Runs and Bases 2014: After April

[SWC75]

As I did last year, I’m going to make monthly posts giving the American and National League leaders in my two favorite baseball statistics: runs produced and bases produced. Runs produced are runs scored + runs batted in minus home runs so you don’t count them twice, (because a home run is the same run being batted and also scored by the same person). Bases produced is total batting bases, (one for a single, two for a double, three for a triple and four for a home run) plus walks plus steals. I like these numbers because they are simple to compute and understand and produce a number the meaning of which can be easily comprehended. You can sit in the stands, watch a play and figure out how many runs or bases that player has now produced and know where he is in the standings. I prefer gross numbers because they are things that actually happened and you don’t know if rates of production would have been maintained. But if you want a rate I suggest per game, since the players we are comparing will all tend to be starters. A superior offensive player will tend to produce an average of 3 bases and 1 run per game. Again, easy to understand an comprehend. I’ll rank the players based on gross numbers and record their per-game averages as well.

AFTER ARPIL

American League

Runs Produced
Jose Abreu, White Sox 42 in 29 games (1.45)
Josh Donaldson, Athletics 38 in 28 games (1.36)
Nelson Cruz, Baltimore 36 in 23 games (1.57)
Trevor Plouffe, Twins 36 in 24 games (1.50)
Chris Collabello, Twins 35 in 24 games (1.46)
Albert Pujols, Angels 35 in 27 games (1.30)
Jose Bautista, Blue Jays 34 in 27 games (1.26)
Adam Eaton, White Sox 33 in 24 games (1.38)
Mike Trout, Angels 33 in 27 games (1.22)
Alexei Ramirez, White Sox 32 in 29 games (1.10)

Bases Produced
Jose Bautista, Blue Jays 85 in 27 games (3.15)
Mike Trout, Angels 83 in 27 games (3.07)
Jose Abreu, White Sox 80 in 29 games (2.76)
Albert Pujols, Angels 76 in 27 games (2.81)
Josh Donaldson, Athletics 76 in 28 games (2.71)
Melky Cabrera, Blue Jays 75 in 27 games (2.78)
Alexei Ramirez, White Sox 70 in 29 games (2.41)
Brian Dozier, Twins 68 in 24 games (2.83)
Ben Zobrist, Rays 64 in 27 games (2.37)
Nelson Cruz, Orioles 63 in 23 games (2.74)
Howie Kendrick, Angels 63 in 27 games (2.33)

National League

Runs Produced
Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins 42 in 27 games (1.56)
Troy Tulowitzski, Rockies 39 in 27 games (1.44)
Charlie Blackmon, Rockies 36 in 28 games (1.29)
Anthony Rendon, Naitonals 35 in 28 games (1.25)
Paul Goldschmidt, D-Backs 35 in 31 games (1.13)
Adrian Gonzalez, Dodgers 34 in 27 games (1.26)
Adam LaRoche, Nationals 30 in 25 games (1.20)
Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies 30 in 27 games (1.11)
Justin Morneau, Rockies 30 in 27 games (1.11)
Ryan Braun, Brewers 29 in 22 games (1.32)
Matt Carpenter, Cardinals 29 in 29 games (1.00)

Bases Produced
Troy Tulowitzski, Rockies 85 in 27 games (3.15)
Carlos Gomez, Brewers 79 in 28 games (2.82)
Adrian Gonzalez, Dodgers 77 in 27 games (2.85)
Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins 75 in 27 games (2.78)
Charlie Blackmon, Rockies 75 in 28 games (2.68)
Paul Goldschmidt, D-Backs 75 in 31 games (2.42)
Justin Upton, Braves 73 in 25 games (2.92)
Andrew McCutcheon, Pirates 73 in 26 games (2.81)
Freddie Freeman Braves 68 in 26 games (2.62)
Joey Votto, Reds 68 in 27 games (2.52)

Comments: it’s early in the season, of course, but I’m amazed, as I was last year at the number of names on these lists I’m not that familiar with. Even the names I am familiar with have mostly become prominent in this decade. There’s a strong feeling of a “changing of the guard” as these names will become more prominent. You’d the process of old stars declining and new star appearing would be a constant thing but this seems a significant period in both processes.