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. LaMarque • KCM 3.9
2. Brown • KCM 2.7
3. Newberry • BBB 2.1
4. Powell • BBB 2.1
5. Thompson • KCM 2.1
6. Wilson • BBB 2.0
7. Davis • BBB 1.7
8. Smith • KCM 1.5
9. Clarke • CBE 1.4
10. Steele • BBB 1.3

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. Thompson • KCM 2.1
3. Wilson • BBB 2.0
4. Davis • BBB 1.7
5. Steele • BBB 1.3
6. Boyd • MRS 1.1
7. Hairston • IC 0.9
8. Souell • KCM 0.9
Taborn • KCM 0.9
10. Strong • IC 0.7

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 2.7
2. Wilson • BBB 1.8
3. Thompson • KCM 1.8
4. Steele • BBB 1.4
5. Davis • BBB 1.2
6. Boyd • MRS 1.2
7. Hairston • IC 0.8
8. LaMarque • KCM 0.7
Taborn • KCM 0.7
10. Neil • IC 0.6

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. Davis • BBB 0.6
2. Reynolds • CBE 0.5
3. Souell • KCM 0.4
4. Merchant • IC 0.3
5. Strong • IC 0.3
6. Wilson • BBB 0.3
Taborn • KCM 0.3
8. Pérez • IC 0.2
Zapp • BBB 0.2
10. Trouppe • CAG 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. Wilson • BBB .433
2. Brown • KCM .408
3. Davis • BBB .393
4. Steele • BBB .357
5. Hairston • IC .357
6. Thompson • KCM .335
7. Neil • IC .327
8. Ware • CBE .322
9. Grace • CBE .313
10. Renfroe • CBE .306

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. Wilson • BBB .500
2. Steele • BBB .496
3. Brown • KCM .477
4. Davis • BBB .444
5. Thompson • KCM .429
6. Hairston • IC .426
7. Scott • KCM .398
8. Cooper • KCM .387
9. Taborn • KCM .385
10. Scott • BBB .379

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 .684
2. Wilson • BBB .592
3. Thompson • KCM .551
4. Steele • BBB .551
5. Davis • BBB .533
6. Neil • IC .469
7. Scott • BBB .460
8. Hairston • IC .435
9. Baker • KCM .425
10. Ware • CBE .425

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. Brown • KCM 1.161
2. Wilson • BBB 1.092
3. Steele • BBB 1.047
4. Thompson • KCM .980
5. Davis • BBB .977
6. Hairston • IC .861
7. Scott • BBB .838
8. Neil • IC .835
9. Scott • KCM .798
10. Ware • CBE .798

Games Played

Games Played or Pitched

1. Thompson • KCM 47
2. Baker • KCM 46
Brown • KCM 46
Roberts • KCM 46
Souell • KCM 46
6. Taborn • KCM 44
7. Scott • KCM 33
8. Hairston • IC 31
Cooper • KCM 31
10. Britton • BBB 29
Robinson • BBB 29
Steele • BBB 29
Wilson • BBB 29

At Bats

At Bats

1. Souell • KCM 196
2. Baker • KCM 181
Roberts • KCM 181
4. Thompson • KCM 176
5. Brown • KCM 174
6. Taborn • KCM 148
7. Britton • BBB 128
8. Wilson • BBB 120
9. Hairston • IC 115
10. Robinson • BBB 111

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. Souell • KCM 211
2. Thompson • KCM 206
3. Baker • KCM 200
4. Brown • KCM 197
5. Roberts • KCM 196
6. Taborn • KCM 170
7. Wilson • BBB 136
8. Britton • BBB 134
9. Hairston • IC 130
10. Scott • KCM 129

Runs Scored

Runs Scored/Allowed

1. Thompson • KCM 50
2. Brown • KCM 43
3. Souell • KCM 41
4. Baker • KCM 39
5. Wilson • BBB 31
6. Steele • BBB 27
7. Roberts • KCM 26
8. Davis • BBB 25
Hairston • IC 25
10. Scott • KCM 24

Hits

Hits/Hits Allowed

1. Brown • KCM 71
2. Thompson • KCM 59
3. Souell • KCM 56
4. Wilson • BBB 52
5. Baker • KCM 45
6. Roberts • KCM 44
Taborn • KCM 44
8. Davis • BBB 42
9. Hairston • IC 41
10. Steele • BBB 35

