November 17, 2004

Frequent Successful Contact v. Frequent Walks
by Steve Lombardi

A recent article by Stephen C. Smith of "FutureAngels.com" entitled "Contactball" got me wondering about teams who walk frequently versus teams who make frequent contact while hitting safely often.  So, I started playing around with some batting stats - from 1994 through 2004 (the current "Long Ball Era" in major league baseball).

The first thing that I came up with was a measure of "frequent contact while hitting safely often" called Frequent Successful Contact (FSC).  It is team batting average times the percentage of plate appearances for a team in which they did not walk or strikeout.  

Then, I ranked every season by every big league team since 1994, by FSC, and included the team's runs created per game (RC/G) for that season, as compared to the league average - and added a "seasonal" RC/G versus the league average for each team/season (by taking the RC/G against the league average and multiplying it by 162).  Here are the results:

Team

 Season Batting Avg. % of PA w/Contact FSC RC/G v. Lge Avg RC/G v Lge Avg * 162

Royals

 2000 0.288 0.789 0.227 -0.13 -21.06

Rockies

 1999 0.288 0.785 0.226 0.36 58.32

Angels

 2002 0.282 0.800 0.226 0.38 61.56

Rockies

 2000 0.294 0.766 0.225 0.5 81

Rockies

 1998 0.291 0.774 0.225 0.55 89.1

Indians

 1994 0.29 0.775 0.225 0.89 144.18

Indians

 1996 0.293 0.766 0.225 0.83 134.46

Indians

 1995 0.291 0.770 0.224 1.03 166.86

Rangers

 1999 0.293 0.758 0.222 0.71 115.02

Rockies

 2001 0.292 0.759 0.222 1.03 166.86

Redsox

 1997 0.291 0.758 0.220 0.56 90.72

Whitesox

 1994 0.287 0.766 0.220 0.71 115.02

Redsox

 2003 0.289 0.761 0.220 1.39 225.18

Angels

 2004 0.282 0.779 0.220 0.1 16.2

Whitesox

 1999 0.277 0.791 0.219 -0.37 -59.94

Twins

 1996 0.288 0.760 0.219 -0.14 -22.68

Yankees

 1996 0.288 0.760 0.219 0 0

Braves

 2003 0.284 0.768 0.218 0.89 144.18

Whitesox

 2000 0.286 0.758 0.217 0.46 74.52

Mariners

 2001 0.288 0.752 0.217 0.88 142.56

Royals

 1999 0.282 0.768 0.217 -0.08 -12.96

Orioles

 2004 0.281 0.770 0.216 0.2 32.4

Rangers

 2000 0.283 0.764 0.216 -0.09 -14.58

Yankees

 1997 0.287 0.750 0.215 0.54 87.48

Yankees

 1994 0.29 0.742 0.215 0.82 132.84

Rangers

 1998 0.289 0.744 0.215 0.66 106.92

Whitesox

 1995 0.28 0.767 0.215 0.36 58.32

Indians

 1997 0.286 0.751 0.215 0.73 118.26

Reds

 1994 0.286 0.750 0.215 0.47 76.14

Rockies

 1997 0.288 0.744 0.214 0.99 160.38

Twins

 1994 0.276 0.775 0.214 -0.14 -22.68

Orioles

 1999 0.279 0.765 0.213 0.21 34.02

Expos

 1994 0.278 0.768 0.213 0.33 53.46

Yankees

 1998 0.288 0.740 0.213 0.82 132.84

Cardinals

 2003 0.279 0.763 0.213 0.59 95.58

Rockies

 1996 0.287 0.742 0.213 1.02 165.24

