Rankings of Negro League players should consider that Negro League data is not complete. Research is still ongoing and we’ll continue to publish updates as more information becomes available. Negro Leagues Data: Frequently Asked Questions

Negro American League Batting Leaders

Wins Above Replacement--all

<strong>Wins Above Replacement</strong><br>A single number that presents the number of wins the player added<br>to the team above what a replacement player (think AAA or AAAA) would add.<br>Scale for a single-season: 8+ MVP Quality, 5+ All-Star Quality, 2+ Starter,<br>0-2 Reserve, < 0 Replacement Level <br>Developed by Sean Smith of BaseballProjection.com

1. Smith • KCM 5.0
2. Cornelius • CAG 4.3
3. Brown • KCM 2.7
4. Howard • BCA 2.1
5. Johnson • CAG 2.0
6. Milton • KCM 1.9
7. Evans • 3TM 1.9
8. Reeves • BCA 1.7
9. Dixon • BCA 1.7
10. Strong • 3TM 1.6

WAR Position Players

<strong>Wins Above Replacement for position players</strong><br>A single number that presents the number of wins the player added<br>to the team above what a replacement player (think AAA or AAAA) would add.<br>Scale: 8+ MVP Quality, 5+ All-Star Quality, 2+ Starter,<br>0-2 Reserve, < 0 Replacement Level <br> Developed by Sean Smith of BaseballProjection.com

1. Brown • KCM 2.7
2. Milton • KCM 1.9
3. Reeves • BCA 1.7
4. Strong • 2TM 1.6
5. Robinson • MRS 1.5
6. Bibbs • 2TM 1.5
7. Whatley • 2TM 1.4
8. Moore • BCA 1.2
9. Smith • KCM 1.1
10. Else • KCM 1.0

Offensive WAR

<strong>Offensive Wins Above Replacement (everything but Fielding)</strong><br>The same statistic as Wins Above Replacement for Position<br>Players (WAR), but with the fielding value excluded.<br>oWAR + dWAR does not equal WAR.<br>Adding would count positions twice.<br>Contains the factor for batting stats, baserunning, a positional adjustment, and the replacement player adjustment.<br> Factors developed by Sean Smith of BaseballProjection.com

1. Brown • KCM 2.3
2. Milton • KCM 1.9
3. Reeves • BCA 1.6
4. Strong • 2TM 1.4
5. Robinson • MRS 1.3
6. Smith • KCM 1.1
7. Moore • BCA 1.1
8. Whatley • 2TM 1.0
9. Stearnes • 2TM 0.9
10. Davenport • MRS 0.9
Trouppe • AB3 0.9

Defensive WAR

<strong>Defensive Wins Above Replacement for position players</strong><br>A defensive measure of wins above replacement, but given<br>only the defensive stats of the player and his position adjustment. For this calculation, we use a<br>replacement level on defense is the league average.<br>Based on Baseball Info Solutions defensive runs saved from 2003 on<br>and total zone rating developed by Sean Smith of BaseballProjection.com previously

1. Bibbs • 2TM 0.7
2. Hyde • MRS 0.6
3. Butts • BCA 0.6
4. Pelham • BCA 0.5
Else • KCM 0.5
Duncan • 2TM 0.5
7. Radcliff • CAG 0.4
8. Robinson • MRS 0.4
9. Allen • KCM 0.4
10. Lockett • BBB 0.3

Batting Average

<strong>Hits/At Bats</strong><br>For recent years, leaders need 3.1 PA<br>per team game played<br>Bold indicates either highest BA using current stats<br>or awarded title at end of year.

1. Whatley • 2TM .396
2. Reeves • BCA .386
3. Rogers • MRS .353
4. Brown • KCM .352
5. Moore • BCA .346
6. Milton • KCM .342
7. Davenport • MRS .325
8. Robinson • MRS .314
9. Redus • CAG .306
10. McCall • BBB .304

On-Base%

<strong>(H + BB + HBP)/(At Bats + BB + HBP + SF)</strong><br>For recent years, leaders need 3.1 PA<br>per team game played

1. Whatley • 2TM .439
2. Reeves • BCA .434
3. Moore • BCA .414
4. Robinson • MRS .403
5. Milton • KCM .395
6. Davenport • MRS .392
7. Brown • KCM .387
8. Greene • BCA .383
9. Redus • CAG .374
10. Rogers • MRS .371

Slugging %

Total Bases/At Bats or
(1B + 2*2B + 3*3B + 4*HR)/AB
For recent years, leaders need 3.1 PA
per team game played

1. Brown • KCM .606
2. Reeves • BCA .583
3. Rogers • MRS .520
4. Milton • KCM .508
5. Whatley • 2TM .491
6. Mayweather • KCM .471
7. Stearnes • 2TM .456
8. Robinson • MRS .446
9. Moore • BCA .438
10. McCall • BBB .435

