The calculation for the minimum number of plate appearances is a hybrid formula I derived from the Major League Baseball (MLB) requirement. MLB states that “in order [for a player] to qualify for batting titles in averaged categories, a player must average at least 3.1 plate appearances for every game his team has played.” (Source: ESPN.com)

Figuring that we are playing softball, and are certainly not playing in a league similar in reputation or authority as MLB, I took the average number of games played by the team’s players, and multiplied that by 3.1 plate appearances per game, and then multiplied that value by 7/9, since we play 7 innings (compared to the 9 innings played in MLB). As a result, the minimum plate appearances requirement is a moving target, but allows for players to miss a game here and there, and still qualify with the minimum number of plate appearances. The formula looks like this: PA_min = G_avex(3.1)x(7/9) = G_avex(2.4).

The average number of games played, itself, is a tricky statistic. In general, the value can be calculated by totaling the player-games played for the entire season and then dividing by the number of players on the team, G_ave = ΣG/N. However, this is only true when the team has been together for the entire season, i.e., players were not added or subtracted during the course of the season. In the case that a player is added or subtracted, the average number of games played should be weighted accordingly. For example, if a player was added halfway through the season, his games played should be multiplied by 2 for the calculation of G_ave.

Additionally, G_ave should be kept unrounded through the calculation. The final value of PA_min should be rounded to the nearest whole number (which may require some judgement). I am currently working on the theory that the cut-off point should be one-third and not the typical one-half.

I had considered using the median of games played in place of the average. An average is what I call a “dirty statistic,” and in general, the median will provide more “useful” and “accurate” information, but that is in the case of relatively large sets. The sets (in this case, the number of players) I am dealing with are in the range of 15 to 20, and the median loses its value with such small sets.

There is a little-known and underused statistic in baseball called “Run Production (RP)” which is the numerator in this statistic I created. Run production accounts for all of the runs a player has scored and the number of runs a player has batted-in (minus the number of home runs, which is duplicitous, as it adds a run and an RBI for the batter). This stat, in my opinion, is most insightful on a player’s “net worth.” I took this run generation and divided by the number of plate appearances (not the number of at-bats), and called it the “Total Run Production Index” or “TRP,” pronounced “trip.”

In reality, the TRP is the likelihood a run will score every time a player comes to the plate. For example, if a player has a TRP of 1.000, that player averages an RBI or a run-scored (or a solo home run) every plate appearance; if a player has a TRP of .500, there is a 50% chance that he will knock in a run or come around to score each time he comes to the plate.

I like to refer to the “Contribution Percentage,” better known as the “Red-Legged Superbas Index” or “RLS,” as the “slugging percentage on steroids.” The Slugging Percentage (SLG) is a useful statistic as it determines your average hit value — be it a single, double, triple, etc. (If your SLG is 2.000, you average a double.) Major League Baseball (MLB) employs another statistic, which should be considered useless, the On-Base Plus Slugging Percentage (OPS). What the actual meaning of this statistic is I will never know. Is there spatial meaning, MLB? (It is a made-up statistic so commentators can comment on stats with values greater than 1.)

It was my desire to create a “highly-inflated” statistic for the softball team to try to capture the “true contribution” of all players. For this statistic, the Red-Legged Superbas Index (RLS), I give credit to all forms of offensive contribution — be it a home run or a walk, a double or a sacrifice fly; everything counts. The only item that hurts a player is a strikeout. So, I took the numerator of the SLG, the total bases reached on hits, and added to it the number of walks, the number of times reached on error, and the number of sacrifice hits, and subtracted the number of strikeouts. I then divided this crazy sum by the number of plate appearances. In the absence of walks and sacrifice hits, the SLG is equal to the RLS. If a player strikes out, the SLG can actually be greater than the RLS; in general, however, the RLS tends be greater than the SLG, as designed.

The rationale for the RLS, in my opinion, can easily be defended. If you reach base on an error, how are you not “contributing?” If you walk, how is that not, effectively, a single or a “total base value of 1?” Same goes with sacrifice hits. The only debate may be with the subtraction of strikeouts as it may be unfair to punish those who strikeout. (Is a strikeout any less effective than, say, a popup to the pitcher?) But hell, this is softball.

On a further note, I was originally planning on adding the number of times a runner advanced (a statistic I called “A”) to the numerator. For example, a flyout to right and the runner at second tags to third, or a groundout to second and the runner advances to third on the play. But the logistics of keeping the books to that degree of accuracy was overwhelming.

• We are historically bad.

