Thursday, February 3, 2022

Batting Average and Home Run Rate percentages above the league 1903-2019.

Let's start with the stuff we shouldn't stare at: BA and HR. 


Data is for both the American League (AL) and National League (NL) seasons 1903-2019.

Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth dominate, so there will be a subsequent post, probably for seasons 1950-2019. That pushes past World War II, which ended in 1945, and any post war adjustment seasons.

BA% is the percentage that a player's Batting Average (BA) is above the league BA that season.

HR% is the percentage that a player's Home Run rate (AB/HR; lower is better) is above the league Home Run rate that season.

Maximum. Minimum.

Sorted by BAplayer:
qryBAleader%AboveLeag_HRrateAboveLeag
Year L Team First Last bats BA% HR% BAplayer HRratePlay HR AB H BB BA_L HRrate_L BA1 Age throws Lname
1924 NL SLN Rogers Hornsby R 49.69% 74.79% .4235 21.44 25 536 227 89 .28293 85.060 Yes 28 R Hornsby
1922 AL SLA George Sisler L 47.41% 9.05% .4198 73.25 8 586 246 49 .28479 80.535 Yes 29 L Sisler
1911 AL DET Ty Cobb L 53.65% 64.46% .4196 73.88 8 591 248 44 .27310 207.849 Yes 25 R Cobb
1912 AL DET Ty Cobb L 54.35% 69.86% .4087 79.00 7 553 226 43 .26478 262.096 Yes 26 R Cobb
1911 AL CLE Joe Jackson L 49.42% 60.75% .4081 81.57 7 571 233 56 .27310 207.849 No 24 R Jackson
1920 AL SLA George Sisler L 43.68% 70.81% .4073 33.21 19 631 257 46 .28348 113.783 Yes 27 L Sisler
1941 AL BOS Ted Williams L 52.24% 79.02% .4057 12.32 37 456 185 147 .26648 58.753 Yes 23 R Williams
1925 NL SLN Rogers Hornsby R 38.16% 80.82% .4028 12.92 39 504 203 83 .29154 67.388 Yes 29 R Hornsby
1923 AL DET Harry Heilmann R 42.64% 69.41% .4027 29.11 18 524 211 74 .28230 95.176 Yes 29 R Heilmann
1922 NL SLN Rogers Hornsby R 37.33% 81.74% .4013 14.83 42 623 250 65 .29220 81.226 Yes 26 R Hornsby
1930 NL NY1 Bill Terry L 32.22% 43.81% .4013 27.52 23 633 254 57 .30348 48.983 Yes 32 L Terry
1922 AL DET Ty Cobb L 40.85% -63.28% .4011 131.50 4 526 211 55 .28479 80.535 No 36 R Cobb
1929 NL PHI Lefty O'Doul L 35.23% 65.06% .3981 19.94 32 638 254 76 .29440 57.069 Yes 32 L O'Doul
1927 AL DET Harry Heilmann R 39.42% 62.40% .3980 36.07 14 505 201 72 .28549 95.939 Yes 33 R Heilmann
1921 NL SLN Rogers Hornsby R 37.14% 69.40% .3970 28.19 21 592 235 60 .28946 92.122 Yes 25 R Hornsby
1912 AL CLE Joe Jackson L 49.22% 27.25% .3951 190.67 3 572 226 54 .26478 262.096 No 25 R Jackson
1994 NL SDN Tony Gwynn L 47.57% 2.86% .3938 34.92 12 419 165 48 .26685 35.945 Yes 34 L Gwynn
1921 AL DET Harry Heilmann R 34.62% 64.71% .3937 31.68 19 602 237 53 .29244 89.788 Yes 27 R Heilmann
1923 AL NYA Babe Ruth L 39.11% 86.62% .39272 12.73 41 522 205 170 .28230 95.176 No 28 L Ruth
1925 AL DET Harry Heilmann R 34.69% 44.85% .39267 44.08 13 573 225 67 .29154 79.916 Yes 31 R Heilmann

You can already see where this is heading. Rogers Hornsby has the highest BA:. .424 rounded but not the highest BA%. Among the players listed, that goes to Ty Cobb 1912 and that's not the highest BA% as we'll see below when we sort on BA%.