On-Base Plus Slugging

<strong>On-Base + Slugging Percentages </strong><br>For recent years, leaders need 3.1 PA<br>per team game played

1. Reeves • BCA 1.017
2. Brown • KCM .993
3. Whatley • 2TM .929
4. Milton • KCM .903
5. Rogers • MRS .891
6. Moore • BCA .852
7. Robinson • MRS .849
8. Mayweather • KCM .816
9. Davenport • MRS .811
10. Stearnes • 2TM .807

Games Played

Games Played or Pitched

1. Brown • KCM 50
2. Bibbs • 2TM 49
3. Milton • KCM 48
O'Neil • KCM 48
5. Pelham • BCA 43
6. Johnson • KCM 42
7. Davis • BCA 41
Reeves • BCA 41
9. Moore • BCA 40
Allen • KCM 40

At Bats

At Bats

1. Brown • KCM 193
Milton • KCM 193
3. Bibbs • 2TM 187
4. O'Neil • KCM 163
5. Pelham • BCA 159
6. Davis • BCA 155
7. Radcliff • CAG 152
8. Allen • KCM 151
9. Redus • CAG 147
10. Stearnes • 2TM 136

Plate Appearances

<strong>Plate Appearances</strong><br>When available, we use actual plate appearances from play-by-play game accounts<br>Otherwise estimated using AB + BB + HBP + SF + SH,<br>which excludes catcher interferences.<br>When <span class=tooltip>this color</span> click for a summary of each PA.

1. Milton • KCM 213
2. Bibbs • 2TM 208
3. Brown • KCM 204
4. O'Neil • KCM 185
5. Pelham • BCA 169
6. Davis • BCA 167
7. Redus • CAG 166
Allen • KCM 166
9. Radcliff • CAG 162
10. Stearnes • 2TM 153

Runs Scored

Runs Scored/Allowed

1. Milton • KCM 53
2. Brown • KCM 39
3. O'Neil • KCM 31
4. Bibbs • 2TM 30
5. Reeves • BCA 28
Allen • KCM 28
7. Stearnes • 2TM 27
8. Cooper • BCA 26
Davis • BCA 26
Kemp • 2TM 26

Hits

Hits/Hits Allowed

1. Brown • KCM 68
2. Milton • KCM 66
3. Bibbs • 2TM 55
4. Reeves • BCA 51
5. Davis • BCA 46
6. Moore • BCA 45
Redus • CAG 45
8. O'Neil • KCM 42
Whatley • 2TM 42
10. Allen • KCM 41

Total Bases

<strong>Total Bases</strong><br>Singles + 2 x Doubles + 3 x Triples + 4 x Home Runs.

1. Brown • KCM 117
2. Milton • KCM 98
3. Reeves • BCA 77
4. Davis • BCA 67
5. O'Neil • KCM 66
6. Redus • CAG 63
Bibbs • 2TM 63
8. Stearnes • 2TM 62
9. Radcliff • CAG 59
10. Moore • BCA 57

Doubles

Doubles Hit/Allowed

1. Brown • KCM 17
2. Davis • BCA 11
Milton • KCM 11
4. O'Neil • KCM 9
5. Allen • KCM 8
Mayweather • KCM 8
7. Davenport • MRS 7
Radcliff • CAG 7
Byas • CAG 7
Stearnes • 2TM 7
Pelham • BCA 7
Robinson • MRS 7

Triples

Triples Hit/Allowed

1. Milton • KCM 6
2. Radcliff • CAG 5
Cox • KCM 5
Davis • BCA 5
5. Greene • BCA 4
Brown • KCM 4
Johnson • KCM 4
Reeves • BCA 4
Pelham • BCA 4
Mayweather • KCM 4
Hyde • MRS 4
Stearnes • 2TM 4
Strong • 2TM 4

Home Runs

Home Runs Hit/Allowed

1. Brown • KCM 8
2. Reeves • BCA 5
3. Strong • 2TM 4
4. Stearnes • 2TM 3
Smith • KCM 3
O'Neil • KCM 3
Milton • KCM 3
Redus • CAG 3
9. Trouppe • AB3 2
Duncan • 2TM 2
Rogers • MRS 2
Jefferson • MRS 2
Young • CAG 2
Moore • BCA 2
Sparks • CAG 2

Runs Batted In

Runs Batted In

1. Brown • KCM 51
2. Reeves • BCA 35
3. Stearnes • 2TM 30
4. Milton • KCM 28
5. Davis • BCA 26
Moore • BCA 26
7. Pelham • BCA 25
8. O'Neil • KCM 24
Bibbs • 2TM 24
10. Strong • 2TM 23

