What I’ve done here is created an “adjusted slugging percentage” if you will. This takes into account all the different ways a batter can pick up a base. This goes beyond the original “total bases” statistic which takes into account only hits and extra base hits. Taking the original slugging percentage, Miguel Cabrera has a sizable lead over Mike Trout, which suggests that he has more power. This is true; Miguel Cabrera has more home run power than Trout. We all know that. However, Trout’s tremendous speed allows him to do a lot more things on the base paths than Cabrera. There are a few offensive categories in this stat that may have a hint of luck. For example, hit by pitches, grounding into double plays and reaching on errors may involve a bit of luck from time to time. However, over the course of a 162 game major league baseball schedule, Mike Trout’s speed affects these things. His speed allows him to ground into fewer double plays and reach on errors more often. His speed changes the game. Trout’s LD% was 25% and Cabrera’s was 27%. So, we know they both hit the ball extremely hard. Hitting the ball hard at somebody in the infield can cause havoc. So does speed. Speed causes havoc; it simply puts more pressure on fielders. One bobble and Trout is safe. One bobble and there is still some time to get Cabrera.
Now I move onto the exact criteria of this statistic. A player can pick up a single base by walking, getting hit by a pitch, hitting a single, reaching on an error, stealing a base and taking an extra base when there is a base hit. A player can pick up 2 bases by hitting a double. A player picks up 3 bases with a triple. A player picks up 4 bases with a home run. In addition to making an out, a player loses an extra base when grounding into a double play. A player loses a base when getting picked off. A player loses a base when getting caught stealing.
With this in mind, I will present my calculations in writing. I have added up all of these positive total bases, and then subtracted one base for every double play, caught stealing (I used net steals) and pick off. To make things easier, I multiplied every double by two, every triple by three and every home run by four. On my graph below, NSB stands for Net Stolen Bases. XBT stands for Extra Bases Taken. Once all of these bases are added up, I divided that total number by the number of plate appearances that batter had.
This statistic takes into account all aspects of a player’s offensive contributions. Power is involved with home runs and doubles. Triples are a byproduct of both power and speed (mainly speed). Plate discipline is taken into account with walks. Speed is involved with things such as reaching on errors, extra bases taken, stolen bases, and double plays grounded into (or, not grounded into).
When combining all offensive contributions, my statistic shows that Mike Trout was more productive then Miguel Cabrera in 2013. The original slugging percentage, which I have presented, does not take into account for speed. Cabrera had the huge advantage, but when all other aspects are put into play, Trout skyrockets ahead of Cabrera. Speed matters in so many ways. Trout is right behind Cabrera purely as a hitter. But when speed and baserunning is thrown into the equation, Trout is clearly the better offensive player.
Mike Trout's "adjusted slug" is .728. Miguel Cabrera's is .699. Speed has allowed Trout to gain 171 points on his original slugging percentage. Cabrera gained just 63 points on his original slug.
Created by Nick Rabasco and Aidan Flynn
Graph Below:
Now I move onto the exact criteria of this statistic. A player can pick up a single base by walking, getting hit by a pitch, hitting a single, reaching on an error, stealing a base and taking an extra base when there is a base hit. A player can pick up 2 bases by hitting a double. A player picks up 3 bases with a triple. A player picks up 4 bases with a home run. In addition to making an out, a player loses an extra base when grounding into a double play. A player loses a base when getting picked off. A player loses a base when getting caught stealing.
With this in mind, I will present my calculations in writing. I have added up all of these positive total bases, and then subtracted one base for every double play, caught stealing (I used net steals) and pick off. To make things easier, I multiplied every double by two, every triple by three and every home run by four. On my graph below, NSB stands for Net Stolen Bases. XBT stands for Extra Bases Taken. Once all of these bases are added up, I divided that total number by the number of plate appearances that batter had.
This statistic takes into account all aspects of a player’s offensive contributions. Power is involved with home runs and doubles. Triples are a byproduct of both power and speed (mainly speed). Plate discipline is taken into account with walks. Speed is involved with things such as reaching on errors, extra bases taken, stolen bases, and double plays grounded into (or, not grounded into).
When combining all offensive contributions, my statistic shows that Mike Trout was more productive then Miguel Cabrera in 2013. The original slugging percentage, which I have presented, does not take into account for speed. Cabrera had the huge advantage, but when all other aspects are put into play, Trout skyrockets ahead of Cabrera. Speed matters in so many ways. Trout is right behind Cabrera purely as a hitter. But when speed and baserunning is thrown into the equation, Trout is clearly the better offensive player.
Mike Trout's "adjusted slug" is .728. Miguel Cabrera's is .699. Speed has allowed Trout to gain 171 points on his original slugging percentage. Cabrera gained just 63 points on his original slug.
Created by Nick Rabasco and Aidan Flynn
Graph Below:
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