Baseball Toaster: Mike's Baseball Rants : The Hundred Million Dollar Infield, Pt II

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The Hundred Million Dollar Infield, Pt II

2004-08-21 01:18

by Mike Carminati

Part I

Next, in our historical analysis of the best infields, I would like to take a look at the best defensive infield. This is somewhat problematic given that the traditional fielding stats are so dependent on the era from which they were spawned to be almost useless for this analysis as Bill James showed in Win Shares. So instead I will use James's Fielding Win Shares stat as the basis.

First, let's look at the best based on total Fielding Win Shares (Catchers included):

Yr	Team	Inf OPS	Lg OPS	BPF	OPS Adj	Tot WS	G	WS/G	FieldWS
1943	Cincinnati Reds	.669	.672	99	100.05%	95.3	155	0.615	35.5
1904	Boston Pilgrims	.623	.616	106	98.15%	86.6	157	0.552	34.9
2003	Los Angeles Dodgers	.674	.749	93	93.30%	65.8	162	0.406	33.9
1999	New York Mets	.857	.771	95	113.89%	119.5	163	0.733	33.6
1940	Cleveland Indians	.786	.750	97	106.50%	105.7	155	0.682	33.5
1920	Chicago White Sox	.778	.734	100	105.94%	108.2	154	0.703	33.4
1931	Washington Senators	.756	.740	101	101.73%	98.1	156	0.629	33.1
1983	Pittsburgh Pirates	.757	.698	103	106.84%	94.2	162	0.581	32.9
1963	New York Yankees	.702	.692	99	101.97%	98.2	161	0.610	32.7
1944	Cincinnati Reds	.673	.689	96	99.64%	89.2	155	0.575	32.6
1977	Texas Rangers	.791	.735	101	107.01%	107.9	162	0.666	32.6
1938	Pittsburgh Pirates	.760	.705	101	107.22%	102.4	152	0.674	32.6
1973	Los Angeles Dodgers	.706	.698	96	103.29%	93.1	162	0.575	32.6
1942	Brooklyn Dodgers	.708	.661	102	105.95%	110.0	155	0.710	32.5
1954	Milwaukee Braves	.804	.742	94	111.69%	105.9	154	0.688	32.2
1908	Chicago Cubs	.691	.605	104	111.91%	117.6	158	0.744	32.2
1961	New York Yankees	.727	.724	95	103.01%	93.1	163	0.571	32.1
1905	New York Giants	.711	.647	102	108.76%	103.1	155	0.665	32.1
1977	Los Angeles Dodgers	.770	.724	100	106.25%	97.1	162	0.599	32.0
1936	New York Giants	.701	.722	99	97.55%	73.9	154	0.480	31.9
1913	Philadelphia Phillies	.664	.679	104	95.90%	67.5	159	0.425	31.8
1924	Washington Senators	.732	.755	97	98.43%	80.3	156	0.515	31.7
1935	Chicago Cubs	.793	.722	101	109.23%	108.2	154	0.703	31.7
1969	Chicago Cubs	.738	.688	113	100.63%	98.0	163	0.601	31.7
2003	Oakland Athletics	.776	.761	93	105.65%	100.5	162	0.620	31.6
1917	Chicago White Sox	.660	.638	102	102.50%	101.8	156	0.653	31.6
1920	Cleveland Indians	.753	.734	103	101.00%	87.8	154	0.570	31.6

Now, Total Fielding Win Shares (excluding catchers):