Bases on Balls

Bases on Balls/Walks

1. O'Neil • KCM 19
2. Milton • KCM 17
3. Cooper • BCA 16
Bibbs • 2TM 16
Duncan • 2TM 16
6. Moore • BCA 15
Redus • CAG 15
Cox • KCM 15
Robinson • MRS 15
10. Stearnes • 2TM 14

Stolen Bases

Stolen Bases

1. Milton • KCM 26
2. Brown • KCM 20
3. Bibbs • 2TM 11
O'Neil • KCM 11
5. Hyde • MRS 9
6. Stearnes • 2TM 8
7. Reeves • BCA 7
Strong • 2TM 7
Kemp • 2TM 7
Davenport • MRS 7

Singles

Singles Hit/Allowed

1. Bibbs • 2TM 48
2. Milton • KCM 46
3. Reeves • BCA 39
Brown • KCM 39
5. Moore • BCA 38
6. Taylor • MRS 36
7. Redus • CAG 35
8. Whatley • 2TM 34
9. Hyde • MRS 32
10. Allen • KCM 31

Adjusted OPS+

<strong>OPS+</strong><br>100*[OBP/lg OBP + SLG/lg SLG - 1]<br>Adjusted to the player&#x2019;s ballpark(s)

1. Reeves • BCA 190
2. Brown • KCM 182
3. Whatley • 2TM 166
4. Milton • KCM 157
5. Rogers • MRS 153
6. Moore • BCA 144
7. Robinson • MRS 143
8. Mayweather • KCM 132
9. Davenport • MRS 132
10. Stearnes • 2TM 130

Runs Created

<strong>Runs Created</strong><br>A set of formulas developed by Bill James and others<br>that estimates a player&#x2019;s total contributions<br>to a team&#x2019;s runs total.<br>This is computed with the "technical" formula when possible.<br>If SB or CS data is missing, the "basic" formula is used.<br>If HBP, IBB, SH, SF, or GIDP data is missing, the "stolen base" version of the formula is used. <br>Team Runs Created is the sum of player Runs Created.

1. Brown • KCM 45
2. Milton • KCM 39
3. Reeves • BCA 33
4. Strong • 2TM 25
5. Moore • BCA 24
6. Davis • BCA 23
Redus • CAG 23
Whatley • 2TM 23
9. O'Neil • KCM 22
Bibbs • 2TM 22
Stearnes • 2TM 22

Adj. Batting Runs

<strong>Adjusted Batting Runs</strong><br>A set of formulas developed by Gary Gillette, Pete Palmer and others<br>that estimates a player&#x2019;s total contributions<br>to a team&#x2019;s runs total via linear weights.<br>0.0 is an avg performance, <0 is worse than avg and >0 is better than avg

1. Brown • KCM 19
2. Reeves • BCA 15
3. Milton • KCM 14
4. Strong • 2TM 13
5. Whatley • 2TM 9
6. Trouppe • AB3 9
7. Moore • BCA 8
8. Robinson • MRS 8
9. Rogers • MRS 6
10. Smith • KCM 6

Adj. Batting Wins

<strong>Adjusted Batting Wins</strong><br>A set of formulas developed by Gary Gillette, Pete Palmer and others<br>that estimates a player&#x2019;s total contributions<br>to a team&#x2019;s wins with his bat.<br>0.0 is an avg performance, <0 is worse than avg and >0 is better than avg

1. Brown • KCM 1.9
2. Reeves • BCA 1.5
3. Milton • KCM 1.4
4. Strong • 2TM 1.3
5. Whatley • 2TM 0.9
6. Trouppe • AB3 0.9
7. Moore • BCA 0.8
8. Robinson • MRS 0.8
9. Rogers • MRS 0.6
10. Smith • KCM 0.6

Extra Base Hits

<strong>Extra Base Hits</strong><br>Doubles + Triples + Home Runs

1. Brown • KCM 29
2. Milton • KCM 20
3. Davis • BCA 16
4. O'Neil • KCM 15
5. Stearnes • 2TM 14
6. Radcliff • CAG 13
Mayweather • KCM 13
Strong • 2TM 13
9. Pelham • BCA 12
Reeves • BCA 12

Times On Base

<strong>Times on Base</strong><br>Hits + Bases on Balls + Hit By Pitch<br>Does not include Reached on Error or Catcher Interference.

1. Milton • KCM 83
2. Brown • KCM 79
3. Bibbs • 2TM 73
4. Reeves • BCA 62
5. Redus • CAG 61
O'Neil • KCM 61
7. Moore • BCA 60
8. Davis • BCA 57
9. Robinson • MRS 56
10. Allen • KCM 54

Offensive Win %

<strong>Offensive Winning Percentage</strong><br>The percentage of games a team with nine of this player<br>batting would win. Assumes average pitching and defense.<br>This uses the Pythagorean win pct formula with the player's RC/G for runs scored and the league's R/9 as runs allowed.

