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. McDaniel • KCM 3.3
2. Bremer • CBE 2.9
3. Robinson • KCM 2.3
4. Williams • KCM 2.1
5. Jessup • CAG 1.8
6. Steele • BBB 1.5
7. LaMarque • KCM 1.5
8. Pennington • CAG 1.5
9. Smith • KCM 1.2
10. Smith • CAG 1.2

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. Robinson • KCM 2.3
2. Williams • KCM 2.1
3. Steele • BBB 1.5
4. Pennington • CAG 1.5
5. Jethroe • CBE 1.2
6. Cañizares • CBE 1.2
7. Wilson • BBB 1.1
8. Robinson • MRS 1.1
Souell • KCM 1.1
10. Davis • BBB 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. Robinson • KCM 2.2
2. Williams • KCM 1.6
3. Steele • BBB 1.5
4. Pennington • CAG 1.4
5. Souell • KCM 1.1
6. Robinson • MRS 1.0
7. Jethroe • CBE 1.0
8. Smith • CAG 1.0
9. Davis • BBB 1.0
10. Cañizares • CBE 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. Williams • KCM 0.6
2. Cañizares • CBE 0.4
3. Wilson • BBB 0.4
4. Douglas • CAG 0.3
5. Armour • CBE 0.3
Drake • CC 0.3
Robinson • KCM 0.3
8. Radcliff • CC 0.2
Jethroe • CBE 0.2
10. Renfroe • 2TM 0.2

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. Steele • BBB .385
2. Robinson • KCM .376
3. Davis • BBB .361
4. Cañizares • CBE .352
5. Robinson • MRS .344
6. Wilson • BBB .342
7. Smith • CAG .338
8. Moody • KCM .330
9. Pennington • CAG .328
10. Souell • KCM .314

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. Robinson • KCM .447
2. Steele • BBB .439
3. Pennington • CAG .430
4. Davis • BBB .415
5. Robinson • MRS .404
6. Cañizares • CBE .400
7. Wilson • BBB .390
8. Williams • KCM .378
9. Smith • CAG .375
10. Thomas • KCM .359

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. Steele • BBB .644
2. Robinson • KCM .586
3. Robinson • MRS .544
4. Davis • BBB .495
5. Pennington • CAG .477
6. Cañizares • CBE .466
7. Smith • CAG .464
8. Souell • KCM .424
9. Moody • KCM .410
10. Williams • KCM .400

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. Steele • BBB 1.083
2. Robinson • KCM 1.033
3. Robinson • MRS .948
4. Davis • BBB .910
5. Pennington • CAG .907
6. Cañizares • CBE .866
7. Smith • CAG .839
8. Wilson • BBB .785
9. Souell • KCM .782
10. Williams • KCM .778

Games Played

Games Played or Pitched

1. Scott • KCM 52
2. Thomas • KCM 51
Williams • KCM 51
4. Moody • KCM 48
Souell • KCM 48
6. Renfroe • 2TM 43
7. Crutchfield • CAG 38
Smith • CAG 38
9. Robinson • KCM 37
10. Pennington • CAG 35
Wyatt • CAG 35

At Bats

At Bats

1. Scott • KCM 206
2. Williams • KCM 200
3. Souell • KCM 191
4. Thomas • KCM 190
5. Moody • KCM 188
6. Smith • CAG 151
7. Renfroe • 2TM 147
8. Crutchfield • CAG 146
9. Wyatt • CAG 133
Robinson • KCM 133

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. Williams • KCM 230
2. Scott • KCM 220
3. Thomas • KCM 210
4. Souell • KCM 208
5. Moody • KCM 200
6. Renfroe • 2TM 165
7. Smith • CAG 161
8. Crutchfield • CAG 160
9. Pennington • CAG 151
Robinson • KCM 151

Runs Scored

Runs Scored/Allowed

1. Williams • KCM 51
2. Souell • KCM 39
3. Scott • KCM 31
4. Bissant • CAG 30
Moody • KCM 30
Thomas • KCM 30
7. Robinson • KCM 28
8. Wyatt • CAG 25
9. Smith • CAG 24
10. Douglas • CAG 23
Pennington • CAG 23

Hits

Hits/Hits Allowed

1. Moody • KCM 62
2. Souell • KCM 60
Williams • KCM 60
4. Thomas • KCM 58
5. Smith • CAG 51
Scott • KCM 51
7. Robinson • KCM 50
8. Pennington • CAG 42
9. Steele • BBB 40
Douglas • CAG 40

