1940 Negro American League Batting Leaders

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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

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

1. Walker • KCM 2.6

2. Williams • KCM 2.3

3. Bremer • MRS 1.8

4. Mayweather • SNS 1.6

5. Robinson • MRS 1.6

6. Hutchinson • MRS 1.5

7. Wright • TC 1.4

8. Smith • KCM 1.3

9. Bankhead • BBB 1.3

10. Armour • SNS 1.3

WAR Position Players

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

1. Williams • KCM 2.3

2. Mayweather • SNS 1.6

3. Robinson • MRS 1.6

4. Armour • SNS 1.3

5. Greene • KCM 1.2

Stearnes • KCM 1.2

7. Sampson • BBB 1.1

8. Bankhead • MRS 1.0

Souell • KCM 1.0

10. Green • SNS 1.0

Offensive WAR

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

1. Williams • KCM 1.8

2. Mayweather • SNS 1.5

3. Stearnes • KCM 1.2

4. Robinson • MRS 1.1

5. Greene • KCM 1.0

6. Souell • KCM 1.0

7. Armour • SNS 0.9

8. Sampson • BBB 0.9

9. Cleveland • CBR 0.9

10. Green • SNS 0.8

Defensive WAR

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

1. Williams • KCM 0.7

2. Robinson • MRS 0.4

3. Bankhead • MRS 0.4

4. Armour • SNS 0.3

5. Douglas • KCM 0.3

6. Turner • TC 0.3

Mickey • BBB 0.3

8. Carter • MRS 0.3

9. Mathis • MRS 0.3

10. Sampson • BBB 0.3

Batting Average

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

1. Mayweather • SNS .368

2. Williams • KCM .368

3. Bibbs • 2TM .341

4. Sampson • BBB .337

5. Cleveland • CBR .333

6. Armour • SNS .327

7. Souell • KCM .311

8. Robinson • MRS .309

9. Ford • SNS .295

10. Nixon • BBB .281

On-Base%

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

1. Mayweather • SNS .513

2. Cleveland • CBR .424

3. Williams • KCM .423

4. Ray • CBR .402

5. Robinson • MRS .402

6. Bibbs • 2TM .400

Green • SNS .400

8. Souell • KCM .396

9. Sampson • BBB .378

10. Armour • SNS .373

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. Greene • KCM .495

2. Mayweather • SNS .494

3. Robinson • MRS .485

4. Williams • KCM .478

5. Stearnes • KCM .474

6. Nixon • BBB .461

7. Bibbs • 2TM .439

8. Armour • SNS .436

9. Sampson • BBB .433

10. Cleveland • CBR .382

On-Base Plus Slugging

On-Base + Slugging Percentages For recent years, leaders need 3.1 PA per team game played

1. Mayweather • SNS 1.008

2. Williams • KCM .901

3. Robinson • MRS .886

4. Greene • KCM .862

5. Stearnes • KCM .840

6. Bibbs • 2TM .839

7. Nixon • BBB .833

8. Sampson • BBB .811

9. Armour • SNS .809

10. Cleveland • CBR .806

Games Played

Games Played or Pitched

1. Brown • MRS 49

2. Taylor • MRS 48

3. Bankhead • MRS 47

4. Brown • MRS 44

Longley • MRS 44

6. Carter • MRS 43

Mathis • MRS 43

8. O'Neil • KCM 40

Williams • KCM 40

10. Stearnes • KCM 38

At Bats

1. Bankhead • MRS 166

2. Brown • MRS 157

3. Taylor • MRS 155

4. Carter • MRS 153

5. O'Neil • KCM 145

6. Longley • MRS 138

7. Williams • KCM 136

Brown • MRS 136

9. Stearnes • KCM 133

10. Milton • KCM 126

Plate Appearances

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

1. Bankhead • MRS 191

2. Taylor • MRS 183

3. Brown • MRS 175

4. Carter • MRS 171

5. Longley • MRS 162

6. Brown • MRS 159

7. O'Neil • KCM 154

Stearnes • KCM 154

Williams • KCM 154

10. Milton • KCM 144

Runs Scored

Runs Scored/Allowed

1. Bankhead • MRS 40

2. Green • SNS 27

3. Greene • KCM 26

4. Cleveland • CBR 24

O'Neil • KCM 24

Stearnes • KCM 24

Williams • KCM 24

8. Milton • KCM 23

Taylor • MRS 23

10. Armour • SNS 21

Lyles • SNS 21

Mayweather • SNS 21

Hits

Hits/Hits Allowed

1. Williams • KCM 50

2. Brown • MRS 41

Carter • MRS 41

4. O'Neil • KCM 40

Bankhead • MRS 40

6. Taylor • MRS 39

7. Souell • KCM 38

8. Stearnes • KCM 36

Brown • MRS 36

Armour • SNS 36

Total Bases

Total Bases Singles + 2 x Doubles + 3 x Triples + 4 x Home Runs.

