Hitting the quarter pole – by G. Scott Thomas

Manny Machado and Taylor Ward wouldn’t appear to have a lot in widespread.

Machado, the third baseman for the San Diego Padres, is an authorized famous person blessed with a 10-year, $300 million contract. Ward, who performs proper area for the Los Angeles Angels, is a journeyman who has by no means performed greater than 65 video games in a big-league season.

However Machado and Ward have confirmed to be equally efficient this yr, main their respective leagues in base worth.

The 2022 season is slated to run exactly 26 weeks from April 7 (a Thursday) by way of October 5 (a Wednesday). Meaning the primary quarter — six and a half weeks — ended final weekend.

Ward led the American League on the quarter-pole with a base worth of plus-56. Machado topped the Nationwide League with a BV of plus-50. (All stats are as of the morning of Could 22.)

Let’s pause for a fast refresher on base value. I start by counting the variety of bases a batter has reached by way of hits, walks, hit batsmen, and stolen bases, and I add the bases he has picked up for his group by way of sacrifice hits and sacrifice flies. Then I divide the ensuing whole of bases by the variety of outs the batter has made.

The result’s a median referred to as BPO, bases per out. This yr’s collective BPO for all big-league batters (as of Could 22) is .640.

BV is set by multiplying a given batter’s outs by the BPO for all batters. Ward, for instance, made 71 outs within the first quarter of the season. A typical hitter in his circumstances would have reached 45 bases (71 outs multiplied by a .640 BPO). However Ward piled up 101 bases, yielding an astronomical surplus of 56. That’s his BV.

Right here’s one other method to think about it. Ward reached 56 extra bases than the typical massive leaguer would have attained underneath the identical situations within the first quarter of 2022, the most effective base worth in both league. It’s a tremendous output for a participant who wanted your entire 2021 season to build up a BV of plus-eight.

Machado, in fact, is constantly productive. He completed 2021 with a extremely respectable BV of plus-67, although he has shifted into one other gear this yr. He joins Ward and Mike Trout of the Angels as the one massive leaguers with base values of fifty or higher within the first quarter of 2022.

You’ll discover a number of breakdowns under, starting with the ten first-quarter leaders in every league, adopted by the batters with the worst BVs. The ultimate two lists comprise the most effective and worst BVs for every group as of Could 22.

Subscribe — free — to Baseball’s Greatest (and Worst)

A brand new installment will arrive in your electronic mail every Tuesday and Friday morning