Total Bases

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

1. Brown • KCM 119
2. Thompson • KCM 97
3. Souell • KCM 82
4. Baker • KCM 77
5. Wilson • BBB 71
6. Davis • BBB 57
7. Roberts • KCM 56
8. Steele • BBB 54
Taborn • KCM 54
10. Hairston • IC 50

Doubles

Doubles Hit/Allowed

1. Brown • KCM 23
2. Thompson • KCM 13
3. Roberts • KCM 10
Taborn • KCM 10
5. Baker • KCM 9
6. Davis • BBB 8
Souell • KCM 8
8. Boyd • MRS 7
Wilson • BBB 7
10. Scott • KCM 6
Neil • IC 6
Steele • BBB 6
Britton • BBB 6

Triples

Triples Hit/Allowed

1. Baker • KCM 7
2. Wilson • BBB 6
Souell • KCM 6
4. Thompson • KCM 5
5. Howard • KCM 3
Cooper • KCM 3
Robinson • BBB 3
Hyde • MRS 3
9. Colás • MRS 2
Brown • KCM 2
Mesa • IC 2
Ware • CBE 2
Renfroe • CBE 2
Minor • CBE 2
Jethroe • CBE 2
Grace • CBE 2
Miles • CAG 2
McNeal • CAG 2
Steele • BBB 2
Scott • BBB 2
Davis • BBB 2

Home Runs

Home Runs Hit/Allowed

1. Brown • KCM 7
2. Thompson • KCM 5
3. Scott • BBB 3
Steele • BBB 3
Baker • KCM 3
6. Greene • CBE 2
Neil • IC 2
Souell • KCM 2
Harris • CBE 2
Perry • BBB 2
Miles • CAG 2
Zapp • BBB 2

Runs Batted In

Runs Batted In

1. Brown • KCM 54
2. Thompson • KCM 29
3. Baker • KCM 28
4. Scott • KCM 23
Taborn • KCM 23
6. Souell • KCM 22
7. Robinson • BBB 21
8. Britton • BBB 20
Roberts • KCM 20
10. Steele • BBB 18

Bases on Balls

Bases on Balls/Walks

1. Thompson • KCM 27
2. Brown • KCM 22
Steele • BBB 22
4. Taborn • KCM 21
5. Cooper • KCM 16
Scott • KCM 16
7. Baker • KCM 15
Wilson • BBB 15
9. Souell • KCM 14
Roberts • KCM 14
Hairston • IC 14

Stolen Bases

Stolen Bases

1. Thompson • KCM 12
2. Brown • KCM 8
3. Steele • BBB 7
Scott • KCM 7
5. Davis • BBB 6
Wilson • BBB 6
Souell • KCM 6
8. Baker • KCM 5
Robinson • BBB 5
Jethroe • CBE 5
Boyd • MRS 5
Roberts • KCM 5

Singles

Singles Hit/Allowed

1. Souell • KCM 40
2. Wilson • BBB 39
Brown • KCM 39
4. Thompson • KCM 36
5. Hairston • IC 35
6. Taborn • KCM 34
7. Roberts • KCM 33
8. Davis • BBB 31
9. Baker • KCM 26
10. Cooper • KCM 25
Scott • KCM 25

Adjusted OPS+

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

1. Brown • KCM 208
2. Wilson • BBB 192
3. Steele • BBB 180
4. Thompson • KCM 161
5. Davis • BBB 161
6. Hairston • IC 131
7. Scott • BBB 124
8. Neil • IC 122
9. Scott • KCM 114
10. Ware • CBE 113

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 56
2. Thompson • KCM 41
3. Wilson • BBB 35
4. Souell • KCM 27
5. Steele • BBB 26
6. Davis • BBB 25
Boyd • MRS 25
8. Baker • KCM 24
9. Hairston • IC 21
Taborn • KCM 21

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 28
2. Wilson • BBB 16
3. Thompson • KCM 16
4. Steele • BBB 13
5. Boyd • MRS 13
6. Davis • BBB 9
7. Hairston • IC 6
8. Colás • MRS 5
9. Trouppe • CAG 4
10. Wells • MRS 3

