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Adjusted batting average

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The adjusted batting average is a baseball statistic that compensates for factors inherently unique to each individual hitter such as era, home ballpark, pitching trends, rule changes, and handedness; it also counts only the first 8,000 at-bats to account for late career decline. It was first formulated in 1999 by statistician Michael J. Schell in the book Baseball's All-time Best Hitters: How Statistics Can Level the Playing Field published by Princeton University Press. Using his calculations from said formula, Schell posited that Tony Gwynn is the greatest MLB hitter of all-time with the highest adjusted batting average of .342. Joseph Gallian, a mathematician who independently analyzed Schell's formula in a book published by the Mathematical Association of America wrote, "Of course, Schell's adjusted batting average is far superior to the traditional batting average."

Tony Gwynn has the highest career adjusted batting average at .342.
Top 10
Name Adjusted batting average Years played
Tony Gwynn .342 1982–2001
Ty Cobb .340 1905–1928
Rod Carew .332 1967–1985
Joe Jackson .331 1908–1920
Rogers Hornsby .330 1915–1937
Ted Williams .327 1939–1960
Stan Musial .325 1941–1963
Wade Boggs .324 1982–1999
Tris Speaker .322 1907–1928
Willie Mays .314 1951–1973

References

General

  1. Albert, Jim (2017). "7.5 Comparing Wade Boggs and Tony Gwynn". Teaching Statistics Using Baseball. Mathematical Association of America. p. 165. ISBN 9781939512161.
  2. Gould, Ronald J. (July 28, 2009). Mathematics in Games, Sports, and Gambling - The Games People Play. CRC Press. p. 165. ISBN 9781439801659.
  3. King, Jay Caspian (June 16, 2014). "Tony Gwynn: An appreciation". The New Yorker. Condé Nast. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
  4. Schell, Michael J. (1999). Baseball's All-time Best Hitters: How Statistics Can Level the Playing Field. Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691004556.
  5. Schell, Michael (2014). "Let's get technical, technical". Tony Gwynn: He Left His Heart in San Diego. By Wolfe, Rich. Lone Wolf Press. p. 135–138. ISBN 9780984627899.
  6. Vail, James F. (2001). Outrageous Fortune: What's Wrong with Hall of Fame Voting and How to Make It Statistically Sound. McFarland & Company. p. 164. ISBN 9780786411269.

Citations

  1. Gallian, Joseph (2006). "Who is the Greatest Hitter of Them All?". In Haunsperger, Deanna; Kennedy, Stephen (eds.). The Edge of the Universe: Celebrating Ten Years of Math Horizons. Mathematical Association of America. p. 264–265. ISBN 9780883855553.
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