Sorted by HR, Year:
Year L Team First Last bats BA% HR% BAplayer HRratePlay HR AB H BB BA_L HRrate_L BA1 Age throws Lname
2001 NL SFN Barry Bonds L 25.39% 78.15% .3277 6.52 73 476 156 177 .26137 29.844 No 37 L Bonds
1998 NL SLN Mark McGwire R 14.11% 78.97% .2986 7.27 70 509 152 162 .26170 34.581 No 35 R McGwire
1998 NL CHN Sammy Sosa R 17.67% 71.83% .3079 9.74 66 643 198 73 .26170 34.581 No 30 R Sosa
1999 NL SLN Mark McGwire R 3.74% 73.95% .2783 8.02 65 521 145 133 .26828 30.768 No 36 R McGwire
2001 NL CHN Sammy Sosa R 25.32% 69.79% .3276 9.02 64 577 189 116 .26137 29.844 No 33 R Sosa
1999 NL CHN Sammy Sosa R 7.35% 67.76% .2880 9.92 63 625 180 78 .26828 30.768 No 31 R Sosa
1961 AL NYA Roger Maris L 5.41% 72.98% .2695 9.67 61 590 159 94 .25566 35.791 No 27 R Maris
1927 AL NYA Babe Ruth L 24.54% 90.62% .3556 9.00 60 540 192 137 .28549 95.939 No 32 L Ruth
1921 AL NYA Babe Ruth L 29.18% 89.81% .3778 9.15 59 540 204 145 .29244 89.788 No 26 L Ruth
2017 NL MIA Giancarlo Stanton R 10.68% 64.02% .2814 10.12 59 597 168 85 .25426 28.120 No 28 R Stanton
1932 AL PHA Jimmie Foxx R 31.59% 83.58% .3641 10.09 58 585 213 116 .27670 61.429 No 25 R Foxx
1938 AL DET Hank Greenberg R 12.08% 80.51% .3147 9.59 58 556 175 119 .28082 49.190 No 27 R Greenberg
1997
OAK Mark McGwire R 1.28% 70.73% .2741 9.63 58 540 148 101 .27061 32.909 No 34 R McGwire
2006 NL PHI Ryan Howard L 18.42% 67.98% .3133 10.02 58 581 182 108 .26452 31.283 No 27 L Howard
2001 NL ARI Luis Gonzalez L 24.39% 64.20% .3251 10.68 57 609 198 100 .26137 29.844 No 34 R Gonzalez
2002 AL TEX Alex Rodriguez R 13.61% 65.32% .2997 10.95 57 624 187 87 .26378 31.570 No 27 R Rodriguez
1930 NL CHN Hack Wilson R 17.16% 78.67% .3556 10.45 56 585 208 105 .30348 48.983 No 30 R Wilson
1997 AL SEA Ken Griffey L 12.44% 65.63% .3043 10.86 56 608 185 76 .27061 31.585 No 28 L Griffey
1998 AL SEA Ken Griffey L 4.81% 63.98% .2844 11.30 56 633 180 76 .27132 31.379 No 29 L Griffey
1920 AL NYA Babe Ruth L 32.77% 92.56% .3764 8.46 54 457 172 150 .28348 113.783 No 25 L Ruth
1928 AL NYA Babe Ruth L 14.90% 88.62% .3228 9.93 54 536 173 137 .28091 87.199 No 33 L Ruth
1949 NL PIT Ralph Kiner R 18.01% 77.74% .3097 10.17 54 549 170 117 .26239 45.680 No 27 R Kiner
1961 AL NYA Mickey Mantle B 24.04% 73.41% .3171 9.52 54 514 163 126 .25566 35.791 No 30 R Mantle
2006 AL BOS David Ortiz L 4.34% 66.48% .2867 10.33 54 558 160 119 .27481 30.832 No 31 L Ortiz
2007 AL NYA Alex Rodriguez R 16.03% 68.95% .3139 10.80 54 583 183 95 .27053 34.766 No 32 R Rodriguez
2010 AL TOR Jose Bautista R 0.09% 69.95% .2601 10.54 54 569 148 100 .25987 35.069 No 30 R Bautista

Note: In 1997 Mark McGwire hit his 58 home runs playing in both the American League and National League. Both the league and personal HRrate were prorated based on his At Bats (AB) in each league.

For HR, Barry Bonds 73 has a HR% quite a bit below Babe Ruth's 92.56% in 1920 when Ruth hit 54 HR. Ruth out homered every other AL team in both 1920 and 1927, when he set the season HR record for the fourth and final time with 60 (90.62% HR%).

Isn't this fun? 