Royals

 2003 0.274 0.775 0.212 0.04 6.48

Redsox

 2002 0.277 0.765 0.212 0.55 89.1

Mariners

 1996 0.287 0.736 0.211 0.99 160.38

Redsox

 1996 0.283 0.746 0.211 0.34 55.08

Indians

 2000 0.288 0.732 0.211 0.83 134.46

Orioles

 2003 0.268 0.786 0.211 -0.46 -74.52

Rockies

 1995 0.282 0.747 0.211 0.72 116.64

Whitesox

 1996 0.281 0.749 0.211 0.21 34.02

Angels

 1996 0.276 0.763 0.210 -0.51 -82.62

Angels

 2003 0.268 0.785 0.210 -0.3 -48.6

Redsox

 1999 0.277 0.758 0.210 0.15 24.3

Royals

 2001 0.266 0.789 0.210 -0.49 -79.38

Twins

 1995 0.279 0.752 0.210 -0.23 -37.26

Rangers

 1996 0.284 0.738 0.210 0.47 76.14

Twins

 2003 0.277 0.757 0.210 0.11 17.82

Redsox

 1998 0.28 0.748 0.209 0.43 69.66

Astros

 1994 0.278 0.753 0.209 0.51 82.62

Padres

 1994 0.275 0.761 0.209 -0.59 -95.58

Brewers

 1996 0.279 0.750 0.209 0.11 17.82

Padres

 2004 0.273 0.766 0.209 -0.17 -27.54

Orioles

 2000 0.272 0.766 0.208 -0.39 -63.18

Angels

 2000 0.28 0.744 0.208 0.4 64.8

Whitesox

 1997 0.273 0.763 0.208 -0.09 -14.58

Orioles

 1998 0.273 0.763 0.208 0.22 35.64

Orioles

 1996 0.274 0.760 0.208 0.35 56.7

Tigers

 2000 0.275 0.756 0.208 -0.29 -46.98

Rangers

 1994 0.28 0.742 0.208 0.16 25.92

Indians

 1999 0.289 0.719 0.208 1.01 163.62

Whitesox

 1998 0.271 0.766 0.208 0.18 29.16

BlueJays

 2003 0.279 0.744 0.208 0.59 95.58

BlueJays

 2000 0.275 0.755 0.208 0.21 34.02

Yankees

 1999 0.282 0.736 0.207 0.54 87.48

Redsox

 1995 0.28 0.741 0.207 0.57 92.34

BlueJays

 1999 0.28 0.740 0.207 0.37 59.94

Reds

 2000 0.274 0.756 0.207 -0.14 -22.68

Padres

 1995 0.272 0.761 0.207 -0.37 -59.94

Indians

 2004 0.276 0.750 0.207 0.25 40.5

Mariners

 1995 0.276 0.750 0.207 0.45 72.9

Diamondbacks

 1999 0.277 0.745 0.206 0.28 45.36

Angels

 1995 0.277 0.745 0.206 0.45 72.9

Cardinals

 2004 0.278 0.741 0.206 0.48 77.76

Mariners

 1994 0.269 0.765 0.206 0.02 3.24

Indians

 2001 0.278 0.740 0.206 0.68 110.16

Expos

 1999 0.265 0.776 0.206 -0.86 -139.32

Twins

 1998 0.266 0.773 0.206 -0.82 -132.84

Rockies

 2002 0.274 0.750 0.206 -0.01 -1.62

Angels

 1998 0.272 0.755 0.205 -0.25 -40.5

Dodgers

 2002 0.264 0.777 0.205 -0.53 -85.86

Angels

 1997 0.272 0.754 0.205 -0.05 -8.1

Yankees

 2000 0.277 0.740 0.205 0.21 34.02

Mets

 1999 0.279 0.735 0.205 0.09 14.58

Cardinals

 2002 0.268 0.765 0.205 0.03 4.86

Dodgers

 1994 0.27 0.759 0.205 -0.33 -53.46

Devil Rays

 1999 0.274 0.747 0.205 -0.52 -84.24

Rockies

 1994 0.274 0.746 0.205 -0.04 -6.48

Yankees

 1995 0.276 0.741 0.205 0.08 12.96

Mariners

 1998 0.276 0.741 0.205 0.62 100.44

Brewers

 1995 0.266 0.769 0.204 -0.31 -50.22

Mariners

 2002 0.275 0.743 0.204 0.29 46.98

Rangers

 2001 0.275 0.743 0.204 0.76 123.12

