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Fielding Effects


All raw data supplied courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.
They do a wonderful job, and deserve your support.

Fielding Effects

Through games of Saturday, 30 September 2023.
All results are from true, unadjusted data.

The Table shows two lines for each team. The first is their actual stats to date, from Games through Strikeouts; the stats FEbat and FErun—Fielding Efficiency on batters and Fielding Efficiency on runners—are explained on our page here about Team Fielding. The OR stat on this line is the TPP-projected Runs the team would be expected to have yielded to date (for an explanation of the TPP, see our page here about basic Baseball Analysis). The R stat is the TOP-projected team Runs scored to date. The Δ stats are immaterial for this line.

The second Table line for each team is their calculated stats if their defense were MLB-average. The FEbat and FErun values on this line are their MLB-average values (averaged over the three recent years 2017 - 2019). The OR stat on this line is the TPP-projected Runs the team would be expected to have yielded to date based on the average-fielding stat values. And on this line, the Δ stats show the differences in Wins that having an MLB-average defense would gain or lose (the ΔW stat is for the year to date, while the ΔWyr is for a full 162-game season.

Thus, this table shows us what a given team’s defense is doing to help or hurt it. As you see, the average difference is less than 3 wins a season, and that figure is heavily weighted by a very few very bad defenses. (Without the three exceptionally worst, the average difference is just 2 wins a year, and the widest swings from assuming an MLB-average defense are 6 lost by good-fielding teams and gained by poor-fielding teams, with 2/3 of the teams within a couple of wins of average-fielding results.

(Those interested in the tiresome details of the calculations can follow that link to a full explanation.)

We cannot easily disentangle pitching from fielding, because fielding affects pitching results. But, painting with a very broad brush, we can say that at the extremes the fielding-attributable difference in runs allowed is in the range of being equivalent to perhaps a quarter to a third of a run on the team ERA, with the more normal variations amounting to about an eighth of a run. Pretty clearly, on a team level, fielding runs a poor second to pitching in significance for runs allowed, and thus a very poor third to offense. (Recall that offense and defense are each 50% of the game, and defense is part pitching and part fielding.) Since the extremes of team ERA cover about 2.75 runs (in 2020, 3.02 to 5.75) while the extremes of fielding, even including all the outliers, equate to maybe 0.60 on an ERA, their ratio is—and again, this is very, very broad-brush thinking—around 9:2, making fielding perhaps at most around 20% of defense and thus pitching about 80%, meaning that offense is 50% of the game, pitching is 40%, and fielding is at most around 10%, and so of much less importance than either offense or pitching. (Quite as we said almost 40 years ago.)

