I have been playing this game for a long time, since 2001. For most of that time I have played in progressive leagues. I have branched out to theme leagues for the past year or so and I have found that the metrics I have been using are not really working.

This thread is about hitting stats (metrics) and there will be a separate thread about pitching stats.

For years I have relied mainly on AVG#, OBP# and OPS# for hitting stats, with some emphasis on PA/162, . Unfortunately, as many of you have undoubtedly found out, some really great hitters have underperformed for me. I'm thinking of Frank Robinson, Willie Mays, and others.

So, what hitting stats have you found to be effective and which have not been effective in selecting hitters for your teams?

I use contact rate and 1B# whenever. In too many cases, F Robby and Mays don't have high 1B# because they have a lot of XBH. The XBH have value, but the lower 1B# depresses batting average and overall effectiveness.

Posted by PennQuaker on 2/24/2025 5:16:00 PM (view original):
I use contact rate and 1B# whenever. In too many cases, F Robby and Mays don't have high 1B# because they have a lot of XBH. The XBH have value, but the lower 1B# depresses batting average and overall effectiveness.

Great explanation. Thanks!

How do you get to contact rate, Dan?

I used a lot of the ballpark adjusted metrics, particularly SLG+ and OPS+. And when in doubt, I'll use AVG+. While the time era metrics (I.e. OPS#, SLG #, etc) are important, if they don't factor in the ballpark that often times cause players with great time era metrics to underperform. Also, when in doubt I tend to favor Left hand hitters and switch hitters. Usually there's about 70-75% of the pitches are thrown by right hand pitches and thus lefties and switch hitting batters do get an advantage.

Lastly, I tend to look at performance history. Sometimes there's just random players that continually over-perform and those that under-perform. There's also certain players that don't quite look like they would do exceptionally well in certain ballparks, but they almost always overachieve in that ballpark.

I do tend to favor AVG# and AVG+ if all else is equal. Players with better AVG# and/or AVG+ tend to be less risky.

Where do you find performance history, rhuntccu?

Posted by slim senior on 2/25/2025 11:00:00 AM (view original):
How do you get to contact rate, Dan?

It's a searchable option.

I find that no matter what calculations you use. Guys with many HR's but low batting average frequently do significantly worse than actual.

I was gone in June and July. Since I returned home, I haven't checked this thread or my best pitching stats thread.

What do you guys think about the ideas that have been expressed on this thread and/or do you have anything to add?