Leaderboards of Pleasure – 7/4/11
Business Graph with arrow showing profits and gains.
Last week in these electronic pages, we unveiled an exercise in absurdity known as Leaderboards of Pleasure. Simply put, the LOPs (as they will forever be called by our descendants and their descendants after them) are a complement to Paul Swydan’s excellent Power Rankings, which appear here each Monday. Except instead of trying to say anything substantive about any player or team’s absolute ability, the LOPs consolidate a number of the site’s “watchability”-type stats (including all versions of NERD).
The present document, then, is the most recent installment of these Leaderboards. For those who read last week’s edition, the format of this one should be familiar, except for one edit — namely, the addition of a playoff-adjusted Team NERD. You can read more about it below, but, essentially, this metric is the same as Team NERD but includes an adjustment for the degree to which a team is in the playoff hunt or not.
Also, there’s this change: bolded headings on which you can click to bring yourself right to a specific leaderboard.
Behold:
1. Team NERD Leaderboard
2. Team NERD Leaderboard (Playoff Adjusted)
3. Underrated Player Leaderboard
4. Pitcher NERD Leaderboard
5. Player NERD Leaderboard
Team NERD Leaderboard
Again, like the other NERD scores, this one represents an attempt to anticipate the “watchability” of each team. (Read more here. Also: note that the three baserunning stats have been consolidated in Speed Score.)
| Teams | NERD | Age | BAT | HR/FB | Spd | BULL | UZR | Pay | Luck |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royals | 10 | 2.09 | 0.33 | -0.24 | 1.05 | -0.16 | 1.03 | 1.40 | 0.87 |
| Rangers | 10 | 0.00 | 1.22 | 1.67 | 1.50 | -0.74 | 2.50 | 0.02 | 0.18 |
| Diamondbacks | 9 | 0.85 | -0.05 | 0.63 | 0.75 | 0.46 | 1.40 | 0.97 | 0.00 |
| Indians | 9 | 1.74 | 0.20 | 0.64 | 0.15 | -0.35 | 0.63 | 1.08 | 0.00 |
| Blue Jays | 9 | 0.50 | 0.70 | 0.58 | 0.90 | 0.30 | 1.33 | 0.75 | 0.25 |
| Brewers | 8 | 0.00 | 0.75 | 1.14 | 0.75 | 1.02 | 0.07 | 0.18 | 0.65 |
| Yankees | 8 | 0.00 | 2.06 | 1.81 | 1.20 | 0.07 | -0.72 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Reds | 7 | 0.76 | 0.38 | 0.53 | -0.44 | -0.32 | 1.33 | 0.41 | 0.00 |
| Rockies | 7 | 0.76 | -0.20 | 0.93 | 0.30 | 1.15 | -0.51 | 0.12 | 0.00 |
| Red Sox | 7 | 0.00 | 2.03 | 1.08 | 0.30 | 0.56 | -0.91 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Astros | 6 | 0.76 | -0.08 | -1.53 | 1.05 | 0.43 | -0.33 | 0.55 | 1.16 |
| Rays | 5 | 0.41 | 0.19 | -0.04 | 0.45 | -1.43 | 0.44 | 1.25 | 0.00 |
| Mets | 5 | 0.00 | 0.69 | -1.53 | 1.65 | -0.12 | 0.70 | 0.00 | 0.20 |
| Padres | 5 | 0.00 | -1.07 | -1.12 | 0.75 | 0.98 | -0.14 | 1.16 | 0.74 |
| Nationals | 5 | 0.32 | -1.02 | 0.75 | 0.15 | -0.65 | 0.68 | 0.72 | 0.00 |
| Braves | 5 | 0.00 | -0.80 | 1.09 | -2.24 | 2.68 | 0.40 | 0.15 | 0.00 |
| Angels | 5 | 0.14 | -0.14 | -0.48 | 0.15 | -0.45 | -0.30 | 0.00 | 2.00 |
| Orioles | 4 | 0.23 | 0.18 | 0.41 | -1.79 | 0.07 | -0.65 | 0.19 | 1.92 |
| Cardinals | 4 | 0.00 | 1.38 | 0.98 | -1.04 | -0.71 | -0.16 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Dodgers | 3 | 0.00 | -0.22 | -0.52 | -0.29 | -0.26 | -1.15 | 0.00 | 1.96 |
| Marlins | 3 | 0.23 | -0.91 | -0.13 | -1.04 | 0.20 | -0.65 | 0.89 | 0.61 |
| Tigers | 3 | 0.50 | 1.13 | 0.19 | -0.59 | -1.40 | -1.75 | 0.00 | 0.80 |
| Giants | 3 | 0.00 | -1.32 | -1.26 | -0.89 | 1.47 | 0.79 | 0.00 | 0.46 |
| Pirates | 3 | 0.23 | -1.08 | -0.71 | -0.29 | 0.01 | -0.35 | 1.15 | 0.00 |
| Mariners | 3 | 0.85 | -1.80 | -1.07 | -0.29 | 0.33 | 0.12 | 0.16 | 0.00 |
| Phillies | 2 | 0.00 | -0.51 | -0.39 | 0.75 | -1.10 | -0.05 | 0.00 | 0.10 |
| Athletics | 2 | 0.94 | -1.31 | -1.86 | 0.00 | 0.30 | -1.47 | 0.65 | 0.00 |
| White Sox | 1 | 0.00 | -0.64 | -0.38 | -2.09 | 1.02 | -0.26 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Cubs | 1 | 0.00 | -0.45 | 0.15 | -0.44 | -0.81 | -2.08 | 0.00 | 0.88 |
| Twins | 0 | 0.00 | -1.29 | -1.33 | -0.44 | -2.53 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Team NERD Leaderboard (Playoff Adjusted)
This is just like Team NERD, except with an adjustment (POFF) that assigns a penalty or bonus depending on the degree to which a team is involved in playoff race. The closer a team’s playoff chances (per Cool Standings) are to 25%, the closer said team’s bonus is to 2.00; the closer to 0% or 100%, the close the penalty is to -2.00.
