One of the most common stats in sabermetric baseball is WAR (Wins Above Replacement). The formula differs from analyst to analyst, but the two most prevalent formulas exist at baseball-reference.com and fangraphs.com. rWAR (or bWAR) and fWAR respectively. However, these stats do not consider each game, and how much a player contributed to each individual win--then erase any contribution from losses. It is a good overview of a player that allows you to know approximately what they can deliver to any one team with their contribution. When added together, it does not give an exact outcome of a team.
The nice folks at BlueBird Banter give the example of the formula used to construct a WAR win total. They break down the benefits and flaws of such a system, and reach some interesting conclusions, but either way, you learn some interesting things.
Anyways, that was probably an unnecessary introduction to the stats below. You see how each individual contibuted to the team's overall success (or lack thereof) in the AL Central. And that is pretty cool.
Detroit Tigers
Position Player fWAR rWAR
C Total 5.4 5.2
Alex Avila 5.5 5.4
Omar Santos -.1 -.2
1B 7.3 7.1
Miguel Cabrera 7.3 7.1
2B 2.4 2.3
Ramon Santiago 1.4 1.3
Ryan Raburn 1.2 0.9
Carlos Guillen -0.1 0.0
Will Rhymes -0.2 -0.4
Scott Sizemore 0.1 0.5
SS 5.1 4.3
Jhonny Peralta 5.2 4.4
Danny Worth -0.1 -0.1
3B 0.7 0.1
Brandon Inge -0.4 -0.6
Wilson Betemit 0.5 0.4
Don Kelly 0.6 0.3
LF 2.2 1.0
Brennan Bosch 1.7 1.4
Delmon Young 0.1 -0.1
Andy Dirks 0.4 -0.3
CF 2.8 2.4
Austin Jackson 2.8 2.4
RF -0.1 -1.1
Magglio Ordonez -1.0 -1.9
Casper Wells 0.9 0.8
DH 2.9 2.9
Victor Martinez 2.9 2.9
P 0.0 -0.3
Total 28.7 23.9
SP 17.6 14.1
Justin Verlander 7.0 8.6
Max Scherzer 2.7 2.4
Rick Porcello 2.7 1.0
Brad Penny 0.8 -0.4
Doug Fister 2.4 2.6
Phil Coke 2.0 0.4
Jacob Turner -0.1 -0.5
Andrew Oliver 0.1 0.0
RP 2.7 4.3
Jose Valverde 1.0 2.7
Joaquin Benoit 1.3 1.5
Daniel Schlereth -0.3 0.7
Al Albuquerque 1.3 1.6
Ryan Perry 0.2 -0.4
Charlie Furbush -0.1 0.1
Duane Below 0.2 0.1
David Pauley -0.2 -0.3
David Purcey -0.2 -0.4
Brayan Villarreal -0.2 -0.3
Adam Wilk -0.1 -0.1
Brad Thomas 0.0 -0.4
Enrique Gonzalez -0.1 -0.4
Lester Oliveros 0.1 -0.1
Chance Ruffin -0.3 0.0
Luis Marte 0.1 0.1
Robbie Weinhardt 0.0 -0.1
Don Kelly 0.0 0.0
Totals 20.3 18.4
fWAR: 49.0, 90.77 wins
rWAR: 42.3. 91.02 wins
Pythag: 89 wins
Actual: 95 wins
Cleveland Indians
Position Player fWAR rWAR
C 4.7 4.7
Carlos Santana 3.8 3.9
Lou Marson 0.9 0.8
1B -0.8 0.2
Matt LaPorta -0.8 0.2
2B -0.5 0.5
Orlando Cabrera -0.6 -0.1
Jason Kipnis 0.8 1.0
