Should this have been an earned run?

[Heroesandvillains]

Top of the 7th. A.J. Burnett on the mound. 2-1 Baltimore.

The first batter flies out. 1 down.

I walk the second hitter. Runner on first.

The third batter hits a ground ball to second. I try to turn the double play and get out of the inning, but Cano overthrows Jeter and the ball ends up in left field. The play is ruled an "E4." The runner advances to third on the error. Now it's 1st and 3rd, still 1 out.

Enter Damaso Marte to face the lefty, Nick Markakis. He walks. Bases loaded, still 1 out.

David Robertson comes in and promptly forces in the runner from third with a bases loaded walk. Based STILL loaded. Still 1 out.

The next batter strikes out. Bases loaded, 2 outs.

The final batter fouls out. The inning ends. 3-1 Baltimore.

When I checked the box score, the error IS indeed charged to Cano...no hit is ruled on the play.

Burnett's line: 3 earned runs, 4 hits, 6 k...what!?

Now, I understand that you can NEVER assume the double play. But, the call on the field was an E4. Not single;E4.

The runner that scored only advanced to third because of the error. The ruling of the play ASSUMED that the runner would NOT have been safe if the throw had been made properly.

Should this have been ruled an earned run?

[bobeureally27]

Tough call. It probably shouldn't be an earned run. The run was forced in with a walk. That walk would have simply loaded the bases (no run scoring) if there had been no error.

The ruling is correct by charging Cano with an error. Don't assume the double play, correct. But, his wild throw allowed all runners to be safe and no out was recorded. So that is clearly an error.

[Zezoina]

I think it is earned because the runner that crossed the plate was in play via the walk but if the runner who reached in by the E4 crossed the plate would have been an unearned run.

[arsenal123gunners]

Quote: Originally Posted by Zezoina

I think it is earned because the runner that crossed the plate was in play via the walk but if the runner who reached in by the E4 crossed the plate would have been an unearned run.

Correct, because the runner that scored didn't reach base on the error

[Heroesandvillains]

Quote: Originally Posted by Zezoina

I think it is earned because the runner that crossed the plate was in play via the walk but if the runner who reached in by the E4 crossed the plate would have been an unearned run.

Right. The runner that scored reached base via the walk.

This runner, based on the official ruling on field, only reached third via the throwing error. I guess the question is, if the runner had NOT advanced to third on the errant throw, would his run have been earned? I think no.

Therefore, simply advancing on the bad throw should NOT make the run earned. Right? The only way for this to result in an earned run would have been if the play had been ruled: single, E4 (the error resulting on the runner taking third).

Can someone confirm or refute this ruling? Burnett's ERA is already high enough. He pitched pretty well this time out. Not that there's much I can do about it now.

[countryboy]

Earned/non-earned runs are determined by how the runner reaches base, not by what happens while he's on the bases.

[Heroesandvillains]

Quote: Originally Posted by countryboy

Earned/non-earned runs are determined by how the runner reaches base, not by what happens while he's on the bases.

Okay, that sounds good. It sucks, but that seems right because that's exactly what happened.

Even when I scatter 4 hits over 6 1/3 with him, I can't bring his ERA down.

[fullmetal2405]

Quote: Originally Posted by countryboy

Earned/non-earned runs are determined by how the runner reaches base, not by what happens while he's on the bases.

I believe there is one exception. Say there's two outs, grounder to second, second baseman air mails it into the seats behind first. Since the error is the reason the inning continued, I BELIEVE that any runs after that are considered unearned.

But in the OP's case, yes it should be earned because the batter reached on a walk.