[teejers1]

In my opinion, ERA is not a good stat to use to determine the effectiveness of a reliever.  

For example, if they come into a game with a couple guys on, give up two runs but close out the inning, they post a 0.00 ERA but do not do their job. A better stat is % of base runners inherited who score.  

Also, because they don’t pitch a lot of innings, one bad outing can skew their stats unfavorably.  For example, pitcher X gives up 5 runs in a third of an inning followed by perfect performances over the next ten games totaling 8 innings.  His ERA is 5.40 but his record is 0-1 with 10 saves.  

Conversely, pitcher Y gives up three runs in three games (1 inning pitched in each game), costing his team three losses.  Otherwise, he is fine over the next eight games, pitching 8 innings beautifully.  His ERA is 2.45 but his record is 0-3 with eight saves.  

I’ll take pitcher X every time……

In this day and age, closers (almost by definition) do not have inherited runners to worry about.  If it's a save situation, they start the ninth.  So ERAs for closers is not a bad indicator, even though we all "get" the blowup outing can kill an ERA.  To me, good closers are dominant - meaning hitters know what's coming and still can't do much about it. Just don't see McGee in that category.

[teejers1]

In my opinion, ERA is not a good stat to use to determine the effectiveness of a reliever.  

For example, if they come into a game with a couple guys on, give up two runs but close out the inning, they post a 0.00 ERA but do not do their job. A better stat is % of base runners inherited who score.  

Also, because they don’t pitch a lot of innings, one bad outing can skew their stats unfavorably.  For example, pitcher X gives up 5 runs in a third of an inning followed by perfect performances over the next ten games totaling 8 innings.  His ERA is 5.40 but his record is 0-1 with 10 saves.  

Conversely, pitcher Y gives up three runs in three games (1 inning pitched in each game), costing his team three losses.  Otherwise, he is fine over the next eight games, pitching 8 innings beautifully.  His ERA is 2.45 but his record is 0-3 with eight saves.  

I’ll take pitcher X every time……

In this day and age, closers (almost by definition) do not have inherited runners to worry about.  If it's a save situation, they start the ninth.  So ERAs for closers is not a bad indicator, even though we all "get" the blowup outing can kill an ERA.  To me, good closers are dominant - meaning hitters know what's coming and still can't do much about it. Just don't see McGee in that category.