We here at Aerys love advanced baseball metrics, and we know you will too. If you’re looking to brush up on your stat-speak, or maybe get an edge in your fantasy baseball league, we’ve got the primers you need. Below, you’ll find links to our “Alphabet Soup” series, written by Megan Wells, who will introduce you to the basics of sabermetrics and show you how she uses it to better analyze baseball.
Laying the Groundwork
- Introduction: Why sabermetrics?
- Run expectancy: The foundation of weighted stats.
- Ballpark factors: These, along with league averages, form the foundation of adjusted stats.
- Rate statistics versus counting statistics
- Why batting average is terrible
- Why most “old-school” pitching statistics are terrible
- Why fielding percentage is terrible
Offense
- On-Base Percentage (OBP)
- Slugging Percentage (SLG)
- On-Base Plus Slugging (OPS)
- Isolated Power (ISO)
- Weighted On-Base Average (wOBA)
- Adjusted OPS (OPS+)
- Weighted Runs Created (wRC)/Adjusted Weighted Runs Created (wRC+)
- Weighted Runs Above Average (wRAA)
Offense Peripherals
- Strikeout and Walk Percentages (K%, BB%)
- Line Drive Rate (LD%)
- Batting Average on Balls In Play (BABIP)
Pitching
- Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP)
- Expected Fielding Independent Pitching (xFIP)
- True Earned Runs Allowed (tERA)
- Skill-Interactive Earned Runs Allowed (SIERA)
- Adjusted Pitching Stats (ERA-, FIP-, xFIP-)
Pitching Peripherals
- Strikeout and Walk Percentages (K%, BB%)
- Batted Ball Data
- Batting Average on Balls In Play (BABIP)
- Home Run to Fly Ball Ratio (HR/FB)
- Left On Base Percentage/Strand Rate (LOB%)
Defense
Fooling Around With Numbers
- Carlos Pena Analysis: In which reader bkibbs takes an in-depth look at Carlos Pena’s 2011 contract with the Cubs.
- Home Sweet Home: Also linked above, this explanation of ballpark factors uses Albert Pujols/Justin Upton and Adrian Beltre/Evan Longoria as examples.
- How To Solve A Problem Like Wonky Stats: Following up on the previous post, this one examines the reason for the discrepancy in Longoria’s and Beltre’s 2011 wRC+ numbers.
- Making An Example Of Ryan Vogelsong: This post examines Vogelsong’s standout 2011 season and what his numbers tell us about his chances for 2012.