Total Bases

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

1. Souell • KCM 81
2. Williams • KCM 80
3. Robinson • KCM 78
4. Moody • KCM 77
5. Thomas • KCM 74
6. Scott • KCM 72
7. Smith • CAG 70
8. Steele • BBB 67
9. Pennington • CAG 61
10. Wyatt • CAG 51

Doubles

Doubles Hit/Allowed

1. Robinson • KCM 14
2. Williams • KCM 10
Moody • KCM 10
4. Souell • KCM 8
5. Cañizares • CBE 7
Bissant • CAG 7
7. Scott • KCM 6
Crutchfield • CAG 6
Wilson • BBB 6
Robinson • MRS 6
Pennington • CAG 6
Jones • MRS 6

Triples

Triples Hit/Allowed

1. Steele • BBB 8
2. Scott • KCM 6
3. Jethroe • CBE 5
Souell • KCM 5
5. Hyde • MRS 4
King • CAG 4
Smith • CAG 4
Thomas • KCM 4
9. Vázquez • CC 3
Wyatt • CAG 3

Home Runs

Home Runs Hit/Allowed

1. Robinson • KCM 4
Robinson • MRS 4
3. Pennington • CAG 3
Jones • MRS 3
5. Williams • KCM 2
Wyatt • CAG 2
Smith • CAG 2
Steele • BBB 2
Davis • BBB 2
10. Douglas • CAG 1
Nelson • CAG 1
Cañizares • CBE 1
Jethroe • CBE 1
Trouppe • CBE 1
Drake • CC 1
Navarro • CC 1
Radcliff • CC 1
Vázquez • CC 1
Moody • KCM 1
Scott • KCM 1
Souell • KCM 1
Thomas • KCM 1
Ford • MRS 1
Bassett • BBB 1
Felder • 2TM 1

Runs Batted In

Runs Batted In

1. Scott • KCM 34
Souell • KCM 34
3. Smith • CAG 33
4. Robinson • KCM 31
5. Moody • KCM 27
6. Pennington • CAG 26
7. Thomas • KCM 23
8. Wyatt • CAG 22
9. Robinson • MRS 21
10. Jethroe • CBE 20

Bases on Balls

Bases on Balls/Walks

1. Pennington • CAG 23
Williams • KCM 23
3. Robinson • KCM 17
4. Bissant • CAG 14
5. Crutchfield • CAG 13
Nelson • CAG 13
Scott • KCM 13
Thomas • KCM 13
9. Wyatt • CAG 11
Renfroe • 2TM 11

Stolen Bases

Stolen Bases

1. Williams • KCM 12
2. Pennington • CAG 7
3. Robinson • KCM 6
Scott • KCM 6
Woods • CBE 6
6. Souell • KCM 5
Thomas • KCM 5
Douglas • CAG 5
Jethroe • CBE 5
Cañizares • CBE 5

Singles

Singles Hit/Allowed

1. Moody • KCM 50
2. Thomas • KCM 48
3. Souell • KCM 46
Williams • KCM 46
5. Smith • CAG 40
6. Scott • KCM 38
7. Douglas • CAG 36
8. Wilson • BBB 33
9. Wyatt • CAG 32
10. Pennington • CAG 31
Robinson • KCM 31
Renfroe • 2TM 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. Steele • BBB 214
2. Robinson • KCM 201
3. Robinson • MRS 176
4. Davis • BBB 165
5. Pennington • CAG 165
6. Cañizares • CBE 153
7. Smith • CAG 144
8. Wilson • BBB 130
9. Souell • KCM 128
10. Williams • KCM 128

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. Robinson • KCM 35
2. Williams • KCM 30
3. Steele • BBB 29
4. Moody • KCM 28
Souell • KCM 28
6. Pennington • CAG 26
Smith • CAG 26
Thomas • KCM 26
9. Scott • KCM 21
10. Davis • BBB 20

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. Robinson • KCM 18
2. Steele • BBB 14
3. Pennington • CAG 12
4. Robinson • MRS 9
5. Williams • KCM 8
6. Jethroe • CBE 8
7. Davis • BBB 8
8. Smith • CAG 8
9. Souell • KCM 6
10. Cañizares • CBE 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. Robinson • KCM 1.8
2. Steele • BBB 1.4
3. Pennington • CAG 1.2
4. Robinson • MRS 0.9
5. Williams • KCM 0.8
6. Jethroe • CBE 0.8
Davis • BBB 0.8
8. Smith • CAG 0.8
9. Souell • KCM 0.7
10. Cañizares • CBE 0.6