— Place your cursor over any column heading to see what it signifies. —

Team G IP BFP AB BB HBP SH SF CI H 2B 3B HR SO FEbat FErun OR R       ΔW ΔWyr
Brewers,
with actual fielding		 161 1434.0 5956 5348 491 60 12 39 6 1213 224 16 198 1417 73.18% 7.1% 644 683 --- ---
Brewers,
assuming average fielding		 161 1434.0 5873 5274 484 59 12 38 6 1196 221 16 195 1397 70.41% 9.18% 673 683 -3 -3
Padres,
with actual fielding		 161 1430.0 6038 5351 554 75 17 38 3 1263 236 18 174 1429 71.36% 8.16% 666 758 --- ---
Padres,
assuming average fielding		 161 1430.0 5954 5276 546 74 17 37 3 1245 233 18 172 1409 70.41% 9.18% 669 758 0 -1
Yankees,
with actual fielding		 161 1431.2 6043 5396 507 85 10 39 6 1261 261 14 192 1431 72.03% 6.9% 681 656 --- ---
Yankees,
assuming average fielding		 161 1431.2 5959 5321 500 84 10 38 6 1243 257 14 189 1411 70.41% 9.18% 688 656 -1 -1
Dodgers,
with actual fielding		 161 1437.1 5984 5414 452 72 7 35 4 1281 256 19 198 1379 72.08% 8.39% 668 887 --- ---
Dodgers,
assuming average fielding		 161 1437.1 5901 5339 446 71 7 35 4 1263 252 19 195 1360 70.41% 9.18% 680 887 -1 -1
Mariners,
with actual fielding		 161 1440.1 5976 5453 421 57 14 31 0 1296 249 24 184 1448 71.24% 6.92% 643 755 --- ---
Mariners,
assuming average fielding		 161 1440.1 5893 5377 415 56 14 31 0 1278 246 24 181 1428 70.41% 9.18% 641 755 +1 0
Rays,
with actual fielding		 161 1433.0 5949 5407 436 61 12 31 2 1246 259 24 176 1500 71.65% 6.51% 626 818 --- ---
Rays,
assuming average fielding		 161 1433.0 5866 5332 430 60 12 31 2 1229 255 24 174 1479 70.41% 9.18% 626 818 0 0
Team G IP BFP AB BB HBP SH SF CI H 2B 3B HR SO FEbat FErun OR R       ΔW ΔWyr
Rangers,
with actual fielding		 161 1428.1 5995 5392 490 58 12 42 1 1326 234 21 198 1341 71.13% 9.01% 681 862 --- ---
Rangers,
assuming average fielding		 161 1428.1 5911 5317 483 57 12 41 1 1308 231 21 195 1322 70.41% 9.18% 686 862 -1 0
Diamondbacks,
with actual fielding		 161 1426.1 6060 5441 522 48 10 38 1 1366 303 37 195 1342 70.37% 8.17% 725 727 --- ---
Diamondbacks,
assuming average fielding		 161 1426.1 5976 5365 515 47 10 37 1 1347 299 36 192 1323 70.41% 9.18% 714 727 +1 +1
Orioles,
with actual fielding		 161 1444.2 6058 5477 467 63 12 37 2 1329 266 22 177 1415 70.72% 7.92% 667 739 --- ---
Orioles,
assuming average fielding		 161 1444.2 5974 5401 460 62 12 36 2 1310 262 22 175 1395 70.41% 9.18% 657 739 +1 +1
Cubs,
with actual fielding		 161 1427.1 6050 5418 507 64 19 41 1 1322 267 20 178 1364 70.93% 7.8% 696 793 --- ---
Cubs,
assuming average fielding		 161 1427.1 5966 5343 500 63 19 40 1 1304 263 20 176 1345 70.41% 9.18% 685 793 +1 +1
Guardians,
with actual fielding		 161 1436.0 6106 5463 528 51 14 45 5 1344 289 17 172 1304 71.03% 7.22% 716 660 --- ---
Guardians,
assuming average fielding		 161 1436.0 6021 5387 521 50 14 44 5 1325 285 17 170 1286 70.41% 9.18% 707 660 +1 +1
Tigers,
with actual fielding		 161 1433.1 6039 5457 475 50 12 38 7 1315 258 24 186 1366 71.45% 7.42% 685 653 --- ---
Tigers,
assuming average fielding		 161 1433.1 5955 5381 468 49 12 37 7 1297 254 24 183 1347 70.41% 9.18% 677 653 +1 +1
Astros,
with actual fielding		 161 1436.1 6075 5408 534 75 14 42 2 1306 264 20 201 1454 70.99% 8.48% 710 816 --- ---
Astros,
assuming average fielding		 161 1436.1 5990 5333 527 74 14 41 2 1288 260 20 198 1434 70.41% 9.18% 707 816 0 +1
Team G IP BFP AB BB HBP SH SF CI H 2B 3B HR SO FEbat FErun OR R       ΔW ΔWyr
Marlins,
with actual fielding		 161 1427.1 6057 5427 509 71 12 35 3 1335 299 19 191 1481 69.91% 7.95% 712 689 --- ---
Marlins,
assuming average fielding		 161 1427.1 5973 5351 502 70 12 35 3 1316 295 19 188 1460 70.41% 9.18% 687 689 +3 +2
Twins,
with actual fielding		 161 1441.0 5991 5437 441 63 14 35 1 1290 245 28 192 1543 70.73% 6.81% 655 775 --- ---
Twins,
assuming average fielding		 161 1441.0 5908 5361 435 62 14 35 1 1272 242 28 189 1522 70.41% 9.18% 646 775 +1 +2