Sorted by BA%, the player's BA percent above the league BA:
Year L Team First Last bats BA% HR% BAplayer HRratePlay HR AB H BB BA_L HRrate_L BA1 Age throws Lname
1910 AL CLE Nap Lajoie R 57.78% 46.85% .3834 148.00 4 592 227 60 .24303 278.456 Yes 36 R Lajoie
1910 AL DET Ty Cobb L 57.14% 77.20% .3819 63.50 8 508 194 64 .24303 278.456 No 24 R Cobb
1916 AL CLE Tris Speaker L 55.53% 3.73% .3864 273.00 2 546 211 82 .24848 283.590 Yes 28 L Speaker
1909 AL DET Ty Cobb L 54.57% 82.64% .3770 63.67 9 573 216 48 .24388 366.743 Yes 23 R Cobb
1917 AL DET Ty Cobb L 54.46% 67.95% .3827 98.00 6 588 225 61 .24773 305.790 Yes 31 R Cobb
1912 AL DET Ty Cobb L 54.35% 69.86% .4087 79.00 7 553 226 43 .26478 262.096 Yes 26 R Cobb
1904 AL CLE Nap Lajoie R 53.89% 58.40% .3761 110.60 5 553 208 27 .24441 265.891 Yes 30 R Lajoie
1911 AL DET Ty Cobb L 53.65% 64.46% .4196 73.88 8 591 248 44 .27310 207.849 Yes 25 R Cobb
1913 AL DET Ty Cobb L 52.54% 57.37% .3902 107.00 4 428 167 58 .25579 251.013 Yes 27 R Cobb
1957 AL BOS Ted Williams L 52.25% 73.04% .3881 11.05 38 420 163 119 .25491 41.003 Yes 39 R Williams
1941 AL BOS Ted Williams L 52.24% 79.02% .4057 12.32 37 456 185 147 .26648 58.753 Yes 23 R Williams
1918 AL DET Ty Cobb L 50.84% 59.83% .3824 140.33 3 421 161 41 .25353 349.323 Yes 32 R Cobb
1924 NL SLN Rogers Hornsby R 49.69% 74.79% .4235 21.44 25 536 227 89 .28293 85.060 Yes 28 R Hornsby
1911 AL CLE Joe Jackson L 49.42% 60.75% .4081 81.57 7 571 233 56 .27310 207.849 No 24 R Jackson
1916 AL DET Ty Cobb L 49.25% 61.78% .3708 108.40 5 542 201 78 .24848 283.590 No 30 R Cobb
1912 AL CLE Joe Jackson L 49.22% 27.25% .3951 190.67 3 572 226 54 .26478 262.096 No 25 R Jackson
1915 AL DET Ty Cobb L 48.83% 25.50% .3694 187.67 3 563 208 118 .24824 251.900 Yes 29 R Cobb
1914 AL DET Ty Cobb L 48.72% 37.34% .3681 172.50 2 345 127 57 .24753 275.291 Yes 28 R Cobb
1908 NL PIT Honus Wagner R 48.09% 78.60% .3539 56.80 10 568 201 54 .23896 265.417 Yes 34 R Wagner
1905 NL CIN Cy Seymour L 47.76% 67.93% .3769 72.63 8 581 219 51 .25510 226.478 Yes 33 L Seymour
1994 NL SDN Tony Gwynn L 47.57% 2.86% .3938 34.92 12 419 165 48 .26685 35.945 Yes 34 L Gwynn
1922 AL SLA George Sisler L 47.41% 9.05% .4198 73.25 8 586 246 49 .28479 80.535 Yes 29 L Sisler
1913 AL CLE Joe Jackson L 45.87% 69.95% .3731 75.43 7 528 197 80 .25579 251.013 No 26 R Jackson
1977 AL MIN Rod Carew L 45.74% -14.62% .3880 44.00 14 616 239 69 .26622 38.388 Yes 32 R Carew
1980 AL KCA George Brett L 44.85% 55.71% .3898 18.71 24 449 175 58 .26908 42.239 Yes 27 R Brett
1912 AL BOS Tris Speaker L 44.56% 77.87% .3828 58.00 10 580 222 82 .26478 262.096 No 24 L Speaker
1948 NL SLN Stan Musial L 44.31% 68.67% .3764 15.67 39 611 230 79 .26084 50.007 Yes 28 L Musial
1971 NL SLN Joe Torre R 44.11% 44.72% .3628 26.42 24 634 230 63 .25173 47.790 Yes 31 R Torre

In this group in 1909 Ty Cobb had the highest HR%. Cobb led the AL in BA, HR, RBI: the triple crown. All 9 of his HR were inside the park. In 1977 Rod Carew had a HR% 14.62% worse than the AL.

Number 13. That's where the 1924 BA of .424 ranks in BA% for Rogers Hornsby. Aren't you glad you stopped staring?

This list is dominated by Ty Cobb seasons more than 100 years ago, with Ted Williams intruding with his 1957 and 1941 seasons. But the list extends enough to include seasons 1994, 1977, 1980 amd 1971.


Cobb has the season with the most hits on this list: 248. George Sisler was the long time record holder with 257 and he's on the first list sorted by BA but his BA% that season was 43.68% and he didn't make the BA% list.

The lowest nine league BA are for seasons 1917 or earlier. That's one reason the players with high BA back then have such high BA%: percentage above the league BA.

