ERA is a horrible stat to use when evaluation pitchers so why even use it?
ERA, RBI, runs, wins, etc. are all crap statistics that you shouldn't be using for experience analysis and projections. You say well those stats are deceiving and the rest of us are saying yeah nobody uses those. It's a straw man.
Yeah, for pitching ERA is tough at the young ages. Strike %, walks, first pitch strikes are much better. And just watching the game of course.