Simple WINS and LOSSES

for HITTERS

Tom Hanrahan

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Batters’ records are very complex:

Batting AVG, on-base average, slugging PCT, HR, hits, stolen bases, runs, RBI, walks….______________________________________

Pitchers’ records are comparatively simple:

Wins Losses ERA

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ERA: maybe the Best Simple Metric for pitcher effectiveness, but it is not used much for career records:

1.821.891.902.022.03

Ed WalshAddie JossJim DevlinJack PfiesterSmokey Joe Wood

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Pitchers’ career records are commonly expressed by their Wins and Losses

Most Wins Most W minus L

Cy Young 511-316 Cy Young 511-316 195W Johnson 417-279 Mathewson 373-188 185Mathewson 373-188 Clemens 354-184 170Alexander 373-208 Alexander 373-208 165P Galvin 365-310 L Grove 300-141 159W Spahn 363-245 K Nichols 361-208 153

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If only hitters had Wins and Losses….

Batter “win” = ______ ?

Batter “loss” = ______ ?

Games are won by Scoring Runs!

Games are lost by Making Outs!

Therefore:

Batter Wins == R + RBIBatter Losses == outs (at bats minus hits)

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Batters with most Career R + RBI

1Aaron

4471 6 Mays

3965 11 Foxx

3617

2 Ruth

4391 7 Musial

3900 12 Yaz

3660

3 Bonds

4223 8 Gehrig

3883 13 F Robinson

3641

4 Cobb

4183 9 Ott

3719 14 T Williams

3637

5 Anson

4072 10 A-Rod

3717 15 Murray

3544

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Batters with most Career OUTS

Rose 9797 Murray 8081 Biggio 7816

Aaron 8593 Rickey 7906 B Robby 7806

Yaz 8569 Winfield 7893 Mays 7598

Ripken 8367 Yount 7866 Aparicio 7544

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How to turn R + RBI into WINSand OUTS into LOSSES ?

W always = L ; so pick X and Y such that

(R+RBI) / X should = OUTS / Y

I used: eeeeeeeeee

(R+RBI) / 12 = WINS OUTS / 34 = LOSSES

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Batters’ career records expressedBy “Wins” and “Losses”

Most Wins Most W minus L

H Aaron 373-253 B Ruth 366-163 203B Ruth 366-163 Gehrig 324-155 169B Bonds 352-203 Williams 303-149 154T Cobb 349-213 B Bonds 352-203 149C Anson 339-202 J Foxx 306-161 145W Mays 330-223 C Anson 339-202 137S Musial 325-216 T Cobb 349-213 136

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The Fun Part – matching similarBATS with ARMS

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W Spahn 363-245 118

G Maddux 355-227 128

R Clemens 354-184 170

Kid Nichols 361-208 153

R Johnson 303-166 137

Mathewson 373-188 185

Nolan Ryan 324-292 32

Hank Aaron 373-253 120

Barry Bonds 352-203 149

Cap Anson 339-202 137

Jimmie Foxx 306-161 145

Lou Gehrig 324-155 169

Pete Rose 290-288 2

More fun matching similarBATS with ARMS

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Lefty Grove 300-141 159

Cy Young 511-316 195

W Johnson 417-279 138

P Alexander 373-208 165

T Seaver 311-205 106

P Martinez 219-100 119

B Blyleven 287-250 37

T Williams 303-149 154

Babe Ruth 366-163 203 plus pitching 460-209 251

Ty Cobb 349-213 136

Stan the Man 325-216 109 T Speaker 284-197 97 J DiMaggio 244-136 108 Ron Santo 206-173 33

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