Yr	Team	Inf OPS	Lg OPS	BPF	OPS Adj	Tot WS	G	WS/G	FieldWS
1999	New York Mets	.838	.771	95	111.44%	98.3	163	0.603	28.9
1904	Boston Pilgrims	.628	.616	106	99.00%	75.8	157	0.483	28.5
1920	New York Yankees	.753	.734	104	100.50%	79.6	154	0.517	28.1
1892	Cincinnati Reds	.635	.644	99	99.02%	71.1	155	0.459	28.0
1931	Washington Senators	.778	.740	101	104.60%	85.6	156	0.549	27.1
1998	Milwaukee Brewers	.802	.741	101	107.60%	86.1	162	0.531	26.9
1905	New York Giants	.697	.647	102	106.74%	84.0	155	0.542	26.7
1949	Boston Red Sox	.845	.732	107	111.58%	91.2	155	0.588	26.7
1906	Cleveland Naps	.750	.621	99	121.29%	81.6	157	0.520	26.5
1899	Boston Beaneaters	.732	.710	110	98.22%	76.1	153	0.497	26.5
1917	New York Giants	.665	.633	97	106.74%	83.3	158	0.527	26.4
1928	New York Giants	.831	.741	100	112.25%	91.5	155	0.590	26.3
1907	Cleveland Naps	.612	.611	101	99.59%	69.7	158	0.441	26.2
1923	New York Yankees	.704	.739	102	94.37%	62.0	152	0.408	26.0
1964	Baltimore Orioles	.743	.696	100	106.75%	87.8	163	0.539	25.8
1889	Cincinnati Red Stockings	.696	.687	103	99.73%	59.8	141	0.424	25.6
1946	St. Louis Cardinals	.803	.684	104	115.12%	107.9	156	0.692	25.6
1904	Chicago Cubs	.658	.628	100	104.71%	85.8	156	0.550	25.5
1898	Boston Beaneaters	.738	.681	105	105.78%	85.1	152	0.560	25.5
1944	St. Louis Browns	.721	.678	106	103.31%	90.9	154	0.590	25.5
1976	Philadelphia Phillies	.734	.681	103	106.17%	81.1	162	0.501	25.5
1906	Pittsburgh Pirates	.724	.620	104	114.47%	95.0	154	0.617	25.3
1961	New York Yankees	.687	.724	95	97.38%	64.5	163	0.396	25.3
1977	Los Angeles Dodgers	.768	.724	100	106.05%	81.4	162	0.502	25.3
1986	St. Louis Cardinals	.671	.702	99	96.11%	62.3	161	0.387	25.2
1924	New York Yankees	.715	.755	100	94.67%	58.2	153	0.380	25.2

Now let's prorate the Fielding Win Shares per 162 games:

Yr	Team	Inf OPS	Lg OPS	BPF	OPS Adj	Tot WS	G	WS/G	FieldWS	FWS/162G
1878	Boston Red Caps	.527	.598	108	84.74%	36.8	60	0.613	17.4	46.980
1943	Cincinnati Reds	.669	.672	99	100.05%	95.3	155	0.615	35.5	37.103
1904	Boston Pilgrims	.623	.616	106	98.15%	86.6	157	0.552	34.9	36.011
1894	Baltimore Orioles	.901	.814	104	108.62%	101.3	129	0.785	28.2	35.414
1920	Chicago White Sox	.778	.734	100	105.94%	108.2	154	0.703	33.4	35.135
1940	Cleveland Indians	.786	.750	97	106.50%	105.7	155	0.682	33.5	35.013
1893	Cincinnati Reds	.686	.736	102	92.26%	63.2	131	0.482	28.3	34.997
1890	Philadelphia Phillies	.711	.671	103	104.44%	72.6	133	0.546	28.7	34.958
1903	Boston Pilgrims	.689	.648	105	103.83%	86.1	141	0.611	30.4	34.928
1938	Pittsburgh Pirates	.760	.705	101	107.22%	102.4	152	0.674	32.6	34.745
1890	Brooklyn Bridegrooms	.723	.671	100	107.79%	105.6	129	0.819	27.4	34.409
1883	Boston Beaneaters	.772	.650	102	117.67%	78.8	98	0.804	20.8	34.384
1891	Boston Reds	.744	.682	99	109.66%	99.1	139	0.713	29.5	34.381
1931	Washington Senators	.756	.740	101	101.73%	98.1	156	0.629	33.1	34.373
1889	Cincinnati Red Stockings	.716	.687	103	102.67%	73.4	141	0.521	29.9	34.353
1944	Cincinnati Reds	.673	.689	96	99.64%	89.2	155	0.575	32.6	34.072
1889	Brooklyn Bridegrooms	.690	.687	100	100.36%	107.2	140	0.766	29.4	34.020
1893	Boston Beaneaters	.766	.736	108	100.05%	90.2	131	0.689	27.5	34.008
1942	Brooklyn Dodgers	.708	.661	102	105.95%	110.0	155	0.710	32.5	33.968
1879	Boston Red Caps	.607	.599	102	100.22%	48.0	84	0.571	17.6	33.943
1954	Milwaukee Braves	.804	.742	94	111.69%	105.9	154	0.688	32.2	33.873
1876	Chicago White Stockings	.841	.598	112	132.64%	74.9	66	1.135	13.8	33.873
2003	Los Angeles Dodgers	.674	.749	93	93.30%	65.8	162	0.406	33.9	33.853
1877	Boston Red Caps	.718	.627	104	112.32%	48.0	61	0.787	12.7	33.728
1936	New York Giants	.701	.722	99	97.55%	73.9	154	0.480	31.9	33.557
1905	New York Giants	.711	.647	102	108.76%	103.1	155	0.665	32.1	33.550
1999	New York Mets	.857	.771	95	113.89%	119.5	163	0.733	33.6	33.394
1935	Chicago Cubs	.793	.722	101	109.23%	108.2	154	0.703	31.7	33.347
1920	Cleveland Indians	.753	.734	103	101.00%	87.8	154	0.570	31.6	33.242
1876	St. Louis Brown Stockings	.573	.598	95	98.18%	43.3	64	0.677	13.1	33.159
1939	New York Yankees	.802	.759	98	106.65%	107.5	152	0.707	31.1	33.146
1924	New York Yankees	.729	.755	100	96.51%	73.8	153	0.482	31.3	33.141
1896	Baltimore Orioles	.824	.741	101	110.62%	96.0	132	0.727	27.0	33.136
1908	Chicago Cubs	.691	.605	104	111.91%	117.6	158	0.744	32.2	33.015

