Stacey King
Posts: 7989
Joined: 7/21/2007
Status: offline
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Our favorite, the WAR stat. ------------------ Long before advanced metrics such as Wins Above Replacement (WAR) existed, most position player comparisons were based almost entirely on batting statistics. Of course, defense and baserunning would sometimes enter into the discussion, but quantifying these skills and comparing player performance relative to more traditional statistics remained difficult. Therefore, the players who ranked highest in batting average, home runs and RBI were usually rated more highly. WAR seeks to place run values, which are converted to win values, on every aspect of a player’s performance. As a result, players can be considered of similar value while arriving at said value in entirely different ways. Let’s take a look at a few players whose 2013 performances to date place them among the top 20 position players in Major League Baseball. ▶ Baltimore Orioles first baseman Chris Davis is having an outstanding season at the plate, batting .301/ .376/.678 (batting average/on-base/ slugging through games of Aug. 10), with a league-leading 42 home runs and 109 RBI. ▶ Atlanta Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons has been a below average offensive performer, hitting .245/.289/.365, although with 11 homers. ▶ Boston Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury, at .305/.366/.440, has been an above-average hitter who adds 42 stolen bases vs. four caught stealing to his strong offensive résumé. These players rate roughly equal in value based on WAR and its components, with all three being worth approximately 4½ to 5 wins. While Davis’ offense has shined brightly (44 batting runs), his value is dragged down by defense (minus 6 fielding runs) and the relative importance (minus 7 positional runs) of playing first base. Despite Simmons’ subpar offensive showing (minus 9 batting runs), he clearly makes up for it with his glove (33 fielding runs) and positional importance (6 positional runs). Ellsbury has enjoyed the most balanced season of the three, as he has been worth 10 batting runs, seven baserunning runs and 12 fielding runs, plus an additional two runs for position. While not as intuitive as the other measures, the positional adjustment accounts for the relative difficulty in finding an adequate replacement at a premium defensive position, such as shortstop, vs. one of lesser importance like first base. While not an exact science, WAR allows us to compare players who provide value in distinctly different ways. Sometimes this leads us to realize a slick-fielding shortstop can be worth as much as a star slugger.
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