Mets,
with actual fielding		 161 1408.0 6079 5350 591 85 12 39 2 1323 243 18 188 1391 70.3% 8.44% 741 712 --- ---
Mets,
assuming average fielding		 161 1408.0 5994 5275 583 84 12 38 2 1305 240 18 185 1372 70.41% 9.18% 720 712 +2 +2
Phillies,
with actual fielding		 161 1433.1 6044 5465 468 54 14 43 0 1315 259 23 184 1446 70.94% 6.26% 688 801 --- ---
Phillies,
assuming average fielding		 161 1433.1 5960 5389 461 53 14 42 0 1297 255 23 181 1426 70.41% 9.18% 671 801 +2 +2
Blue Jays,
with actual fielding		 161 1442.2 6053 5464 485 61 17 24 2 1310 267 13 195 1519 70.59% 7.55% 677 764 --- ---
Blue Jays,
assuming average fielding		 161 1442.2 5969 5388 478 60 17 24 2 1292 263 13 192 1498 70.41% 9.18% 663 764 +2 +2
Braves,
with actual fielding		 161 1431.0 6088 5441 528 70 17 29 3 1326 234 21 187 1515 69.91% 8.04% 702 934 --- ---
Braves,
assuming average fielding		 161 1431.0 6003 5365 521 69 17 29 3 1308 231 21 184 1494 70.41% 9.18% 673 934 +3 +3
White Sox,
with actual fielding		 161 1420.2 6257 5466 647 91 8 42 3 1365 242 37 214 1462 70.03% 5.79% 830 614 --- ---
White Sox,
assuming average fielding		 161 1420.2 6170 5390 638 90 8 41 3 1346 239 36 211 1442 70.41% 9.18% 793 614 +3 +3
Team G IP BFP AB BB HBP SH SF CI H 2B 3B HR SO FEbat FErun OR R       ΔW ΔWyr
Reds,
with actual fielding		 161 1431.1 6275 5522 612 79 18 41 3 1417 302 32 222 1372 70.03% 6.81% 834 774 --- ---
Reds,
assuming average fielding		 161 1431.1 6188 5445 603 78 18 40 3 1397 298 32 219 1353 70.41% 9.18% 802 774 +3 +3
Royals,
with actual fielding		 161 1400.0 6104 5412 550 73 10 52 7 1422 291 31 207 1263 69.66% 8.3% 805 669 --- ---
Royals,
assuming average fielding		 161 1400.0 6019 5337 542 72 10 51 7 1402 287 31 204 1245 70.41% 9.18% 771 669 +3 +3
Pirates,
with actual fielding		 161 1421.0 6208 5462 595 81 22 43 5 1377 313 20 179 1352 70.02% 6.63% 772 681 --- ---
Pirates,
assuming average fielding		 161 1421.0 6122 5386 587 80 22 42 5 1358 309 20 177 1333 70.41% 9.18% 736 681 +4 +3
Nationals,
with actual fielding		 161 1419.1 6241 5509 588 64 17 62 1 1501 255 15 243 1217 69.53% 8.61% 873 688 --- ---
Nationals,
assuming average fielding		 161 1419.1 6154 5432 580 63 17 61 1 1415 240 15 240 1200 70.41% 9.18% 839 688 +3 +3
Angels,
with actual fielding		 161 1422.2 6267 5492 632 88 14 36 5 1384 269 20 208 1439 69.81% 6.19% 800 750 --- ---
Angels,
assuming average fielding		 161 1422.2 6180 5416 623 87 14 35 5 1365 265 20 205 1419 70.41% 9.18% 759 750 +4 +4
Athletics,
with actual fielding		 161 1411.2 6343 5474 688 98 15 64 4 1454 336 26 210 1290 69.31% 6.8% 895 600 --- ---
Athletics,
assuming average fielding		 161 1411.2 6255 5398 678 97 15 63 4 1434 331 26 207 1272 70.41% 9.18% 842 600 +4 +4
Giants,
with actual fielding		 161 1425.2 5999 5470 400 68 19 35 7 1388 275 29 172 1351 69.61% 8.36% 688 664 --- ---
Giants,
assuming average fielding		 161 1425.2 5915 5394 394 67 19 35 7 1369 271 29 170 1332 70.41% 9.18% 656 664 +3 +4
Team G IP BFP AB BB HBP SH SF CI H 2B 3B HR SO FEbat FErun OR R       ΔW ΔWyr
Red Sox,
with actual fielding		 161 1421.0 6135 5506 493 83 13 35 5 1414 317 21 208 1414 69.33% 7.73% 778 759 --- ---
Red Sox,
assuming average fielding		 161 1421.0 6050 5429 486 82 13 35 5 1394 313 21 205 1394 70.41% 9.18% 729 759 +4 +5
Rockies,
with actual fielding		 161 1403.0 6269 5519 580 85 21 62 2 1589 309 47 234 1114 68.15% 9.33% 936 683 --- ---
Rockies,
assuming average fielding		 161 1403.0 6182 5442 572 84 21 61 2 1567 305 46 231 1098 70.41% 9.18% 870 683 +5 +5
Cardinals,
with actual fielding		 161 1419.1 6238 5574 530 63 17 51 3 1540 362 29 178 1201 68.05% 8.24% 836 760 --- ---
Cardinals,
assuming average fielding		 161 1419.1 6151 5496 523 62 17 50 3 1519 357 29 176 1184 70.41% 9.18% 762 760 +7 +7



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This page was last modified on Sunday, 26 November 2023, at 1:57 am Pacific Time.