1. Williams • KCM 65

2. Stearnes • KCM 63

3. O'Neil • KCM 55

4. Carter • MRS 53

5. Bankhead • MRS 52

Brown • MRS 52

7. Taylor • MRS 51

8. Armour • SNS 48

9. Robinson • MRS 47

10. Sampson • BBB 45

Greene • KCM 45

Souell • KCM 45

Doubles

Doubles Hit/Allowed

1. Brown • MRS 11

2. Longley • MRS 8

Armour • SNS 8

4. Greene • KCM 7

5. Brown • MRS 6

Williams • KCM 6

Stearnes • KCM 6

Nixon • BBB 6

Mayweather • SNS 6

O'Neil • KCM 6

Triples

Triples Hit/Allowed

1. Carter • MRS 4

Greene • KCM 4

3. Williams • KCM 3

Woods • 2TM 3

Bibbs • 2TM 3

Riddle • SNS 3

Stearnes • KCM 3

O'Neil • KCM 3

Bond • CAG 3

Sampson • BBB 3

Home Runs

Home Runs Hit/Allowed

1. Stearnes • KCM 5

2. Reeves • CAG 4

Robinson • MRS 4

4. Andrews • BBB 3

5. Nixon • BBB 2

Greene • KCM 2

7. Williams • KCM 1

Burton • BBB 1

O'Neil • KCM 1

Milton • KCM 1

Decuir • KCM 1

Bradley • KCM 1

Lamar • CBR 1

Coles • CBR 1

Young • CAG 1

Sparks • CAG 1

Simms • CAG 1

Snead • BBB 1

McBride • BBB 1

Bankhead • MRS 1

Owens • 2TM 1

Spencer • TC 1

Rhone • TC 1

Henderson • TC 1

Clarkson • TC 1

Riddle • SNS 1

Mayweather • SNS 1

Green • SNS 1

Taylor • MRS 1

Mathis • MRS 1

Woods • 2TM 1

Dumas • MRS 1

Runs Batted In

1. Stearnes • KCM 34

2. Williams • KCM 28

3. O'Neil • KCM 26

4. Reeves • CAG 24

5. Greene • KCM 22

6. Robinson • MRS 21

7. Mayweather • SNS 19

8. Andrews • BBB 18

Turner • CBR 18

Armour • SNS 18

Bases on Balls

Bases on Balls/Walks

1. Green • SNS 25

2. Mayweather • SNS 24

3. Brown • MRS 21

Longley • MRS 21

5. Ray • CBR 20

Bankhead • MRS 20

7. Stearnes • KCM 19

8. Taylor • MRS 18

9. Turner • CBR 17

10. Sampson • CBR 16

Souell • KCM 16

Stolen Bases

1. Green • SNS 13

2. Milton • KCM 9

3. Bankhead • MRS 8

Souell • KCM 8

O'Neil • KCM 8

6. Taylor • MRS 7

Cleveland • CBR 7

8. Henderson • TC 6

Lyles • SNS 6

10. Woods • 2TM 5

Douglas • KCM 5

Greene • KCM 5

Robinson • MRS 5

Armour • SNS 5

Williams • KCM 5

Singles

Singles Hit/Allowed

1. Williams • KCM 40

2. Carter • MRS 33

3. Souell • KCM 32

Bankhead • MRS 32

5. Taylor • MRS 31

6. O'Neil • KCM 30

Brown • MRS 30

9. Cleveland • CBR 29

10. Sampson • BBB 28

Milton • KCM 28

Adjusted OPS+

OPS+ 100*[OBP/lg OBP + SLG/lg SLG - 1] Adjusted to the player’s ballpark(s)

