Comments on: Ron Gant http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/981 This and that about baseball stats. Fri, 11 Nov 2011 16:57:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: tomepp http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/981/comment-page-1#comment-5839 tomepp Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:32:22 +0000 http://www.baseball-reference.com/sotd/?p=981#comment-5839 You mentioned RBI _production_, so I compared those 8 players' RBI per AB in non-HR situations. Here's what I found: Player ~HRAB ~HRBI AB/HR* ------ ----- ----- ----- Vaughn 5204 527 9.9 Fielder 4834 466 10.4 Castilla 6502 609 10.7 Carter 7647 704 10.9 Horton 6973 612 11.4 Gant 6128 519 11.8 Parrish 6743 559 12.1 Green 6754 557 12.1 -------- ---- Average 11.2 So Gant was below average for this group in terms of producing RBIs other than on HRs, but not quite as bad as Parrish or Green. If you take out AB in which the payer struck out as well, Gant moves up to 4th on the list at 9.1 AB/RBI (ahead of Horton and Carter), just a smidgeon below the group average of 8.9 AB/RBI. As has been commented on already, this probably says as much about the teams Gant played for (and here he abtted in the lineup) as about Gant's abilities. You mentioned RBI _production_, so I compared those 8 players' RBI per AB in non-HR situations. Here's what I found:

Player ~HRAB ~HRBI AB/HR*
------ ----- ----- -----
Vaughn 5204 527 9.9
Fielder 4834 466 10.4
Castilla 6502 609 10.7
Carter 7647 704 10.9
Horton 6973 612 11.4
Gant 6128 519 11.8
Parrish 6743 559 12.1
Green 6754 557 12.1
-------- ----
Average 11.2

So Gant was below average for this group in terms of producing RBIs other than on HRs, but not quite as bad as Parrish or Green. If you take out AB in which the payer struck out as well, Gant moves up to 4th on the list at 9.1 AB/RBI (ahead of Horton and Carter), just a smidgeon below the group average of 8.9 AB/RBI.

As has been commented on already, this probably says as much about the teams Gant played for (and here he abtted in the lineup) as about Gant's abilities.

]]> By: apreziosi http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/981/comment-page-1#comment-5838 apreziosi Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:55:03 +0000 http://www.baseball-reference.com/sotd/?p=981#comment-5838 Andy: Consider too that if Gant had runners on during his ABs, perhaps pitchers pitch differently to him - or any hitter for that matter. Solo home runs rarely kill an inning. A better measure would be his average with runners in scoring position. Andy: Consider too that if Gant had runners on during his ABs, perhaps pitchers pitch differently to him - or any hitter for that matter. Solo home runs rarely kill an inning. A better measure would be his average with runners in scoring position.

]]> By: apreziosi http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/981/comment-page-1#comment-5837 apreziosi Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:02:27 +0000 http://www.baseball-reference.com/sotd/?p=981#comment-5837 If memory serves, Vince Coleman was the Cards' leadoff hitter in '85. He had 110 steals and 107 runs scored, so chances are all Herr had to do was get a base hit to drive him in. I remember the Phillies paying Gant $6 million in 1999 and he was a disappointment. They didn't score more runs than the other team very much that season. If memory serves, Vince Coleman was the Cards' leadoff hitter in '85. He had 110 steals and 107 runs scored, so chances are all Herr had to do was get a base hit to drive him in.
I remember the Phillies paying Gant $6 million in 1999 and he was a disappointment. They didn't score more runs than the other team very much that season.

]]> By: Andy http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/981/comment-page-1#comment-5836 Andy Tue, 13 Jan 2009 15:10:07 +0000 http://www.baseball-reference.com/sotd/?p=981#comment-5836 In the words of the inimitable Joe Morgan, the team that scores more runs has the best chance of winning. In the words of the inimitable Joe Morgan, the team that scores more runs has the best chance of winning.

]]> By: apreziosi http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/981/comment-page-1#comment-5835 apreziosi Tue, 13 Jan 2009 15:08:54 +0000 http://www.baseball-reference.com/sotd/?p=981#comment-5835 I've always felt that the HR is an overvalued statistic. The game is all about run production, regardless of how it's done. Tom Herr had 110 RBI in 1985 with only 8 home runs and 83 RBI in 1987 with only 2 HR. That's productivity. It also points out how important the rest of the lineup is in front of these guys. Home runs make nice highlights for Sports Center and the numbers are gaudy sometimes, but to me, it doesn't matter how you produce runs, as long as they are scored. I've always felt that the HR is an overvalued statistic. The game is all about run production, regardless of how it's done. Tom Herr had 110 RBI in 1985 with only 8 home runs and 83 RBI in 1987 with only 2 HR. That's productivity. It also points out how important the rest of the lineup is in front of these guys.
Home runs make nice highlights for Sports Center and the numbers are gaudy sometimes, but to me, it doesn't matter how you produce runs, as long as they are scored.

]]> By: Andy http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/981/comment-page-1#comment-5834 Andy Tue, 13 Jan 2009 15:07:17 +0000 http://www.baseball-reference.com/sotd/?p=981#comment-5834 The strength of the teams definitely has something to do with it, but keep in mind that a higher team OBP means more guys on base for homers as well--in other words, on better teams, Gants would have driven in more runs with his homers, as well as gotten more run-scoring non-HR hits. The strength of the teams definitely has something to do with it, but keep in mind that a higher team OBP means more guys on base for homers as well--in other words, on better teams, Gants would have driven in more runs with his homers, as well as gotten more run-scoring non-HR hits.

]]> By: filihok http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/981/comment-page-1#comment-5833 filihok Tue, 13 Jan 2009 15:03:17 +0000 http://www.baseball-reference.com/sotd/?p=981#comment-5833 Maybe it has something to do with the OBP of the guys in front of Gant in 90 and 96 compared to the rest of his career. When no one is on base it is hard to drive them in Maybe it has something to do with the OBP of the guys in front of Gant in 90 and 96 compared to the rest of his career. When no one is on base it is hard to drive them in

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