This post will list the best and worst 10 teams at fielding as of 5/25/2014.
Unearned runs are very important to this data model. They represents a direct measure of a player or entire squad’s ability to field. A human scorekeeper makes an educated judgement whether a player receives an error for a certain missed play. If that play is determined an error there is an algorithm that determines which runs get charged and not charged to the pitcher. The not charged runs are called unearned and do not count against a pitcher’s ERA.
In most baseball statistics, unearned runs fall into a black hole and not really counted. This data model keeps track of unearned runs by assigning them to the fielder who committed the error. It also lists them separately in team data as shown in the two lists below.
This kind of data will soon be part of a player’s career history in the seasons section. As mentioned before, this model treats fielding as a separate class so although we keep track of the number of unearned runs assigned to a fielder, those runs are counted against that player’s fielding evaluation — not his batting valuation.
Top Ten Teams
The UR column represents unearned runs above the average team. Cincinnati is 12.7 runs above the average which means their fielding has been helping their pitchers by not giving up runs due to errors. St. Louis and Oakland follow with good fielding this season.
| BAT | PITCH | R | RA | W | L | UR | LR | Team Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -38.0 | 13.8 | 168 | 180 | 22 | 26 | 12.7 | -0.5 | CIN |
| -14.0 | 27.8 | 193 | 169 | 28 | 22 | 9.7 | 0.5 | SLN |
| 39.0 | 40.8 | 248 | 158 | 30 | 20 | 7.7 | 2.5 | OAK |
| -3.0 | -28.3 | 206 | 227 | 23 | 24 | 7.7 | 2.5 | MIN |
| -0.5 | -10.2 | 203 | 209 | 25 | 23 | 7.7 | -3.0 | BAL |
| 38.5 | -21.2 | 246 | 223 | 29 | 22 | 4.7 | 1.0 | TOR |
| 34.5 | 7.8 | 241 | 194 | 28 | 21 | 4.7 | -0.0 | ANA |
| -5.0 | -16.2 | 201 | 219 | 23 | 28 | 3.7 | -0.5 | TBA |
| 16.0 | 11.7 | 220 | 191 | 28 | 18 | 3.7 | -2.5 | DET |
| -40.0 | 51.8 | 166 | 152 | 28 | 21 | 2.7 | -0.5 | ATL |
Bottom Ten Teams
Cleveland is having a bad year in the field at 16.3 below league average. These are runs that do not get accounted for in pitching ERA yet they count just as much as an earned run when it comes to deciding who wins a ballgame.
| BAT | PITCH | R | RA | W | L | UR | LR | Team Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17.0 | -22.2 | 225 | 244 | 24 | 27 | -16.3 | 1.5 | CLE |
| 13.0 | 5.9 | 219 | 212 | 27 | 24 | -11.3 | -0.5 | LAN |
| -13.5 | 25.8 | 196 | 191 | 25 | 25 | -10.3 | 3.0 | WAS |
| -12.0 | -46.1 | 194 | 262 | 20 | 32 | -9.3 | -0.5 | ARI |
| -22.5 | -6.2 | 183 | 219 | 21 | 26 | -6.3 | -1.0 | PHI |
| -11.0 | -10.2 | 195 | 222 | 20 | 29 | -5.3 | -0.5 | BOS |
| 1.5 | -5.2 | 211 | 217 | 26 | 23 | -5.3 | 3.0 | NYA |
| 30.0 | -3.1 | 235 | 215 | 26 | 25 | -5.3 | -1.5 | MIA |
| -45.0 | 28.9 | 160 | 181 | 23 | 28 | -3.3 | -1.5 | SDN |
| -16.0 | -4.1 | 190 | 213 | 22 | 27 | -2.3 | -0.5 | PIT |