RELIEVERS: xERA, pxERA and actual ERA

This week, the column looks at some early returns for closers in terms of expected ERA (xERA), projected xERA (pxERA) vis-a-vis actual ERA to date. ERA this early in the year tends to have some errant behavior and as the year progresses, the ERA and xERA tend towards each other—and often towards the projection (pxERA). Therefore, it is good to know where a pitcher stands in all three to see where one should sell and where one should buy. Here is a chart with five current closers:

                  IP  Sv  ERA   xERA pxERA
==============   ===  == ===== ===== =====
Broxton (CIN)    5.0   4  0.00  4.16  3.83
Lindstrom (CHW) 10.0   3  2.70  5.40  3.88
Balfour (TAM)    9.7   4  1.86  4.30  3.49
Axford (CLE)     9.7   8  2.79  5.08 ...

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