Williams in 1957 was the oldest and his 1941 season was the second youngest to Cobb in 1909; both were 23 that year.

Sorted by HR%, the player's HRrate (AB/HR) percent above the league HRrate (lower is better):

Year L Team First Last bats BA% HR% BAplayer HRratePlay HR AB H BB BA_L HRrate_L BA1 Age throws Lname
1920 AL NYA Babe Ruth L 32.77% 92.56% .3764 8.46 54 457 172 150 .28348 113.783 No 25 L Ruth
1918 AL BOS Babe Ruth L 18.20% 91.75% .2997 28.82 11 317 95 58 .25353 349.323 No 23 L Ruth
1927 AL NYA Babe Ruth L 24.54% 90.62% .3556 9.00 60 540 192 137 .28549 95.939 No 32 L Ruth
1919 AL BOS Babe Ruth L 20.05% 90.44% .3218 14.90 29 432 139 101 .26803 155.779 No 24 L Ruth
1921 AL NYA Babe Ruth L 29.18% 89.81% .3778 9.15 59 540 204 145 .29244 89.788 No 26 L Ruth
1926 AL NYA Babe Ruth L 32.12% 89.31% .3717 10.53 47 495 184 144 .28136 98.495 No 31 L Ruth
1918 AL PHA Tillie Walker R 16.23% 89.23% .2947 37.64 11 414 122 41 .25353 349.323 No 31 R Walker
1924 AL NYA Babe Ruth L 30.45% 89.20% .3781 11.50 46 529 200 142 .28981 106.499 Yes 29 L Ruth
1928 AL NYA Babe Ruth L 14.90% 88.62% .3228 9.93 54 536 173 137 .28091 87.199 No 33 L Ruth
1906 NL BRO Tim Jordan L 7.26% 88.27% .2622 37.50 12 450 118 59 .24447 319.750 No 27 L Jordan
1915 NL PHI Gavvy Cravath R 15.10% 88.03% .2854 21.75 24 522 149 86 .24799 181.724 No 34 R Cravath
1916 AL NYA HR Baker L 8.44% 87.31% .2694 36.00 10 360 97 36 .24848 283.590 No 30 R Baker
1927 AL NYA Lou Gehrig L 30.75% 87.05% .3733 12.43 47 584 218 109 .28549 95.939 No 24 L Gehrig
1923 AL NYA Babe Ruth L 39.11% 86.62% .3927 12.73 41 522 205 170 .28230 95.176 No 28 L Ruth
1922 AL NYA Babe Ruth L 10.70% 85.60% .3153 11.60 35 406 128 84 .28479 80.535 No 27 L Ruth
1904 AL PHA Harry Davis R 26.59% 84.81% .3094 40.40 10 404 125 23 .24441 265.891 No 31 R Davis
1929 AL NYA Babe Ruth L 21.40% 84.70% .3447 10.85 46 499 172 72 .28392 70.892 No 34 L Ruth
1931 AL NYA Babe Ruth L 33.90% 84.69% .3727 11.61 46 534 199 128 .27831 75.816 No 36 L Ruth
1906 AL PHA Harry Davis R 17.51% 84.43% .2922 45.92 12 551 161 49 .24866 294.978 No 33 R Davis
1916 AL NYA Wally Pipp L 5.60% 83.99% .2624 45.42 12 545 143 54 .24848 283.590 No 23 L Pipp
1908 NL BRO Tim Jordan L 3.20% 83.83% .2466 42.92 12 515 127 59 .23896 265.417 No 29 L Jordan
1923 NL PHI Cy Williams L 2.71% 83.76% .2935 13.05 41 535 157 59 .28573 80.327 No 36 L Williams
1932 AL PHA Jimmie Foxx R 31.59% 83.58% .3641 10.09 58 585 213 116 .27670 61.429 No 25 R Foxx
1930 AL NYA Babe Ruth L 24.80% 83.41% .3591 10.57 49 518 186 136 .28772 63.718 No 35 L Ruth
1906 NL BRO Harry Lumley L 32.69% 83.18% .3244 53.78 9 484 157 48 .24447 319.750 No 26 L Lumley

Babe Ruth takes the top six spots, 13 overall, and dominates even more than Cobb dominated BA%. Among the top 25 HR% seasons above, the most recent season is 1932. Ruth's HR% would be even higher if I subtracted Ruth's HR and AB from the AL and then figured his HR%.

In 1920 the AL hit 369 HR; the Yankees, including Ruth's record 54, hit 115. Next were the St. Louis Browns with 50 HR.


In 1927 the AL hit 439 HR; the Yankees, including Ruth's record 60, hit 158. Next were the Philadelphia Athletics with 56.


Probably seasons 1950-2019 will be done in a future post to get away from the dominance of Cobb and Ruth.
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