  – We are certainly better than how we are playing, but that is not saying much, and it doesn’t help any. Let’s try to salvage the season, win a few games, and bust some playoff hopes for the other teams. And then let’s get drunk.

  – Our next game is at 7:20. Phew.

  – The re-tooled lineup worked very well yesterday. If we didn’t have that one muther-fuckin inning, we would have all had another at-bat or two. I plan on continuing to re-tool. Once again, if you have ideas on the lineup, please let me know (and feel free to remain anonymous).

  – It is my understanding that we do not need to practice, since only three players (myself included) showed up last Sunday.

  – I had never witnessed a 1-5-4 double play until last night.

  – Where are the women? Eric Grace’s improved livestock surely cannot be all that’s available to root for the Superbas. (And whatever happened to Dom No. 24?)

  – No one struck out last night, the first time this season. That being said, we already have $50 from this year’s fundraiser and $80 from last year (although collection will be an issue, I know), so planning for the end-of-the-year bash has begun. Tim Evans has mentioned that his place may be available (in Walnut Creek), and B.H. Bronson Johnson has a place (in Napa) that should do fine as well. (If we continue to strikeout at our current rate, we may have enough cash-on-hand to host two fests.)

  – I have posted the batting statistics and batting leaders through the first four games (a tad earlier than I had planned, but oh well). The statistics include the RLS and TRP, two stats that I have created. I have defined the two thoroughly on the website (see Explanation of Batting Statistics), but I will post the definitions to the blog shortly. I will also post the definitions of the minimum number of plate appearances and how I break ties on the leader board.

  – Direct quote from our second baseman during last night’s higher thought sessions following the game at the bar/pizzeria at Willow Pass and East Olivera: “They didn’t call him Magic Johnson for nothing.”

  -Jeff

Game Summary

Another game, another starting pitcher, another loss for the lowly Superbas. The Superbas suffered their most humiliating loss in franchise history as they bowed down to a group of geriatric farmhands, Censored, in the early game at Concord Willow Pass Fields on Tuesday evening, 25-8.

The Superbas had the lead heading into the bottom half of the fourth inning, but as fate would have it, the bottom fell out for the Superbas.

Offensively, every Superbas player down the lineup either registered a hit, scored a run, or knocked in an RBI. Shortstop Jeff Wisniewski homered to lead off the second inning. Catcher Joe Gray had two singles, two runs scored and an RBI. Outfielders Eric Grace and Chris Leo had two singles apiece. And leftfielder Tim Evans, who seemed lost at times defensively, kept his hot bat with a single, a triple, and two RBI.

Starting pitcher B.H. Bronson Johnson pitched well following a shaky first inning, and made a great play on a line drive up the middle. Relief pitcher Kevin Ghalambor relieved Johnson in the fifth inning, but following nine balls on nine pitches and two runs scored, Johnson returned to the mound.

The defensive highlight of the game was a play at the plate on a throw from centerfield by Leo. Wisniewski played solid defensively.

Defensive Player of the Game: Jeff Wisniewski.
Offensive Players of the Game: Joe Gray (2-3, 2 R, RBI), Chris Leo (2-3, 2 R) and Tim Evans (2-2, 3B, 2 RBI).

Box Score

Inning-by-Inning

1st Inning.
Ramsdell flied out to right.
Grace singled.
Ghalambor singled. Grace to second, advanced to third on throwing error.
Cole hit sacrifice fly to right. Grace scored.
Atiyeh flied out to left.

2nd Inning.
Wisniewski homered.
Johnson grounded out to the pitcher.
Gray singled.
Leo singled. Gray to second.
Evans singled. Gray to third. Leo to second.
Espinoza hit sacrifice fly to left. Gray scored.
Ramsdell singled. Leo scored. Evans to third.
Grace popped out to first.

3rd Inning.
Ghalambor grounded out to third.
Cole singled.
Atiyeh singled. Cole to second.
Wisniewski grounded into fielder’s choice to the pitcher. Cole out. Atiyeh out.

4th Inning.
Johnson singled, advanced to third on throwing error.
Gray singled. Johnson scored.
Leo singled. Gray to second.
Evans tripled. Gray scored. Leo scored.
Espinoza popped out to third.
Ramsdell hit sacrifice fly to right. Evans scored.
Grace singled.
Ghalambor grounded into fielder’s choice to second. Grace out.

5th Inning.
Cole flied out to left.
Atiyeh grounded out to third.
Wisniewski popped out to second.

6th Inning.
Johnson grounded out to short.
Gray grounded out to short.
Leo flied out to left.

End of game.