Teaching Better Baseball

In recent years the concept of batting average has been downplayed in various “new school” baseball circles as a meaningless stat.  Yet in every baseball specific show or publication, the first number that is used is batting average.  For example, in 2008, we knew Dustin Pedroia as the AL MVP who hit. 326 with 17 Home Runs and 83 Runs Batted In.  We knew Albert Pujols, the NL MVP, as a .357 37HR 116RBI hitter.  When hitters are discussed, the batting average is one of the first few things that a fan or sometimes a coach looks for.  Young players are more concerned about their batting average than their overall run production.  Most often, parents are able to track their son’s progress as being a four for his last ten.  The batting average statistic measures how many times a player hits a fair ball in play and reaches base safely--the formula is the number of hits divided by the number of official at-bats.  It gives us an easy measurement that most average fans say is a good measuring stick.  Does the batting average tell us everything?  No.  Can it give us a good perspective on a hitter?  Yes.    

Want to read the entire article? Click here to become a TBB member today!