Cord Phelps -0.9 -0.8
Jason Donald 0.5 0.7
Luis Valbuena -0.3 -0.3
SS 3.6 3.7
Asdrubal Cabrera 3.6 3.7
3B 2.7 2.9
Jack Hannahan 2.4 2.2
Lonnie Chisenhall 0.7 1.0
Adam Everett -0.4 -0.3
LF 1.3 3.2
Michael Brantley 1.4 2.2
Shelley Duncan 0.9 0.8
Austin Kearns -0.8 0.5
Travis Buck 0.0 0.0
Trevor Crowe 0.1 -0.1
Jerad Head -0.3 -0.2
CF 0.5 0.0
Grady Sizemore 0.2 0.5
Ezequiel Carrera 0.3 -0.5
RF 1.3 1.5
Shin-Soo Choo 1.4 1.5
Kosuke Fukudome -0.1 0.2
DH 1.8 1.9
Travis Hafner 1.3 1.4
Jim Thome 0.5 0.5
P 0.0 0.0
Total 14.6 18.6
SP 12.1 3.2
Justin Masterson 4.9 4.1
Fausto Carmona 1.5 -1.4
Josh Tomlin 1.8 1.9
Carlos Carrasco 1.4 0.6
Ubaldo Jimenez 1.0 -0.4
Mitch Talbot -0.1 -0.6
Jeanmar Gomez 0.7 0.2
David Huff 0.6 -0.6
Zach McAllister 0.4 -0.6
Alex White -0.1 0.2
RP 3.0 5.9
Chris Perez 0.1 1.2
Joe Smith 1.2 2.1
Rafael Perez 0.8 0.7
Tony Sipp -0.1 1.3
Vinnie Pestano 1.5 2.2
Nick Hagadone 0.1 0.0
Justin Germano -0.1 -0.1
Corey Kluber 0.0 -0.1
Zach Putnam 0.1 -0.1
Josh Judy -0.3 -0.2
Frank Herrmann 0.0 -0.3
Chad Durbin -0.3 -0.8
Total 15.1 9.3
fWAR: 29.7, 72.82 wins
rWAR: 27.9, 78.35 wins
Pythag: 75 wins
Actual: 80 wins
Chicago White Sox
Position Player fWAR rWAR
C 2.8 1.5
A.J. Pierzynski 1.7 0.9
Donny Lucy 0.0 0.0
Tyler Flowers 0.7 0.3
Ramon Castro 0.4 0.3
1B 2.9 3.5
Paul Konerko 3.1 3.6
Dallas McPherson -0.2 -0.1
2B 1.1 1.2
Gordon Beckham 1.1 1.2
SS 4.9 3.3
Alexei Ramirez 4.9 3.3
Eduardo Escobar 0.0 0.0
3B -0.4 -0.2
Brent Morel 0.5 0.5
Mark Teahen -0.4 -0.5
Omar Vizquel -0.5 -0.7
LF 0.6 -0.3
Juan Pierre -0.4 0.0
Lastings Millege -0.2 -0.3
CF -0.7 -1.5
Alex Rios -0.7 -1.5
RF 6.7 7.2
Carlos Quentin 2.6 3.2
Alejandro de Azo 2.8 2.1
Brent Lillibridge 1.3 1.9
Dayan Viciedo 0.0 0.0
DH -2.9 -2.9
Adam Dunn -2.9 -2.9
P -0.1 -0.1
Total 13.7 12.0
SP 20.5 14.1
Mark Buehrle 3.4 3.7
Gavin Floyd 3.6 2.7
John Danks 3.2 2.1
Phil Humber 3.5 3.3
Edwin Jackson 3.1 2.3
Jake Peavy 2.9 1.1
Zach Stewart 0.4 -0.5
Dylan Axelrod 0.4 0.6
RP 6.0 7.2
Sergio Santos 1.6 1.5
Chris Sale 1.4 2.4
Jesse Crain 0.9 2.3
Matt Thornton 1.6 -1.0
Will Ohman 0.2 0.4
Jeff Gray 0.0 0.2
Hector Santiago 0.1 0.2
Addison Reed 0.1 0.1
Jason Frasor -0.1 0.0
Lucas Harrell 0.1 -0.1
Josh Kinney 0.2 -0.1
Shane Lindsay 0.0 -0.2
Brian Bruney -0.2 -0.3
Tony Pena 0.1 -0.3
Totals 26.5 21.3
fWAR: 40.2, 89.18 wins
rWAR: 33.3, 76.17 wins
Pythag: 75 wins
Actual: 79 wins
Kansas City Royals
Position Player fWAR rWAR
C Total 2.9 1.7
Salvador Perez 1.4 1.1
Matt Treanor 0.9 0.4
Brayan Pena 0.5 0.3
Manny Pina 0.1 -0.1
1B 1.5 1.2
Miguel Cabrera 1.5 1.2
2B 1.0 -0.3
Chris Getz 1.0 0.5
Johnny Giavotella 0.0 -0.5
