From Yahoo Sports:

Sunday, Apr 6, 2008 9:09 am EDT

The new complete game: 7 innings from a starter

According to Elias Sports Bureau, the teams that get the most outings of seven or more innings from their starting pitchers have the best chance of making the playoffs. Last year, the Cleveland Indians led the majors with 71 games in which their starters went seven or more innings and they finished first in their division. The National League leaders were the Arizona Diamondbacks, with 59, and, not coincidentally, they too won their division according to New York Daily News baseball columnist Bill Madden.

With the exception of 2006, over the last five years those teams that finished first or second in the majors in starts of seven innings or more all made the playoffs. However, even those “new” complete game numbers are shrinking, as evidenced by the Yankees’ major league-leading 87 starts of seven-plus innings in 2003, to the Angels’ and Indians’ major league-leading 71 in ‘06 and ‘07, respectively.

How significant are these new-version “complete games”? Going into the weekend, there had been 19 games in which teams got seven or more innings from their starters - 13 of which resulted in victories.

Source: New York Daily News

Related: Arizona Diamondbacks, Cleveland Indians

My question to you is: Should ERA be calculated in terms of 7 inning rather than 9? 

ByrnesBlogger1

Join the discussion at The Fanster Forums. Arizona Sports 24/7.