1. Reeves • BCA .847
2. Brown • KCM .815
3. Whatley • 2TM .810
4. Milton • KCM .760
5. Rogers • MRS .753
6. Moore • BCA .710
7. Robinson • MRS .698
8. Davenport • MRS .668
9. Mayweather • KCM .654
10. Stearnes • 2TM .641

Hit By Pitch

Times Hit by a Pitch.

1. Trouppe • AB3 3
Brown • MRS 3
Duncan • 2TM 3
Robinson • MRS 3
5. Young • CAG 2
Cox • KCM 2
Else • KCM 2
Johnson • BBB 2
Bibbs • 2TM 2
Greene • BCA 2
Bankhead • 2TM 2

Sacrifice Hits

Sacrifice Hits (Sacrifice Bunts)

1. Moore • BCA 7
2. Maxwell • MRS 5
Duncan • 2TM 5
Dunlap • CAG 5
Barnes • BBB 5
Johnson • KCM 5
7. Cox • KCM 4
Jackson • BCA 4
Taylor • MRS 4
10. Armour • AB3 3
Davis • 2TM 3
Frazier • JRC 3
Redus • CAG 3
Horne • CAG 3
Bibbs • 2TM 3
Sims • 2TM 3
Howard • 2TM 3
O'Neil • KCM 3
Kemp • 2TM 3
Cooper • BCA 3
Milton • KCM 3
Simms • 2TM 3

Power-Speed #

<strong>Power/Speed Number</strong><br>2 x (Home Runs x Stolen Bases)/(Stolen Bases + Home Runs)<br>The harmonic mean of HR and SB.<br>To do well you need a lot of both.<br>Developed by Bill James.

1. Brown • KCM 11.4
2. Reeves • BCA 5.8
3. Milton • KCM 5.4
4. Strong • 2TM 5.1
5. O'Neil • KCM 4.7
6. Stearnes • 2TM 4.4
7. Redus • CAG 4.0
8. Duncan • 2TM 2.4
9. Rogers • MRS 2.0
10. Kemp • 2TM 1.8

AB per HR

<strong>At Bats Per Home Run</strong>

1. Brown • KCM 24.1
2. Reeves • BCA 26.4
3. Stearnes • 2TM 45.3
4. Redus • CAG 49.0
5. Rogers • MRS 51.0
Young • CAG 51.0
7. O'Neil • KCM 54.3
8. Duncan • 2TM 57.0
9. Milton • KCM 64.3
10. Moore • BCA 65.0

Outs Made

<strong>Outs Made</strong><br>(At Bats - Hits) + Double Plays Grounded Into <br>+ Sac. Flies + Sac. Hits + Caught Stealing.

1. Bibbs • 2TM 135
2. Milton • KCM 130
3. Brown • KCM 125
4. O'Neil • KCM 124
5. Pelham • BCA 123
6. Radcliff • CAG 113
7. Allen • KCM 112
8. Davis • BCA 110
9. Johnson • KCM 108
10. Redus • CAG 105

rOBA

rOBA
A measure of a player's offensive contributions, weighted in proportion to each event's actual run value

1. Reeves • BCA .464
2. Brown • KCM .454
3. Whatley • 2TM .432
4. Milton • KCM .425
5. Rogers • MRS .402
6. Robinson • MRS .400
7. Moore • BCA .400
8. Davenport • MRS .387
9. Greene • BCA .378
10. Redus • CAG .376

Rbat+

Rbat+
Batting runs as computed for WAR, but indexed to the environment the player played in, where 100 is league average.

1. Reeves • BCA 182
2. Brown • KCM 172
3. Whatley • 2TM 165
4. Milton • KCM 155
5. Rogers • MRS 150
6. Moore • BCA 149
7. Robinson • MRS 145
8. Davenport • MRS 136
9. Greene • BCA 134
10. Redus • CAG 133

A ** by the stat's value indicates the player had fewer than the required number of at bats or plate appearances for the BA, OBP, SLG or OPS title that year. In order to rank the player, the necessary number of hitless at bats were added to the player's season total. The value printed here is their actual value and not the value used to rank them, therefore some numbers may appear out of order.

For rate stats, generally a minimum of 3.1 Plate Appearances/Team Game (batting), 1.0 IP/Team Game (pitching), 0.67 Gm and Chances/Team Game (fielding), 0.2 SB att/Team Game (catchers), 0.1 SB att/Team Game (baserunners only since 1951), and 0.1 decision/Team Game (W-L%) is needed for single-season leaderboards. For pitcher fielding the minimums are reduced by a third. For LF, CF, RF fielding stats, we only have reliable data since 1898, so all leaders are since 1898. Explanation of min. requirements

More 1938 Negro American League Pages

1938 NAL Season

Minor Leagues

Standings

Fielding

Batting

Pitching

Managers

Fielding

Batting

Pitching

Leaders & Awards

Other