Don’t Understand Advanced Stats in MLB?? This Article Should Help!!
In a Major League Baseball world that is full of advanced stats that are used to determine various things from a player’s overall value to barrel rate….Which are the best and easiest to use for determining how good a player is?? That question could be tricky depending on who you ask or what article you read BUT in this article, I will be giving you a list of advanced stats that I & many other baseball fans use to find out how good our favorite players really are!!
(Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
Mike Trout has always been a media darling since debuting with the Los Angeles Angels in 2011, at the age of 19. Trout has been the face of MLB for many years now & has been at the head of the table when discussing such things as, Who is better than Ruth, Gehrig, Williams, etc…but Trout has also been the face of the “New Era” in baseball with advanced stats. For Batters & Fielders, the stats listed below are some of the most valuable when determining a player’s value.
WAR
What is WAR?
Wins Above Replacement measures a players value in all facets of the game by deciphering how many more wins he’s worth than a replacement level at the same position.
2 WAR = League Average Depending on Position
wRC+
What is wRC+?
wRC+ (Weighted Runs Created Plus) takes the runs created stat & adjusts the number to account for external factors.
The league average wRC+ sits at 100, so a player who notches a wRC+ of 150 would be 50% above league average
140 = Great
115 = Above Average
100 = Average
80 = Below Average
wOBA
What is wOBA?
wOBA is a statistic designed to measure a player's overall offensive contributions per plate appearance.
.400 = Excellent
.370 = Great
.340 = Above Average
.320 = Average
.310 = Below Average
OPS+
What is OPS+?
OPS+ = OnBase% + Slugging % & normalizes it across the entire league.
150 = Above Average
100 = Average
50 = Average
DRS
What is DRS?
Defensive Runs Saved is a baseball statistic that measures the number of runs a player saved or costed his team on defense, that is relative to an “Average” player.
+15 = Phenomenal
+10 = Great
+5 = Above Average
0 = Average
- 5 = Below Average
-10 = Poor
-15 = Awful
(Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images)
Similar to Mike Trout, Jacob DeGrom has been at the forefront of the best pitchers in MLB. His physical build is something that perplexes fans, given his ability to throw 100+ MPH with such ease. There are a few stats like WAR that are able to determine a pitcher’s value & an everyday player’s value, but there is a short list of stats that you can use to help compare your favorite “Aces.”
WHIP
What is WHIP?
WHIP - Walks + Hits per Inning Pitched
1.00 WHIP = Amazing
1.10 WHIP = Great
1.20 WHIP = Above Average
1.30 WHIP = Average
ERA+
What is ERA+?
Unlike the basic use of “ERA” that gathers a pitchers Earned Run Average per start, ERA+ is a player’s ERA that is normalized across the league & accounts external factors like ballparks pitched in & opponents.
ERA+ Above 100 = Pitching performance better than average
100 ERA+ = League Average
ERA+ Below 100 = Pitching performance below the league average
FIP
What is FIP??
FIP in baseball is a statistic that measures a pitchers effectiveness based only on stats that do not involve infielders. The stats used are HRs allowed, Ks, Hit Batters, BB & recently Fly-Ball %, Ground Ball % and Line Drive %.
3.50 FIP = Great
3.80 FIP = Above Average
4.20 FIP = Average
4.40 FIP = Below Average
Thanks for Reading & Hope You Get a Better Understanding of Some of the “Best” Advanced Metrics Used in Major League Baseball!!