Well, that's heavily weighted to the nineteenth century probably because the difference between good and poor defenses was greater back then. Now the same data sans catchers:

Yr	Team	Inf OPS	Lg OPS	BPF	OPS Adj	Tot WS	G	WS/G	FieldWS	FWS/162G
1878	Boston Red Caps	.544	.598	108	87.55%	31.0	60	0.517	12.7	34.290
1893	Boston Beaneaters	.776	.736	108	101.40%	84.3	131	0.644	24.9	30.792
1920	New York Yankees	.753	.734	104	100.50%	79.6	154	0.517	28.1	29.560
1889	Cincinnati Red Stockings	.696	.687	103	99.73%	59.8	141	0.424	25.6	29.413
1904	Boston Pilgrims	.628	.616	106	99.00%	75.8	157	0.483	28.5	29.408
1890	Brooklyn Bridegrooms	.730	.671	100	108.76%	94.3	129	0.731	23.4	29.386
1892	Cincinnati Reds	.635	.644	99	99.02%	71.1	155	0.459	28.0	29.265
1893	Cincinnati Reds	.681	.736	102	91.63%	51.2	131	0.391	23.5	29.061
1894	Baltimore Orioles	.912	.814	104	109.89%	85.9	129	0.666	23.1	29.009
1999	New York Mets	.838	.771	95	111.44%	98.3	163	0.603	28.9	28.723
1883	Boston Beaneaters	.806	.650	102	122.74%	73.7	98	0.752	17.3	28.598
1890	Philadelphia Phillies	.680	.671	103	99.81%	54.5	133	0.410	23.3	28.380
1890	Boston Reds	.790	.729	107	104.63%	66.1	130	0.508	22.7	28.288
1931	Washington Senators	.778	.740	101	104.60%	85.6	156	0.549	27.1	28.142
1899	Boston Beaneaters	.732	.710	110	98.22%	76.1	153	0.497	26.5	28.059
1884	Louisville Eclipse	.592	.604	96	100.07%	48.5	110	0.441	19.0	27.982
1884	Columbus Buckeyes	.639	.604	92	110.34%	59.5	110	0.541	19.0	27.982
1905	New York Giants	.697	.647	102	106.74%	84.0	155	0.542	26.7	27.906
1949	Boston Red Sox	.845	.732	107	111.58%	91.2	155	0.588	26.7	27.906
1882	Cleveland Blues	.689	.622	97	112.52%	54.3	84	0.646	14.4	27.771
1923	New York Yankees	.704	.739	102	94.37%	62.0	152	0.408	26.0	27.711
1928	New York Giants	.831	.741	100	112.25%	91.5	155	0.590	26.3	27.488
1906	Cleveland Naps	.750	.621	99	121.29%	81.6	157	0.520	26.5	27.344
1898	Boston Beaneaters	.738	.681	105	105.78%	85.1	152	0.560	25.5	27.178
1891	Philadelphia Athletics	.723	.682	103	104.46%	63.5	143	0.444	23.9	27.076
1917	New York Giants	.665	.633	97	106.74%	83.3	158	0.527	26.4	27.068
1998	Milwaukee Brewers	.802	.741	101	107.60%	86.1	162	0.531	26.9	26.900
1907	Cleveland Naps	.612	.611	101	99.59%	69.7	158	0.441	26.2	26.863
1944	St. Louis Browns	.721	.678	106	103.31%	90.9	154	0.590	25.5	26.825
1903	Boston Pilgrims	.708	.648	105	106.71%	77.3	141	0.548	23.3	26.770
1889	Brooklyn Bridegrooms	.675	.687	100	98.19%	84.0	140	0.600	23.1	26.730
1891	Chicago Colts	.713	.667	100	106.95%	76.2	137	0.556	22.6	26.724
1924	New York Yankees	.715	.755	100	94.67%	58.2	153	0.380	25.2	26.682
1906	Pittsburgh Pirates	.724	.620	104	114.47%	95.0	154	0.617	25.3	26.614
1946	St. Louis Cardinals	.803	.684	104	115.12%	107.9	156	0.692	25.6	26.585

To Be Continued…

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