Mike Aviles 0.0 -0.3
SS 2.2 2
Alcides Escobar 2.2 2
3B 1.3 1.4
Mike Moustakas 0.7 0.5
Wilson Betemit 0.5 0.9
Yamaico Navarro 0.1 0.0
LF 7.6 6.2
Alex Gordon 6.9 5.9
Mitch Maier 0.7 0.3
CF 4.5 3.2
Melky Cabrera 4.2 2.9
Jarrod Dyson 0.3 0.3
RF 3.0 2.9
Jeff Francouer 2.9 2.7
Lorenzo Cain 0.1 0.1
DH 1.8 2.4
Billy Butler 1.8 2.4
P -0.2 0.0
Total 25.6 20.6
SP 10.4 5.4
Felipe Paulino 2.6 1.9
Jeff Francis 2.6 1.4
Luke Hochevar 2.3 1.7
Bruce Chen 1.7 2.6
Kyle Davies 0.7 -0.1
Danny Duffy 0.6 0.5
Luis Mendoza 0.3 0.6
Vin Mazzaro -0.2 -0.7
Sean O’Sullivan -0.5 -1.6
RP 3.1 9.7
Joakim Soria 0.9 0.8
Greg Holland 2.0 2.6
Blake Wood 0.6 0.9
Aaron Crow 0.3 2.1
Louis Coleman 0.1 1.6
Nate Adcock 0.2 0.2
Tim Collins 0.0 1.1
Kanekoa Texeira 0.0 0.2
Everett Teaford -0.1 0.8
Mitch Maier 0.0 0.0
Kelvin Herrera -0.2 -0.2
Jesse Chavez -0.2 -0.3
Robinson Tejeda -0.3 -0.1
Totals 13.5 15.1
fWAR: 39.1, 81.56 wins
rWAR: 35.7, 85.22 wins
Pythag: 78 wins
Actual: 71 wins
Minnesota Twins
Position Player fWAR rWAR
C 0.2 -0.1
Joe Mauer 1.8 1.7
Drew Butera -0.8 -1.2
Rene Rivera -0.5 -0.2
Steve Holm -0.3 -0.3
1B 1.0 0.1
Justin Morneau 1.0 0.1
Chris Parmalee 1.3 1.2
2B 1.4 0.4
Alexi Casilla 1.4 1.8
Luke Hughes 0.4 0.3
Matt Tolbert -0.5 -1.4
Brian Dinkleman 0.1 -0.3
SS -2.0 -3.3
Tsuyoshi Nishioka -1.4 -1.8
Trevor Plouffe -0.6 -1.5
3B 0.5 -1.1
Danny Valencia 0.5 -1.1
LF -0.3 -0.4
Delmon Young 0.3 0.1
Rene Tosoni -0.5 -0.4
Joe Benson -0.1 -0.1
CF 4.2 3.4
Ben Revere 2.0 0.8
Denard Span 2.2 2.6
RF 3.1 2.6
Michael Cuddyer 3.1 2.6
Jason Repko 0.0 -0.4
DH 1.9 2.2
Jim Thome 0.8 0.9
Jason Kubel 1.1 1.3
P 0.1 0.0
Total 10.1 3.8
SP 11.4 7.4
Carl Pavano 2.9 2.0
Brian Duensing 1.7 0.2
Nick Blackburn 0.7 0.5
Scott Baker 2.7 3.8
Francisco Liriano 1.0 0.7
Anthony Swarzak 1.0 0.9
Kevin Slowey 0.4 -0.6
Scott Diamond 0.4 0.1
Liam Hendriks 0.3 -0.2
RP -0.4 2.0
Matt Capps -0.4 2.0
Glen Perkins 1.7 2.0
Alex Burnett -0.1 -0.2
Jose Mijares -0.3 -0.2
Joe Nathan 0.0 0.0
Phil Dumatrait -0.6 0.2
Anthony Slama 0.0 0.2
Eric Hacker 0.0 0.1
Lester Oliveros 0.1 0.1
Michael Cuddyer 0.0 0.0
Chuck James 0.1 0.0
Kyle Waldrop -0.1 0.0
Jeff Manship 0.0 -0.1
Dusty Hughes -0.4 -0.4
Jim Hoey -0.4 -0.5
Total 10.7 9.7
fWAR: 20.8, 64.54 wins
rWAR: 13.2, 65.42 wins
Pythag: 62 wins
Actual: 63 wins
Now, it is true that WAR doesn't necessarily predict future WAR, so don't take these numbers to Vegas, but the White Sox weren't so bad, the Royals youth movement looks even scarier, the Tigers should have only won the division at 90 wins, the Indians need a 1B to win, and...Minnesota makes me sad.
