SWC75
Bored Historian
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- Aug 26, 2011
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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 about 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 MAY
American League
Runs Produced
Josh Donaldson, Athletics 79 in 55 games (1.44)
Nelson Cruz, Orioles 71 in 53 games (1.34)
Miguel Cabrera, Tigers 69 in 52 games (1.33)
Edwin Encarnacion, Blue Jays 69 in 57 games (1.21)
Jose Bautista, Blue Jays 69 in 57 games (1.21)
Michael Brantley, Indians 65 in 54 games (1.20)
Kyle Seager, Mariners 62 in 52 games (1.19)
Mike Trout, Angels 61 in 53 games (1.15)
Brandon Moss, Athletics 61 in 54 games (1.13)
Alexei Ramirez, White Sox 60 in 57 games (1.05)
Bases Produced
Jose Bautista, Blue Jays 161 in 57 games (2.82)
Nelson Cruz, Orioles 160 in 53 games (3.02)
Edwin Encarnacion, Blue Jays 160 in 57 games (2.81)
Josh Donaldson, Athletics 154 in 55 games (2.80)
Mike Trout, Angels 147 in 53 games (2.77)
Jose Altuve, Astros 141 in 57 games (2.77)
Brian Dozier, Twins 133 in 53 games (2.51)
Melky Cabrera, Blue Jays 133 in 56 games (2.38)
Miguel Cabera, Tigers 131 in 52 games (2.52)
Albert Pujols, Angels 131 in 54 games (2.43)
Comments: Jose Abreu spent some time on the DL, taking him out of the top ten but he’s still hitting the ball very well with 17 home runs, so he’ll likely be back. Nelson Cruz is having a great season for the Orioles- just as Chris Davis did last year. Davis has also spent some time on the DL but is not doing so well even when he’s in the line-up, hitting .231 with only 7 home runs in 40 games. An ESPN article says the pitchers are pitching him low and away and, frustrated, he’s swinging at too many pitches outside of his wheelhouse. Baseball is a game of adjustments and the consistently successful players are the ones who know how to make them.
National League
Runs Produced
Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins 75 in 55 games (1.36)
Paul Goldschmidt, D-Backs 69 in 58 games (1.19)
Troy Tulowitzski, Rockies 68 in 53 games (1.28)
Charlie Blackmon, Rockies 63 in 54 games (1.17)
Yasiel Puig, Dodgers 61 in 51 games (1.20)
Carlos Gomez, Brewers 56 in 50 games (1.12)
Anthony Rendon, Nationals 56 in 53 games (1.06)
Freddie Freeman, Braves 56 in 55 games (1.02)
Hunter Pence, Giants 56 in 57 games (0.98)
Matt Holliday, Cardinals 55 in 55 games (1.00)
Mike Morse Giants 55 in 56 games (0.98)
Adrian Gonzalez, Dodgers 55 in 56 games (0.98)
Bases Produced
Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins 165 in 55 games (3.00)
Troy Tulowitzski, Rockies 152 in 53 games (2.87)
Yasiel Puig, Dodgers 151 in 61 games (2.48)
Carlos Gomez, Brewers 145 in 50 games (2.90)
Paul Goldschmidt, D-Backs 144 in 58 games (2.48)
Mike Morse, Giants 141 in 56 games (2.52)
Andrew McCutcheon, Pirates 136 in 54 games (2.52)
Freddie Freeman Braves 135 in 55 games (2.45)
Hunter Pence, Giants 133 in 57 games (2.33)
Adrian Gonzalez, Dodgers 132 in 56 games (2.36)
Comments: you hear a lot about Tulowitzski but with Colorado players you have to look at their road numbers. Tulowitzski is hitting .519 with 9 home runs at home, .234 with 7 homers on the road. Stanton is hitting .308 with 10 home runs at home and .309 with 6 home runs on the road. There have been 24 home runs hit 450 feet or more this year and Stanton has 5 of them. Nobody else has more than two and Tulowitzski has none, despite playing half his games a mile up. And Stanton’s team has the better record and is the bigger surprise.