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 2.5
2. Thompson • KCM 1.5
Wilson • BBB 1.5
4. Steele • BBB 1.2
5. Boyd • MRS 1.2
6. Davis • BBB 0.9
7. Hairston • IC 0.5
8. Colás • MRS 0.4
9. Trouppe • CAG 0.3
10. Wells • MRS 0.3
Scott • KCM 0.3
Scott • BBB 0.3

Extra Base Hits

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

1. Brown • KCM 32
2. Thompson • KCM 23
3. Baker • KCM 19
4. Souell • KCM 16
5. Wilson • BBB 13
6. Roberts • KCM 11
Davis • BBB 11
Steele • BBB 11
9. Taborn • KCM 10
10. Howard • KCM 9
Neil • IC 9
Boyd • MRS 9
Scott • BBB 9

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. Brown • KCM 94
2. Thompson • KCM 88
3. Souell • KCM 71
4. Wilson • BBB 68
5. Taborn • KCM 65
6. Steele • BBB 62
7. Baker • KCM 60
8. Roberts • KCM 58
9. Hairston • IC 55
10. Davis • BBB 52

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. Brown • KCM .871
2. Wilson • BBB .859
3. Steele • BBB .803
4. Davis • BBB .782
5. Thompson • KCM .747
6. Hairston • IC .667
7. Neil • IC .619
8. Ware • CBE .589
9. Scott • KCM .559
10. Scott • BBB .554

Hit By Pitch

Times Hit by a Pitch.

1. Steele • BBB 5
2. Davis • BBB 3
Scott • BBB 3
Kellman • CBE 3
Jethroe • CBE 3
6. Pigg • IC 2
Newberry • BBB 2
Thompson • KCM 2
Scott • KCM 2
Harris • CBE 2
Rodríguez • CAG 2

Sacrifice Hits

Sacrifice Hits (Sacrifice Bunts)

1. Tatum • IC 4
Renfroe • CBE 4
Baker • KCM 4
Cooper • KCM 4
5. Bell • BBB 3
Merchant • IC 3
7. Robinson • BBB 2
Ferrer • IC 2
Neil • IC 2
Britton • BBB 2
Newberry • BBB 2
Grace • CBE 2

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 7.5
2. Thompson • KCM 7.1
3. Steele • BBB 4.2
4. Baker • KCM 3.8
5. Souell • KCM 3.0
6. Scott • KCM 1.8
7. Davis • BBB 1.7
8. Jethroe • CBE 1.7
Boyd • MRS 1.7
10. Hairston • IC 1.6

AB per HR

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

1. Brown • KCM 24.9
2. Scott • BBB 29.0
3. Steele • BBB 32.7
4. Thompson • KCM 35.2
5. Neil • IC 49.0
6. Baker • KCM 60.3
7. Howard • KCM 80.0
8. Souell • KCM 98.0
9. Davis • BBB 107.0
Cooper • KCM 107.0

Outs Made

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

1. Baker • KCM 140
Souell • KCM 140
3. Roberts • KCM 138
4. Thompson • KCM 118
5. Taborn • KCM 105
6. Brown • KCM 103
7. Britton • BBB 99
8. Robinson • BBB 84
9. Cooper • KCM 80
10. Scott • KCM 78

rOBA

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

1. Brown • KCM .517
2. Wilson • BBB .501
3. Steele • BBB .489
4. Davis • BBB .455
5. Thompson • KCM .451
6. Hairston • IC .408
7. Scott • KCM .389
8. Scott • BBB .388
9. Neil • IC .384
10. Ware • CBE .373

Rbat+

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

1. Brown • KCM 196
2. Wilson • BBB 188
3. Steele • BBB 179
4. Davis • BBB 160
5. Thompson • KCM 157
6. Hairston • IC 136
7. Scott • BBB 124
8. Scott • KCM 121
9. Neil • IC 121
10. Cooper • KCM 116

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 1948 Negro American League Pages

1948 NAL Season

Minor Leagues

Standings

Fielding

Batting

Pitching

Managers

Fielding

Batting

Pitching

Leaders & Awards

Other