.40).

— Filed under: sports, zack-greinke, stat-of-the-day

Bill312

ERA+ is a pitcher's ERA, adjusted for ballpark, compared to the league ERA. A league-average starter in a league-average ballpark would come out at 100.

Well, theoretically, a league-average starter in ANY ballpark should come out at 100, right?

...and relievers are generally "better" on a per-batter basis than starters, so isn't a league-average starter more like 95 or 97 or something? I know, splitting hairs...

#1 - Tue May 12, 2009 5:39 PM EDT

Matthew Pouliot

Well, theoretically, a league-average starter in ANY ballpark should come out at 100, right?

Yes. That probably wasn't the best way for me to put it. A league-average starter should come out at 100 whether he's in Arlington or Petco.

and relievers are generally "better" on a per-batter basis than starters, so isn't a league-average starter more like 95 or 97 or something? I know, splitting hairs...

This is NBC, not Baseball Prospectus. Let's stick with the baby steps.

But that is absolutely correct. The average reliever is better than the average starter, and the starting pitchers are being compared to pitchers as a whole.

#1.1 - Tue May 12, 2009 5:54 PM EDT

Matthew PouliotDeleted

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