Statistics are very important to baseball, perhaps more than any other sport. Since the flow of baseball has natural breaks to it, the game lends itself to easy record keeping and statistics. This makes comparisons between players on field performance relatively easy, and therefore gives statistics about baseball more importance than in most other sports. Statistics have been kept for professional baseball since the creation of each league. Many statistics are even available from outside of Major League Baseball from leagues such as the National Association and there are even some statistics available for the ***** Leagues.
Contents [hide]
1 Development of statistics
2 Use of statistics
3 Commonly used statistics
3.1 Batting statistics
3.2 Baserunning statistics
3.3 Pitching statistics
3.4 Fielding statistics
3.5 General statistics
3.6 Good statistics
4 See also
5 References / Resources
5.1 Cited
5.2 General
6 Other terminology
[edit] Development of statistics
The practice of keeping records of the achievements of the players was started in the 19th century by Henry Chadwick.[1] Chadwick devised the predecessors to modern day statistics such as batting average, runs scored, and runs allowed based on his experience of cricket.
Traditionally, statistics like batting average for batters (the number of hits divided by the number of at bats) and earned run average (approximately the number of runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings) have governed the statistical world of baseball. However, the recent advent of sabermetrics has brought about an onslaught of new statistics. These statistics are designed to be a better gauge of player's performance and contributions to his team from year to year.
Comprehensive, historical baseball statistics were difficult for the average fan to access until 1951, when researcher Hy Turkin published "The Complete Encyclopedia of Baseball". In 1969, MacMillan Publishing printed its first Baseball Encyclopedia, using a computer to compile stats for the first time. "Big Mac" became the standard baseball reference until 1988, when Total Baseball was released by Warner Books, using even more sophisticated technology. Interestingly, this work led to the discovery of several players who didn't belong in official record books. Several of these "phantom ballplayers", like Lou Proctor, were expelled from the record books.[2]
[edit] Use of statistics
General managers and baseball scouts study player statistics in order to make decisions on the abilities of players. Managers, catchers and pitchers study statistics of batters on opposing teams to figure out how best to pitch to them and position the players on the field. Managers and batters study opposing pitchers to figure out how best to hit against them. Managers often base their personnel decisions during the game on statistics, such as choosing who to put in the lineup, or which relief pitcher to bring in.
Throughout much of modern baseball, several core statistics have been traditionally used. Batting average, RBIs, and home runs are the most commonly referenced batting statistics. To this day, a player who leads the league in these three statistics is referred to as the "Triple Crown" winner. For pitchers, wins, ERA, and strikeouts are the most often cited traditional statistics. A pitcher that manages to lead the league in these statistics is also referred to as a "Triple Crown" winner.
Some sabermetric statistics have entered the mainstream baseball world. Among statistics that measure a batter's overall performance, On-base plus slugging (OPS) is one of the easiest to calculate. It adds the hitter's on base percentage (number of times reached base—by any means—divided by total plate appearances) to his slugging percentage (total bases divided by at bats). Some argue that the OPS formula is flawed and that more weight should be shifted towards OBP (on base percentage).[2]
OPS is also useful when determining a pitcher's level of success. 'Opponent On-base Plus Slugging' (OOPS) is becoming a popular way to evaluating a pitcher's actual performance. When analyzing a pitcher's statistics, some useful categories to consider include K/9IP (strikeouts per nine innings), K/BB (strikeouts per walk), HR/9, WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) and OOPS (opponent on-base plus slugging).
However, since 2001, more emphasis has been placed on Defense-Independent Pitching Statistics. These statistics, such as Defense-Independent ERA (dERA), attempt to evaluate a pitcher according to those events governed solely by the pitcher's performance, regardless of the strength of the defensive players behind him.
Also important are all of the above statistics in certain in-game situations. For example, a certain hitter's ability to hit left-handed pitchers might incline a manager to give him more chances to face lefties. Other hitters may have a history of success against a given pitcher (or vice versa), and the manager may use this information to engineer a favorable matchup.
[edit] Commonly used statistics
Most of these terms also apply to softball. Commonly used statistics with their abbreviations are explained here. The explanations below are for quick reference and do not fully or completely define the statistic; for the strict definition, see the corresponding article for each statistic.
[edit] Batting statistics
1B - Single - hits on which the batter reached first base safely without the contribution of a fielding error.
2B - Double - hits on which the batter reached second base safely without the contribution of a fielding error.
3B - Triple - hits on which the batter reached third base safely without the contribution of a fielding error.