American League prime 10

• 1. Taylor Ward, Angels, 56 BV

• 2. Mike Trout, Angels, 53

• 3. Aaron Judge, Yankees, 48

• 4. Jose Ramirez, Guardians, 40

• 5. Rafael Devers, Crimson Sox, 36

• 6. Yordan Alvarez, Astros, 33

• 7. Giancarlo Stanton, Yankees, 30

• 8. J.D. Martinez, Crimson Sox, 28

• 9. Tim Anderson, White Sox, 26

• 9. Ty France, Mariners, 26

• 9. Anthony Rizzo, Yankees, 26

Nationwide League prime 10

• 1. Manny Machado, Padres, 50 BV

• 2. Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals, 43

• 3. C.J. Cron, Rockies, 41

• 4. Bryce Harper, Phillies, 40

• 5. Juan Soto, Nationals, 33

• 6. Freddie Freeman, Dodgers, 32

• 7. Jazz Chisholm Jr., Marlins, 31

• 8. Mookie Betts, Dodgers, 29

• 9. Pete Alonso, Mets, 28

• 10. Nolan Arenado, Cardinals, 26

American League backside 10

• 1. Cristian Pache, Athletics, -35 BV

• 2. Jonathan Schoop, Tigers, -34

• 3. Marcus Semien, Rangers, -29

• 4. Enrique Hernandez, Crimson Sox, -21

• 4. Whit Merrifield, Royals, -21

• 4. Franmil Reyes, Guardians, -21

• 7. Javier Baez, Tigers, -20

• 8. Martin Maldonado, Astros, -19

• 8. Alex Verdugo, Crimson Sox, -19

• 10. Jeimer Candelario, Tigers, -18

• 10. Andy Ibanez, Rangers, -18

• 10. Reese McGuire, White Sox, -18

• 10. Jose Miranda, Twins, -18

• 10. Raimel Tapia, Blue Jays, -18

• 10. Ramon Urias, Orioles, -18

Nationwide League backside 10

• 1. Carson Kelly, Diamondbacks, -24 BV

• 2. Lorenzo Cain, Brewers, -22

• 3. Avisail Garcia, Marlins, -21

• 3. Trent Grisham, Padres, -21

• 5. Bryson Stott, Phillies, -20

• 6. Nelson Cruz, Nationals, -19

• 6. Alcides Escobar, Nationals, -19

• 6. Cole Tucker, Pirates, -19

• 9. Aristides Aquino, Reds, -18

• 9. Nick Madrigal, Cubs, -18

• 9. Miguel Rojas, Marlins, -18

• 9. Frank Schwindel, Cubs, -18

• 9. Jacob Stallings, Marlins, -18

American League group prime and backside

• Angels — prime BV: Taylor Ward, 56; backside BV: David Fletcher, -9

• Astros — prime BV: Yordan Alvarez, 33; backside BV: Martin Maldonado, -19

• Athletics — prime BV: Luis Barrera, 5; backside BV: Cristian Pache, -35

• Blue Jays — prime BV: George Springer, 20; backside BV: Raimel Tapia, -18

• Guardians — prime BV: Jose Ramirez, 40; backside BV: Franmil Reyes, -21

• Mariners — prime BV: Ty France, 26; backside BV: Luis Torrens, -15

• Orioles — prime BV: Anthony Santander, 14; backside BV: Ramon Urias, -18

• Rangers — prime BV: Jonah Heim, 11; backside BV: Marcus Semien, -29

• Rays — prime BV: Manuel Margot, 21; backside BV: Taylor Walls and Mike Zunino, -13

• Crimson Sox — prime BV: Rafael Devers, 36; backside BV: Enrique Hernandez, -21

• Royals — prime BV: Andrew Benintendi, 11; backside BV: Whit Merrifield, -21

• Tigers — prime BV: Dustin Garneau, Austin Meadows, and Victor Reyes, 1; backside BV: Jonathan Schoop, -34

• Twins — prime BV: Byron Buxton, 25; backside BV: Jose Miranda, -18

• White Sox — prime BV: Tim Anderson, 26; backside BV: Reese McGuire, -18

• Yankees — prime BV: Aaron Decide, 48; backside BV: Kyle Higashioka, -15

Nationwide League group prime and backside

• Braves — prime BV: Ronald Acuna Jr., 21; backside BV: Adam Duvall and Eddie Rosario, -17

• Brewers — prime BV: Christian Yelich, 19; backside BV: Lorenzo Cain, -22

• Cardinals — prime BV: Paul Goldschmidt, 43; backside BV: Paul DeJong, -16

• Cubs — prime BV: Willson Contreras, 19; backside BV: Nick Madrigal and Frank Schwindel, -18

• Diamondbacks — prime BV: Daulton Varsho, 16; backside BV: Carson Kelly, -24

• Dodgers — prime BV: Freddie Freeman, 32; backside BV: Hanser Alberto and Justin Turner, -8

• Giants — prime BV: Mike Yastrzemski, 15; backside BV: Evan Longoria, -10

• Marlins — prime BV: Jazz Chisholm Jr., 31; backside BV: Avisail Garcia, -21

• Mets — prime BV: Pete Alonso, 28; backside BV: Tomas Nido, -15

• Nationals — prime BV: Juan Soto, 33; backside BV: Nelson Cruz and Alcides Escobar, -19

• Padres — prime BV: Manny Machado, 50; backside BV: Trent Grisham, -21

• Phillies — prime BV: Bryce Harper, 40; backside BV: Bryson Stott, -20

• Pirates — prime BV: Ben Gamel, 12; backside BV: Cole Tucker, -19

• Reds — prime BV: Brandon Drury and Tyler Stephenson, 15; backside BV: Aristides Aquino, -18

• Rockies — prime BV: C.J. Cron, 41; backside BV: Elias Diaz, -14