Understanding BAbip

[Rebbiv]

Formula = (Hits - Home Runs)/(At Bats - SO - HR + Sac Flies)


Player A = 600 AB 200 H 30 HR 75 SO 5 SF .333 BAVG .340 BAbip

Player B = 600 AB 200 H 30 HR 175 SO 5 SF .333 BAVG .425 BAbip

Player C = 600 AB 200 H 10 HR 175 SO 5 SF .333 BAVG .452 BAbip

Assuming you subscribe to BAbip, and if you were just looking at BAbip, then you would state Player B is better than Player A, and Player C is better than Player B. Player B striked out 100 more times than Player A and Player C hit 20 less HRs than Player B.

Now, these are extreme examples, put it still points out the effects of how high strike out players (i.e. Austin Jackson), can have an elevated BAbip. And how subtracted HR totals can also effect BAbip.


MLB Positional Averages over the last 3 years:

C = .249 BAVG .285 BAbip + .036
1B = .271 BAVG .302 BAbip + .031
2B = .265 BAVG .297 BAbip + .032
3B = .260 BAVG .295 BAbip + .035
SS = .265 BAVG .299 BAbip + .034
LF = .265 BAVG .303 BAbip + .038
CF = .263 BAVG .308 BAbip + .045
RF = .270 BAVG .308 BAbip + .038
DH = .256 BAVG .291 BAbip + .035

MLB AVG .263 BAVG .299 BAbip + .036




Lasy 3 years Away (550 PA min)

Top 10

1. Pujols .300 BAVG .277 BAbip - .023 (8.80 PA/SO)
2. Barajas .252 BAVG .250 BAbip - .002 (5.75 PA/SO)
3. J. Lopez .263 BAVG .262 BAbip - .001 (9.65 PA/SO)
4. C. Lee .264 BAVG .265 BAbip + .001 (11.00 PA/SO)
5. Morneau .273 BAVG .275 BAbip + .002 (6.19 PA/SO)
6. Kinsler .227 BAVG .229 BAbip + .002 (7.51 PA/SO)
7. Quentin .240 BAVG .242 BAbip + .002 (6.07 PA/SO)
8. Rollins .258 BAVG .261 BAbip + .003 (10.76 PA/SO)
9. Keppinger .282 BAVG .286 BAbip + .004 (17.34 PA/SO)
10. V. Martinez .311 BAVG .317 BAbip + .006 (10.00 PA/SO)


Bottom 10 (550 PA min)

1. Cust .243 BAVG .348 BAbip + .105 (3.20 PA/SO)
2. A. Jackson .253 BAVG .354 BAbip + .101 (3.51 PA/SO)
3. D. Fowler .246 BAVG .333 BAbip + .087 (4.13 PA/SO)
4. Bourn .284 BAVG .362 BAbip + .078 (4.92 PA/SO)
5. Stubbs .226 BAVG .303 BAbip + .077 (3.57 PA/SO)
6. Dunn .245 BAVG .322 BAbip + .077 (3.35 PA/SO)
7. Desmond .285 BAVG .360 BAbip + .075 (4.61 PA/SO)
8. Maybin .274 BAVG .349 BAbip + .075 (4.13 PA/SO)
9. Raburn .285 BAVG .358 BAbip + .0.73 (3.85 PA/SO)
10. Venable .275 BAVG .346 BAbip + .071 (4.05 PA/SO)


The top 10 generally have a good strikeout rate and/or HR rate. The bottom 10 generally have a poor strikeout rate and/or HR rate. If I just said someone had a ,277 BAbip, and didn't mention a name, most would say that was terrible. The name is Pujols.


There are differences in comparitive stats (i.e. RC/650, OPS) and predictive stats (i.e. BAbip, WPA/LI, SO/BB). Each stat has its' use. But using BAbip as a compartive stat isn't generally a good idea.

 

[lonesometiger]

When one see the stat of PA/So for Dunn and V-Mart. You can really see who the better batter/hitter is.
The Tigers are way out in front of the FA pickup of last season, between those two.
For that matter V-Mart did the best of the so called big names. After all his team did make the Playoffs!