FanPost

Introducing: A new statistic...AmbienTribeWAR

My company is opening up a new restaurant and the past few weeks have been filled with countless meetings. With the attention span that I have a lot of times I go from writing notes about pasta and pizza to writing down lineups and projected bullpens. I have spent a lot of time this month coming up with a new menu and when I hit a creative wall I flip to the back of my notebook and start to write about baseball. What started out as a fun way to kill time and get my mind off of work has turned into quite the little project. It might not be perfect yet and probably could still use a few tweaks but without further ado I present a new moneyball statistic...the Ambien Tribe WAR!

OBJECTIVE: To put a value on players based on a specific formula created by yours truly. The things I value the most hold the most weight and I think it is fun to put a statistical number of my value on each member of the Tribe (and am working on doing other teams as well - time permitting)

FORMULA: For position players I am looking at the following: Durability, Fielding, Fielding Range (and arm/pitch framing for catchers), on base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS+, Speed and base running effectiveness and the last category being "Ambien's intangibles" which I will explain later on. For pitchers I look at the following: Durability, BB/9, HR/9, K/9, WHIP, ERC# and also "Ambien's intangibles." Each category players will be graded between an A+ and a F; and will be rewarded (or deduced) points based on letter grade.

Durability (Based on Plate Appearances)

675+ = A = 1.5 points

575-674 = B = 1 point

400-574 = C = 0.5 points

250-399 = D = 0 points

> 250 = F = -1 point

Notes: Pretty simple stuff here - players who are dependable and durable (Carlos Santana) are rewarded for their ability to stay on the field while a player who can't be relied upon to stay healthy (Tyler Naquin) will get dinged for not staying on the field. Plate appearances are based mostly upon WhatifSports.com's 2019 projections.

Fielding (all positions)

A = 1.5 points

B = 1 point

C = 0.5 points

D = 0 points

F = -1 points

Notes: Fielding grade is based upon a both WhatifSports.com's 2019 projections and a players past three seasons worth of fielding data (averaged to the mean.) I judge a players primary position here. Let's use Lindor and Santana for examples. Lindor's fielding grade for 2016 and 2017 was an A, last year a B+. He is projected a B+ this year as well. Santana at first base has been a C in 2016, A- in 2017 and C+ in 2018. He projects as a C+ in 2019.

Range (1B/3B/LF/RF)

A = 1.5 points

B = 1 point

C = 0.5 points

D = 0 points

F = -1 point

Notes: Fielding range is based on Range Factor. The top 20% at a position are granted an A grade, next 20% a B, next 20% a C, next 20% and the worst 20% an F. Once again using WhatifSports.com's 2019 projections as well as a mean of the last three years of a player's Range Factor at their primary position. Keeping with the Santana example: His Range Factor the past three years grades him out as a A-, D+ and C. He is projected a B in 2019.

Range (2B/SS/CF)

A+ = 2.5 points

A = 2 points

B = 1.5 points

C = 1 point

D = 0 points

F = -1.5 point

Arm (Catchers - Based on Caught Stealing %)

41%+ = A+ = 3 points

36-40% = A = 2.5 points

31-35% = B = 1.5 points

27-30% = C = 1 point

23-26% = D = 0 points

>22% = F = -1 point

Notes: CS% is based on two things weighed equally: WhatifSports.com's 2019 projections and the last three years of a catchers CS%. Roberto Perez is clearly trending down (50% in 2016, 43% in 2017, 23% last year which was among the worst in MLB.) I put a lot of value on what a catcher does behind the plate (R.I.P. Yanimal!)

On Base Percentage

.425+ = A+ = 2.5 points

.400-.424 = A = 2 points

.375-.399 = B+ = 1.5 points

.350-.374 = B = 1 point

.320-.349 = C = 0.5 points

.300-.319 = D = 0 points

> .299 = F = -1.5 points

Slugging Percentage

.625+ = A+ = 2.5 points

.575-.624 = A = 2 points

.530-.574 = B+ = 1.5 points

.485-.529 = B = 1 point

.425-.484 = C = 0.5 points

.375-.424 = D = 0 points

> .374 = F = -1 point

OPS+

130+ = A+ = 2.5 points

121-129 = A = 2 points

115-120 = B+ = 1.5 points

108-114 = B = 1 point

97-107 = C = 0.5 points

80-96 = D = 0 points

> 79 = F = -1.5 points

Notes: OBP/SLG/OPS+ are all based on WhatifSports.com's 2019 projections.

Speed

93-100 = A+ = 1.5 points

87-92 = A = 1 point

80-86 = B = 0.5 points

70-79 = C = 0 points

60-69 = D = 0 points

> 59 = F = -0.5 points

Notes: My speed rating is based about the past three seasons of WhatifSports.com's individual players SR and averaging out the mean. I also look at the 2019 WIS projected speed rating for the player.

Ambien's Intangibles: After adding up the players point total I ask myself a couple of questions about the player...does he have positional versatility? If so can he play those positions well? How efficient is the player on the base-path? If player is a catcher - how is his pitch framing? How is his arm if he is an outfielder or plays at the hot corner? Does the player have any character (or other) concerns? Or is he a well known positive clubhouse presence and team leader? I allow myself to give up to 20% "extra credit" to the player final score and the lowest amount I am able to take away is 10% of total score. For example - the highest extra points in "Ambiens Intangibles" was 15% - therefore the players final score would be decided as follows: Final point tally from 9 category's x 1.15 = X. X = AmbienTribeWAR!! The lowest amount deducted was 5% (and it was a pitcher) Final tally x 0.95 = X. X = AmbienTribeWAR!

CONCLUSION: I am still tweaking how I am doing the rotation and bullpen. In the next week I will post the pitching formula and the projected 25 man roster's AmbienTribeWAR!

FanPosts are reader-generated, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Covering the Corner or the Covering the Corner staff.