AFTER MAY
American League
Runs Produced
Josh Donaldson, Athletics 79 in 55 games (1.44)
Nelson Cruz, Orioles 71 in 53 games (1.34)
Miguel Cabrera, Tigers 69 in 52 games (1.33)
Edwin Encarnacion, Blue Jays 69 in 57 games (1.21)
Jose Bautista, Blue Jays 69 in 57 games (1.21)
Michael Brantley, Indians 65 in 54 games (1.20)
Kyle Seager, Mariners 62 in 52 games (1.19)
Mike Trout, Angels 61 in 53 games (1.15)
Brandon Moss, Athletics 61 in 54 games (1.13)
Alexei Ramirez, White Sox 60 in 57 games (1.05)
Bases Produced
Jose Bautista, Blue Jays 161 in 57 games (2.82)
Nelson Cruz, Orioles 160 in 53 games (3.02)
Edwin Encarnacion, Blue Jays 160 in 57 games (2.81)
Josh Donaldson, Athletics 154 in 55 games (2.80)
Mike Trout, Angels 147 in 53 games (2.77)
Jose Altuve, Astros 141 in 57 games (2.77)
Brian Dozier, Twins 133 in 53 games (2.51)
Melky Cabrera, Blue Jays 133 in 56 games (2.38)
Miguel Cabera, Tigers 131 in 52 games (2.52)
Albert Pujols, Angels 131 in 54 games (2.43)
Comments: Jose Abreu spent some time on the DL, taking him out of the top ten but he’s still hitting the ball very well with 17 home runs, so he’ll likely be back. Nelson Cruz is having a great season for the Orioles- just as Chris Davis did last year. Davis has also spent some time on the DL but is not doing so well even when he’s in the line-up, hitting .231 with only 7 home runs in 40 games. An ESPN article says the pitchers are pitching him low and away and, frustrated, he’s swinging at too many pitches outside of his wheelhouse. Baseball is a game of adjustments and the consistently successful players are the ones who know how to make them.
National League
Runs Produced
Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins 75 in 55 games (1.36)
Paul Goldschmidt, D-Backs 69 in 58 games (1.19)
Troy Tulowitzski, Rockies 68 in 53 games (1.28)
Charlie Blackmon, Rockies 63 in 54 games (1.17)
Yasiel Puig, Dodgers 61 in 51 games (1.20)
Carlos Gomez, Brewers 56 in 50 games (1.12)
Anthony Rendon, Nationals 56 in 53 games (1.06)
Freddie Freeman, Braves 56 in 55 games (1.02)
Hunter Pence, Giants 56 in 57 games (0.98)
Matt Holliday, Cardinals 55 in 55 games (1.00)
Mike Morse Giants 55 in 56 games (0.98)
Adrian Gonzalez, Dodgers 55 in 56 games (0.98)
Bases Produced
Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins 165 in 55 games (3.00)
Troy Tulowitzski, Rockies 152 in 53 games (2.87)
Yasiel Puig, Dodgers 151 in 61 games (2.48)
Carlos Gomez, Brewers 145 in 50 games (2.90)
Paul Goldschmidt, D-Backs 144 in 58 games (2.48)
Mike Morse, Giants 141 in 56 games (2.52)
Andrew McCutcheon, Pirates 136 in 54 games (2.52)
Freddie Freeman Braves 135 in 55 games (2.45)
Hunter Pence, Giants 133 in 57 games (2.33)
Adrian Gonzalez, Dodgers 132 in 56 games (2.36)
Comments: you hear a lot about Tulowitzski but with Colorado players you have to look at their road numbers. Tulowitzski is hitting .519 with 9 home runs at home, .234 with 7 homers on the road. Stanton is hitting .308 with 10 home runs at home and .309 with 6 home runs on the road. There have been 24 home runs hit 450 feet or more this year and Stanton has 5 of them. Nobody else has more than two and Tulowitzski has none, despite playing half his games a mile up. And Stanton’s team has the better record and is the bigger surprise.
