Sunday, January 25, 2015

Introducing A New Stat: Weighted Gray Ink (WEGRI)

Like we need another one. Maybe this will secure my sabermetric legacy. Well, Larry Granillo did something like this back in 2009. Click here to see it. But I did something similar back in 2006 and mentioned it on the SABR list. Someone (Rosen380) also just mentioned it in a discussion at Tango's blog. Click here to go to it.

The idea is a point system based on finishing in the top 10 in a stat. A guy gets 10 points for 1st place, 9 for 2nd and so on. Ties split the difference. If you are tied for 1st you get 9.5.

The stat I used is TRAA from Lee Sinins (Total Runs Above Average). Click here to read what Sinins has to say about this. That combines RCAA or runs created above average with FRAA or fielding runs above average. RCAA is park adjusted. I called up all the top 10 lists for the AL & NL (it goes back to 1893). Then summed each guys's points and ranked them. Here is the top 25:

Rank Player Points
1 Barry Bonds  149.5
2 Ty Cobb  148.5
3 Tris Speaker  143
4 Babe Ruth  142
5 Willie Mays  136.5
6 Ted Williams  136
7 Stan Musial  132.5
8 Hank Aaron  128.5
9 Honus Wagner  120
10 Rogers Hornsby  118.5
11 Mel Ott  113
12 Mickey Mantle  111.5
13 Lou Gehrig  104
14 Mike Schmidt  102
15 Nap Lajoie  97
16 Albert Pujols  94
17 Rickey Henderson  88
18 Frank Robinson  86.5
19 Jimmie Foxx  84
20 Joe DiMaggio  77.5
21 Ed Delahanty  77
22 Johnny Mize  76
23 Eddie Mathews  71.5
24 Paul Waner  69.5
25 Elmer Flick  68.5

Click here to see the complete rankings. It might be useful to take into account a player's position. For example, Piazza is the highest ranked catcher at 109.

Here are some interesting tidbits:

Ted Williams could have been first but he missed so much time in military service. Of course, Ruth would do better if I included his years as a pitcher.

Elmer Flick at 25th. Wow. So guess who is 26th? Keith Hernandez. Joe Jackson is 40th despite being banned at age 30. Todd Helton is 41st. And that takes park effects into account.

Tim Raines is 47th and is having a hard time getting into the Hall of Fame. Edgar Martinez is 49th, despite being mostly a DH.

54-56: Jimmy Sheckard, Sherry Magee, Gavvy Cravath.

Charlie Keller-60, Joey Votto-62. George Foster 68. Roy White 76.

Jackie Robinson is 79th and only played 10 seasons.

There are a total of 819 players listed so you can check to see how your favorite did.

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