Mets

 1996 0.27 0.757 0.204 -0.34 -55.08

Astros

 1998 0.28 0.729 0.204 0.62 100.44

Mariners

 2004 0.27 0.756 0.204 -0.57 -92.34

Orioles

 1994 0.272 0.751 0.204 0.2 32.4

Giants

 2004 0.27 0.756 0.204 0.4 64.8

BlueJays

 1994 0.269 0.758 0.204 -0.27 -43.74

Royals

 1996 0.267 0.764 0.204 -0.93 -150.66

Mariners

 1997 0.28 0.728 0.204 0.89 144.18

Twins

 2002 0.272 0.748 0.203 0.03 4.86

Rangers

 1997 0.274 0.742 0.203 0.03 4.86

Royals

 1994 0.269 0.755 0.203 -0.36 -58.32

Devil Rays

 2003 0.265 0.767 0.203 -0.44 -71.28

Pirates

 1996 0.266 0.763 0.203 -0.32 -51.84

Mariners

 2003 0.271 0.749 0.203 0.02 3.24

Orioles

 1997 0.268 0.757 0.203 0.06 9.72

Braves

 1996 0.27 0.752 0.203 -0.09 -14.58

Whitesox

 2002 0.268 0.757 0.203 0.42 68.04

Braves

 1994 0.267 0.760 0.203 -0.21 -34.02

Twins

 2004 0.266 0.762 0.203 -0.23 -37.26

Giants

 2000 0.278 0.729 0.203 0.58 93.96

Twins

 2001 0.272 0.745 0.203 0.03 4.86

Twins

 2000 0.27 0.749 0.202 -0.73 -118.26

Redsox

 2004 0.282 0.716 0.202 1.03 166.86

Whitesox

 2004 0.268 0.753 0.202 0.08 12.96

Whitesox

 2001 0.268 0.753 0.202 0.13 21.06

Astros

 1995 0.275 0.734 0.202 0.06 9.72

Marlins

 2003 0.266 0.759 0.202 -0.26 -42.12

Braves

 2000 0.271 0.744 0.202 -0.3 -48.6

Whitesox

 2003 0.263 0.767 0.202 0.1 16.2

Braves

 1998 0.272 0.741 0.202 0.42 68.04

Giants

 1998 0.274 0.735 0.201 0.27 43.74

Phillies

 1999 0.275 0.732 0.201 -0.04 -6.48

Marlins

 2004 0.264 0.762 0.201 -0.64 -103.68

Cubs

 2004 0.268 0.750 0.201 0 0

Royals

 1998 0.263 0.764 0.201 -0.61 -98.82

Rangers

 2003 0.266 0.755 0.201 0.33 53.46

Diamondbacks

 2000 0.265 0.758 0.201 -0.52 -84.24

Rangers

 2002 0.269 0.746 0.201 0.47 76.14

Yankees

 2001 0.267 0.751 0.200 0.1 16.2

Twins

 1997 0.27 0.742 0.200 -0.32 -51.84

Twins

 1999 0.264 0.759 0.200 -1.11 -179.82

Pirates

 2003 0.267 0.750 0.200 -0.08 -12.96

Astros

 2000 0.278 0.720 0.200 0.57 92.34

Cubs

 1997 0.263 0.761 0.200 -0.75 -121.5

Braves

 1999 0.266 0.753 0.200 -0.26 -42.12

A's

 2004 0.27 0.742 0.200 0.06 9.72

Giants

 2002 0.267 0.750 0.200 0.49 79.38

Expos

 2000 0.266 0.752 0.200 -0.66 -106.92

Pirates

 2000 0.267 0.749 0.200 -0.47 -76.14

Tigers

 2004 0.272 0.736 0.200 0.11 17.82

Dodgers

 1997 0.268 0.746 0.200 -0.24 -38.88

Brewers

 1999 0.273 0.732 0.200 -0.11 -17.82

Indians

 1998 0.272 0.735 0.200 0.36 58.32

Reds

 1999 0.272 0.734 0.200 -0.03 -4.86

Marlins

 1994 0.266 0.750 0.200 -0.47 -76.14

Tigers

 1998 0.264 0.756 0.200 -0.51 -82.62

Astros

 2004 0.267 0.747 0.199 0.05 8.1

Cardinals

 2001 0.27 0.738 0.199 0.1 16.2

Tigers

 2001 0.26 0.766 0.199 -0.53 -85.86

Rockies

 2004 0.275 0.724 0.199 0.27 43.74

Reds

 1995 0.27 0.737 0.199 0.4