Extra Base Hits

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

1. Robinson • KCM 19
2. Steele • BBB 15
3. Williams • KCM 14
Souell • KCM 14
5. Scott • KCM 13
6. Moody • KCM 12
7. Smith • CAG 11
Jethroe • CBE 11
Pennington • CAG 11
10. Robinson • MRS 10
Thomas • KCM 10

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. Williams • KCM 85
2. Thomas • KCM 74
3. Souell • KCM 73
4. Moody • KCM 70
5. Robinson • KCM 67
6. Pennington • CAG 65
7. Scott • KCM 64
8. Smith • CAG 60
9. Steele • BBB 50
Douglas • CAG 50

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. Steele • BBB .864
2. Robinson • KCM .858
3. Robinson • MRS .791
4. Davis • BBB .782
5. Pennington • CAG .772
6. Cañizares • CBE .741
7. Smith • CAG .716
8. Wilson • BBB .655
9. Moody • KCM .644
10. Souell • KCM .629

Hit By Pitch

Times Hit by a Pitch.

1. Thomas • KCM 3
Souell • KCM 3
Woods • CBE 3
4. Steele • BBB 2
Robinson • MRS 2
Jethroe • CBE 2
Bankhead • MRS 2
Williams • KCM 2
9. Wilson • BBB 1
Barnhill • CAG 1
Crutchfield • CAG 1
Nelson • CAG 1
Radcliff • CC 1
Haynes • KCM 1
Matchett • KCM 1
Johnson • MRS 1
Wells • MRS 1
Lockett • BBB 1
Renfroe • 2TM 1

Sacrifice Hits

Sacrifice Hits (Sacrifice Bunts)

1. Renfroe • 2TM 6
2. Williams • KCM 5
3. Ray • 3TM 4
Moody • KCM 4
Thomas • KCM 4
Souell • KCM 4
Steele • BBB 4
Woods • CBE 4
Longley • MRS 4
10. Wyatt • CAG 3
Jones • MRS 3
Mathis • MRS 3
Bell • BBB 3
Merchant • CC 3
Lockett • BBB 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. Robinson • KCM 4.8
2. Pennington • CAG 4.2
3. Williams • KCM 3.4
4. Steele • BBB 2.0
Davis • BBB 2.0
6. Scott • KCM 1.7
7. Douglas • CAG 1.7
Cañizares • CBE 1.7
Jethroe • CBE 1.7
Thomas • KCM 1.7
Souell • KCM 1.7

AB per HR

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

1. Robinson • MRS 22.5
2. Robinson • KCM 33.3
3. Pennington • CAG 42.7
4. Davis • BBB 48.5
5. Steele • BBB 52.0
6. Wyatt • CAG 66.5
7. Smith • CAG 75.5
8. Cañizares • CBE 88.0
9. Williams • KCM 100.0
10. Nelson • CAG 103.0

Outs Made

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

1. Scott • KCM 156
2. Williams • KCM 145
3. Thomas • KCM 136
4. Souell • KCM 135
5. Moody • KCM 130
6. Renfroe • 2TM 117
7. Crutchfield • CAG 112
8. Smith • CAG 101
9. Wyatt • CAG 98
10. Douglas • CAG 92

rOBA

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

1. Steele • BBB .489
2. Robinson • KCM .477
3. Robinson • MRS .437
4. Pennington • CAG .431
5. Davis • BBB .423
6. Cañizares • CBE .413
7. Smith • CAG .390
8. Williams • KCM .378
9. Wilson • BBB .374
10. Souell • KCM .366

Rbat+

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

1. Steele • BBB 204
2. Robinson • KCM 193
3. Robinson • MRS 171
4. Pennington • CAG 165
5. Davis • BBB 164
6. Cañizares • CBE 153
7. Smith • CAG 144
8. Wilson • BBB 135
9. Williams • KCM 133
10. Souell • KCM 130

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 1945 Negro American League Pages

1945 NAL Season

Minor Leagues

Standings

Fielding

Batting

Pitching

Managers

Fielding

Batting

Pitching

Leaders & Awards

Other