Best Season With The Bat Since 1973
Runs Created Above Average (RCAA) is a Lee Sinins creation. It is the difference between a player’s Runs Created total and the total for an average player who used the same amount of his team’s outs. (A negative Runs Created Above Average indicates a below average player in this category.)
Here are the best seasons by a Yankees batter, since 1973, in terms of RCAA:
1. Derek Jeter, 1999 – 77
1. Rickey Henderson, 1985 – 77
3. Jason Giambi, 2002 – 75
4. Don Mattingly, 1986 – 67
5. Bernie Williams, 1999 – 64
6. Reggie Jackson, 1980 – 62
This season, Alex Rodriguez is on pace for a season of 69 RCAA. If he can turn it up a notch or two, he just might put together the best season by a Yankees batter since 1973.
By the way, the all-time Yankees season RCAA record (Ruth with 166 RCAA in 1921) will be safe for a long time.
Well, I for one do not need these fancy SABR stats to tell me what I can see from merely watching AROD on a regular basis: the guy is having probably the best overall year of any Yankees hitter since at least Mattingly in his prime.
I remember, from his abtract, Bill James saying that Jeter was the best player in 1999. I didn’t realize he has such a statistically good year though. Good stuff, Steve, thanks for answering my question.
No problem Nick – thanks for the inspiration.