Versine

2013-11-30T23:30:43Z

184.65.5.24: /* History and applications */

'''Secondary average''', or '''SecA''', is a [[baseball statistics|baseball statistic]] that measures the sum of extra bases gained on hits, walks, and stolen bases (less times caught stealing) depicted per at bat.<ref name=abstract>James, Bill. ''The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract''. New York: Villard Books, 1988.</ref> Created by [[Bill James]], it is a [[sabermetrics|sabermetric]] measurement of hitting performance that seeks to evaluate the number of bases a player gained independent of [[batting average]]. Unlike batting average, which is a simple ratio of base [[hit (baseball statistics)|hit]]s to [[at bats]], secondary average accounts for power ([[extra base hit]]s), plate discipline ([[base on balls|walks]]), and speed ([[stolen base]]s minus times caught stealing).<ref name=career>"Career Leaders for Secondary Average." [http://www.baseball-almanac.com/hitting/hisecavg1.shtml ''Baseball Almanac'']. Baseball-Almanac. 2013. Web. 11 Nov. 2013.</ref> Secondary averages have a higher [[variance]] than batting averages.

==Formula==
The formula to calculate secondary average is:

:<math>SecA = \frac{BB+(TB-H) + (SB-CS)}{AB}</math>

where

*''BB'' = [[bases on balls]]
*''TB'' = [[Total bases]]
*''H'' = [[Hit (baseball statistics)|Hits]]
*''SB'' = [[Stolen base]]s
*''CS'' = [[Caught stealing]]
*''AB'' = [[At bats]]

The resulting number rounded to the thousandth place is a player's secondary average. Variations to the formula exist, with some statisticians not counting caught stealing while others multiply caught stealing to increase its significance/negative effects.

==Relation to batting average==

Although they share no [[correlation]], overall league averages for secondary average are inclined to correspond with league batting averages, which allows for a viable reference point for secondary average in comparison to batting average.<ref name=abstract />

A player can possess a low batting average yet still be a valuable offensive contributor if he has a high secondary average.<ref name=bbook>James, Bill. ''The Baseball Book 1990''. New York: Villard Books, 1990.</ref> However, a low secondary average is not necessarily an indicator of a poor hitter. [[Ichiro Suzuki]] is an example of a hitter who relies on batting average for most of his offensive production.<ref name= Grochowski>Grochowski, John. [http://www.suntimes.com/sports/14618694-574/baseball-by-the-numbers-adam-dunn-shows-his-value-in-secondary-average.html "Baseball by the Numbers: Adam Dunn Shows His Value in Secondary Average."] ''Chicago Sun-Times''. Sun-Times Media, LLC, 20 Aug. 2012. Web. 11 Nov. 2013.</ref> Furthermore, batting average and secondary average are not mutually exclusive; a player can have a high batting average as well as a high secondary average. The table below shows the leaders in both batting average and secondary average for the 2013 season (bold indicates leader in both categories).

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Batting Average !! Secondary Average
|-
| 1. '''Miguel Cabrera (.348)''' || 1. Chris Davis (.476)
|-
| 2. Michael Cuddyer (.331) || 2. '''Mike Trout (.465)'''
|-
| 3. Joe Mauer (.324) || 3. '''Miguel Cabrera (.456)'''
|-
| 4. '''Mike Trout (.323)''' || 4. Edwin Encarnacion (.428)
|-
| 5. Chris Johnson (.321) || 5. Paul Goldschmidt (.427)
|-
| 6(t). Freddie Freeman (.319) || 6. Joey Votto (.423)
|-
| 6(t). Yadier Molina (.319) || 7. David Ortiz (.409)
|-
| 8(t). Jason Werth (.318) || 8. Giancarlo Stanton (.407)
|-
| 8(t). Matt Carpenter (.318) || 9. Jose Bautista (.403)
|-
| 10. Andrew McCutchen (.317) || 10. Shin-Soo Choo (.390)<ref>[http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/batting/_/sort/secondaryAvg/type/sabermetric/order/true "MLB Player Batting Stats-2013."] ''ESPN''. ESPN Internet Ventures, n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2013.</ref>
|}

==Benefits for player evaluation==

Secondary average operates under the principle that batting average is an incomplete indicator of a hitter's ability since batting average does not account for power, plate discipline, and speed. According to Scott Gray (working with Bill James), "Secondary average is a much better indicator of offensive ability than batting average".<ref>Gray, Scott. ''The Mind of Bill James: How a Complete Outsider Changed Baseball''. New York: Doubleday, 2006. Print.</ref>

Since secondary average evaluates a player's offensive contribution independent of batting average, it can identify players who have low batting averages yet are still productive offensively. For example, in 1990, Bill James identified [[Eric Davis]] as the most productive batter with a career average below .275; in spite of his low batting average, Davis had a career secondary average of .504, which was the highest of any active player at the time.<ref name=bbook /> Batting average was not a great indicator of his true offensive value; secondary average was able to demonstrate his value more effectively.

[[Adam Dunn]] is an example of a current player who has a low batting average but an excellent secondary average, resulting from his high walk totals and power numbers.<ref name=Grochowski /> Although Adam Dunn only has a career .238 batting average,<ref>[http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/dunnad01.shtml "Adam Dunn"] ''Baseball-Reference.com''. Sports Reference LLC, n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2013.</ref> he has a career .456 secondary average, ranking him 12th all-time.<ref name=career /> As ''Chicago Sun-Times'' reporter John Grochowski demonstrated, Adam Dunn's offensive value is more apparent when secondary average is accounted for.<ref name=Grochowski />

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Baseball statistics}}

[[Category:Batting statistics]]

formulasearchengine - User contributions [en]

Versine