AB - At bat - Batting appearances, not including bases on balls, hit by pitch, sacrifices, interference, or obstruction
AB/HR At bats per home run - at bats divided by home runs
BA - Batting average (also abbreviated AVG) - hits divided by at bats
BB - Base on balls (also called a "walk") - times receiving four balls and advancing to first base
BB/K - Walk-to-strikeout ratio - number of base on balls divided by number of strikeouts
XBH - Extra base hits - doubles plus triples plus home runs
FC - Fielder's choice - times reaching base when a fielder chose to try for an out on another runner
AO/GO - Ground ball fly ball ratio - number of ground ball outs divided by number of fly ball outs
GDP or GIDP - Ground into double play - number of ground balls hit that became double plays
GPA - Gross Production Average - 1.8 times on-base percentage plus slugging percentage, divided by four
GS - Grand Slam - a home run with the bases loaded, resulting in four runs scoring, and four RBI credited to the batter.
H - Hits - times reached base because of a batted, fair ball without error by the defense
HBP - Hit by pitch - times touched by a pitch and awarded first base as a result
HR - Home runs - hits on which the batter successfully touched all four bases, without the contribution of a fielding error.
IBB - Intentional base on balls A base on balls (see BB above) deliberately thrown by the pitcher. Also known as IW (intentional walk).
K - Strike out - number of times that strike three is taken or swung at and missed, or bunted foul
LOB - Left on base - number of runners not out nor scored at the end of an inning.
OBP - On base percentage - times reached base (H + BB + HBP) divided by at bats plus walks plus hit by pitch plus sacrifice flies (AB + BB + HBP + SF).
OPS - On-base plus slugging - on-base percentage plus slugging average
PA - Plate appearance - number of completed batting appearances
RC - Runs created - statistic that attempts to measure how many runs a player has contributed to his team
RBI - Run batted in - number of runners who scored due to a batters's action, except when batter grounded into double play or reached on an error
SF - Sacrifice fly - number of fly ball outs to the outfield which allow a runner already on base to score
SH - Sacrifice hit - number of sacrifice bunts which allows another runner to advance on the basepaths or score
SLG - Slugging average - total bases divided by at-bats
TA - Total average - total bases, plus walks, plus steals, divided by plate appearances plus caught stealing
TB - Total bases - one for each single, two for each double, three for each triple, and four for each home run
TOB - Times on base - times reaching base as a result of hits, walks, and hit-by-pitches
[edit] Baserunning statistics
CS - Caught stealing - times tagged out while attempting to steal a base
SB - Stolen base - number of bases advanced other than on batted balls, walks, or hits by pitch
R - Runs scored - times reached home base legally and safely
[edit] Pitching statistics
BB - Base on balls (also called a "walk") - times pitching four balls, allowing the batter-runner to advance to first base
BB/9 - Base on balls times nine divided by innings pitched (Bases on balls per 9 innings pitched)
BF - Total batters faced - opponent's total plate appearances
BK - Balk - number of times pitcher commits an illegal pitching action or other illegal action while in contact with the pitching rubber, thus allowing baserunners to advance
BS - Blown save - number of times entering the game in a save situation, and being charged the run which ties the game.
CERA - Component ERA - an estimate of a pitcher's ERA based upon the individual components of his statistical line (K, H, 2B, 3B, HR, BB, HBP)
CG - Complete game - number of games where player was the only pitcher for his team
DICE - Defense-Independent Component ERA - an estimate of a pitcher's ERA based upon the defense-independent components of his statistical line (K, HR, BB, HBP)
ER - Earned run - number of runs that did not occur as a result of errors or passed balls
ERA - Earned run average - earned runs times innings in a game (usually nine) divided by innings pitched
G - Games (aka 'Appearances') - number of times a pitcher pitches in a season
GF - Games finished - number of games pitched where player was the final pitcher for his team
G/F - Ground ball fly ball ratio - ground balls allowed divided by fly balls allowed
GS - Starts - number of games pitched where player was the first pitcher for his team
H/9 - Hits per nine innings - hits allowed times nine divided by innings pitched (also known as H/9IP - Hits allowed per 9 innings pitched)
H - Hits Allowed - total hits allowed
HB - Hit batsman - times hit a batter with pitch, allowing runner to advance to first base
HLD (or H) - Hold - number of games entered in a save situation, recorded at least one out, did not surrender the lead, and did not complete the game
HR - Home runs allowed - total home runs allowed
IBB - Intentional base on balls allowed
IR - Inherited runners - number of runners on base when the pitcher enters the game
IRA - Inherited runs allowed - number of inherited runners allowed to score
IP - Innings pitched - number of outs recorded while pitching divided by three
IP/GS - Average number of innings pitched per game
K - Strikeout - number of batters who received strike three
K/9 - Strikeouts per nine innings - strikeouts times nine divided by innings pitched (Strikeouts per 9 innings pitched)
K/BB - Strikeout-to-walk ratio - number of strikeouts divided by number of base on balls
L - Loss - number of games where pitcher was pitching while the opposing team took the lead, never lost the lead, and went on to win
OBA - Opponents batting average - hits allowed divided by at-bats faced
PIT - Pitches thrown (Pitch count)
QS - Quality start - a game in which a starting pitcher completes at least six innings and permits no more than three runs
RA - Run average - number of runs allowed times nine divided by innings pitched
SO - Shutout - number of complete games pitched with no runs allowed
SV - Save - number of games where the pitcher enters a game led by the pitcher's team, finishes the game without surrendering the lead, is not the winning pitcher, and either (a) the lead was three runs or less when the pitcher entered the game; (b) the potential tying run was on base, at bat, or on deck; or (c) the pitcher pitched three or more innings
W - Win - number of games where pitcher was pitching while his team took the lead and went on to win (also related: winning percentage)
WHIP - Walks and hits per inning pitched - average number of walks and hits allowed by the pitcher per inning
WP - Wild pitches - charged when a pitch is too high, low, or wide of home plate for the catcher to field, thereby allowing one or more runners to advance or score
[edit] Fielding statistics
A - Assists - number of outs recorded on a play where a fielder touched the ball, except if such touching is the putout
DP - Double plays - one for each double play during which the fielder recorded a putout or an assist.