1. Mayweather • SNS 204

2. Williams • KCM 172

3. Robinson • MRS 167

4. Greene • KCM 160

5. Stearnes • KCM 153

6. Bibbs • 2TM 153

7. Nixon • BBB 151

8. Sampson • BBB 145

9. Armour • SNS 144

10. Cleveland • CBR 143

Runs Created

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

1. Williams • KCM 27

2. Stearnes • KCM 23

3. Mayweather • SNS 22

4. Robinson • MRS 19

5. Souell • KCM 18

Armour • SNS 18

7. Sampson • BBB 17

Greene • KCM 17

O'Neil • KCM 17

Bankhead • MRS 17

Carter • MRS 17

Taylor • MRS 17

Adj. Batting Runs

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

1. Mayweather • SNS 14

2. Williams • KCM 12

3. Stearnes • KCM 8

4. Robinson • MRS 8

5. Greene • KCM 6

6. Cleveland • CBR 6

7. Nixon • BBB 6

8. Armour • SNS 6

9. Riddle • SNS 5

10. Souell • KCM 5

Reeves • CAG 5

Adj. Batting Wins

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

1. Mayweather • SNS 1.5

2. Williams • KCM 1.2

3. Stearnes • KCM 0.9

4. Robinson • MRS 0.9

5. Greene • KCM 0.7

6. Cleveland • CBR 0.7

7. Nixon • BBB 0.6

Armour • SNS 0.6

9. Souell • KCM 0.6

Riddle • SNS 0.6

Reeves • CAG 0.6

Extra Base Hits

Extra Base Hits Doubles + Triples + Home Runs

1. Stearnes • KCM 14

2. Greene • KCM 13

3. Brown • MRS 11

4. O'Neil • KCM 10

Armour • SNS 10

Nixon • BBB 10

Williams • KCM 10

8. Longley • MRS 9

9. Mayweather • SNS 8

Reeves • CAG 8

Taylor • MRS 8

Robinson • MRS 8

Carter • MRS 8

Bankhead • MRS 8

Times On Base

Times on Base Hits + Bases on Balls + Hit By Pitch Does not include Reached on Error or Catcher Interference.

1. Williams • KCM 63

Bankhead • MRS 63

3. Brown • MRS 58

Mayweather • SNS 58

5. Taylor • MRS 57

6. Stearnes • KCM 56

7. Souell • KCM 55

Carter • MRS 55

Longley • MRS 55

10. Green • SNS 54

Offensive Win %

Offensive Winning Percentage The percentage of games a team with nine of this player batting would win. Assumes average pitching and defense. 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. Mayweather • SNS .862

2. Williams • KCM .789

3. Robinson • MRS .774

4. Bibbs • 2TM .732

5. Greene • KCM .727

6. Sampson • BBB .721

7. Armour • SNS .717

8. Stearnes • KCM .709

9. Cleveland • CBR .693

10. Nixon • BBB .685

Hit By Pitch

Times Hit by a Pitch.

1. McDaniel • KCM 4

2. Bankhead • MRS 3

Ray • CBR 3

Milton • KCM 3

5. Williams • CBR 2

Douglas • KCM 2

Frazier • CBR 2

Green • SNS 2

Mayweather • SNS 2

Robinson • SNS 2

Bell • TC 2

Wilson • BBB 2

Sampson • BBB 2

Williams • KCM 2

Sacrifice Hits

Sacrifice Hits (Sacrifice Bunts)

1. Taylor • MRS 10

2. Bond • CAG 7

3. Brown • MRS 6

4. Williams • KCM 5

Milton • KCM 5

6. Carter • MRS 4

Nixon • BBB 4

Lyles • SNS 4

Sampson • CBR 4

Morney • CAG 4

Power-Speed #

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

1. Robinson • MRS 4.4

Stearnes • KCM 4.4

3. Greene • KCM 2.9

4. Andrews • BBB 2.4

5. Green • SNS 1.9

6. Milton • KCM 1.8

7. Bankhead • MRS 1.8

O'Neil • KCM 1.8

9. Taylor • MRS 1.8

10. Henderson • TC 1.7

AB per HR

At Bats Per Home Run

1. Robinson • MRS 24.3

2. Stearnes • KCM 26.6

3. Andrews • BBB 33.0

4. Nixon • BBB 44.5

5. Greene • KCM 45.5

6. Mayweather • SNS 87.0

7. Lamar • CBR 90.0

8. Burton • BBB 92.0

9. Green • SNS 108.0

10. Woods • 2TM 111.0

Outs Made

Outs Made (At Bats - Hits) + Double Plays Grounded Into + Sac. Flies + Sac. Hits + Caught Stealing.

1. Bankhead • MRS 128

2. Taylor • MRS 126

3. Brown • MRS 122

4. Carter • MRS 116

5. Longley • MRS 107

6. O'Neil • KCM 106

7. Brown • MRS 101

8. Milton • KCM 98

Stearnes • KCM 98

10. Mathis • MRS 94

rOBA

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

1. Mayweather • SNS .490

2. Williams • KCM .433

3. Robinson • MRS .428

4. Greene • KCM .413

5. Cleveland • CBR .408

6. Bibbs • 2TM .407

7. Stearnes • KCM .400

8. Nixon • BBB .400

9. Armour • SNS .393

10. Sampson • BBB .390

Rbat+

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

1. Mayweather • SNS 200

2. Williams • KCM 168

3. Robinson • MRS 161

4. Greene • KCM 152

5. Bibbs • 2TM 150

6. Cleveland • CBR 148

7. Nixon • BBB 147

8. Stearnes • KCM 147

9. Sampson • BBB 141

10. Armour • SNS 140

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