E - Errors - number of times a fielder fails to make a play he should have made with common effort, and the offense benefits as a result
FP - Fielding percentage - total plays (chances minus errors) divided by the number of total chances
INN - Innings - number of innings that a player is at one certain position
PB - Passed ball - charged to the catcher when the ball is dropped and one or more runners advance
PO - Putout - number of times the fielder tags, forces, or appeals a runner and he is called out as a result
RF - Range factor - ([putouts + assists]*9)/innings played. Used to determine the amount of field that the player can cover
SB - Stolen bases - number of times a runner advanced on the pitch without being thrown out by the catcher
TC - Total chances - assists plus putouts plus errors
TP - Triple play - one for each triple play during which the fielder recorded a putout or an assist
[edit] General statistics
G - Games played - number of games where the player played, in whole or in part
Pythagorean expectation - estimates a team's expected winning percentage based on runs scored and runs allowed.
[edit] Good statistics
It is difficult to determine quantitatively what is a good statistic, and qualitative assessments are often the source of heated arguments. However, it is interesting to look at recent results for some typical statistics and let the reader draw their conclusions. Using statistics available at the Official Site of Major League Baseball[3], the tables below do just that for the 2000 through 2006 seasons. For each statistic, the player with the best statistic (#1 - League Leader) is shown along with the fifth best (#5 - Top Five), meaning that the top five players all had statistics above the fifth best value.
Batting Statistics - Full Season Statistic: BA 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000
#1 - League Leader .347 .335 .372 .359 .370 .350 .372
#5 - Top Five .339 .321 .337 .330 .336 .336 .351
Statistic: SLG 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000
#1 - League Leader .671 .662 .812 .749 .799 .863 .698
#5 - Top Five .622 .595 .620 .604 .622 .602 .664
Statistic: HR 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000
#1 - League Leader 58 51 48 47 57 73 50
#5 - Top Five 45 45 43 43 43 49 44
Statistic: RBI 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000
#1 - League Leader 149 148 150 145 142 160 147
#5 - Top Five 130 128 126 124 127 140 138
[edit] See also
Triple Crown in Major League Baseball
MLB Most Valuable Player Award winners
Cy Young Award winners
MLB Rookie of the Year Award winners
Gold Glove Award winners
Retrosheet
List of baseball jargon
List of pitches
[edit] References / Resources
[edit] Cited
^ Palmer, Pete; Paul Adomites, David Nemec, Matthew D. Greenberger, Dan Schlossberg, Dick Johnson, Mike Tully [2001]. "Birth of the Game", Cooperstown: Hall of Fame Players. Lincolnwood, Illinois: Publications International, pg. 21. ISBN 0-7853-4530-2.
^ a b "Introduction". The 2005 ESPN Baseball Encyclopedia (1st Edition). (2005). Ed. Pete Palmer and Gary Gillette. New York: Sterling. ISBN 1-4027-2568-X.
^ Major League Baseball Historical Statistics
[edit] General
Alan Schwarz, The Numbers Game: Baseball’s Lifelong Fascination with Statistics (New York: St. Martin's, 2005)(ISBN 0-312-32223-2).
Curveball (ISBN 0-387-98816-5) - A book on new statistics for Baseball.*
Official Baseball Rules (OBR)
The Official Site of Major League baseball - Baseball Basics: Abbreviations