The attentive reader will note that the Royals, despite owning just a 0.5% chance of making the playoffs, still place among the league-leading teams given their mix of youth, payroll, speed, and fielding skill. Meanwhile, the Twins threaten to break the entire system by posting an un-rounded NERD of -3.79 — and thus seriously skewing the concept of average for the 29 other teams.
| Teams | NERD | Age | BAT | HR/FB | Spd | BULL | UZR | Pay | Luck | POFF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diamondbacks | 10 | 0.85 | -0.05 | 0.63 | 0.75 | 0.46 | 1.40 | 0.97 | 0.00 | 1.62 |
| Rangers | 10 | 0.00 | 1.22 | 1.67 | 1.50 | -0.74 | 2.50 | 0.02 | 0.18 | 1.13 |
| Indians | 10 | 1.74 | 0.20 | 0.64 | 0.15 | -0.35 | 0.63 | 1.08 | 0.00 | 0.97 |
| Royals | 10 | 2.09 | 0.33 | -0.24 | 1.05 | -0.16 | 1.03 | 1.40 | 0.87 | -1.92 |
| Brewers | 10 | 0.00 | 0.75 | 1.14 | 0.75 | 1.02 | 0.07 | 0.18 | 0.65 | 1.54 |
| Reds | 9 | 0.76 | 0.38 | 0.53 | -0.44 | -0.32 | 1.33 | 0.41 | 0.00 | 1.67 |
| Blue Jays | 8 | 0.50 | 0.70 | 0.58 | 0.90 | 0.30 | 1.33 | 0.75 | 0.25 | -1.50 |
| Rockies | 8 | 0.76 | -0.20 | 0.93 | 0.30 | 1.15 | -0.51 | 0.12 | 0.00 | 0.96 |
| Astros | 6 | 0.76 | -0.08 | -1.53 | 1.05 | 0.43 | -0.33 | 0.55 | 1.16 | 0.00 |
| Yankees | 6 | 0.00 | 2.06 | 1.81 | 1.20 | 0.07 | -0.72 | 0.00 | 0.00 | -1.63 |
| Rays | 6 | 0.41 | 0.19 | -0.04 | 0.45 | -1.43 | 0.44 | 1.25 | 0.00 | 0.74 |
| Angels | 6 | 0.14 | -0.14 | -0.48 | 0.15 | -0.45 | -0.30 | 0.00 | 2.00 | 1.34 |
| Cardinals | 6 | 0.00 | 1.38 | 0.98 | -1.04 | -0.71 | -0.16 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.85 |
| Red Sox | 6 | 0.00 | 2.03 | 1.08 | 0.30 | 0.56 | -0.91 | 0.00 | 0.00 | -0.88 |
| Mets | 5 | 0.00 | 0.69 | -1.53 | 1.65 | -0.12 | 0.70 | 0.00 | 0.20 | 0.18 |
| Braves | 5 | 0.00 | -0.80 | 1.09 | -2.24 | 2.68 | 0.40 | 0.15 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Pirates | 5 | 0.23 | -1.08 | -0.71 | -0.29 | 0.01 | -0.35 | 1.15 | 0.00 | 1.99 |
| Nationals | 4 | 0.32 | -1.02 | 0.75 | 0.15 | -0.65 | 0.68 | 0.72 | 0.00 | -0.38 |
| Tigers | 4 | 0.50 | 1.13 | 0.19 | -0.59 | -1.40 | -1.75 | 0.00 | 0.80 | 1.36 |
| Padres | 4 | 0.00 | -1.07 | -1.12 | 0.75 | 0.98 | -0.14 | 1.16 | 0.74 | -1.26 |
| Mariners | 3 | 0.85 | -1.80 | -1.07 | -0.29 | 0.33 | 0.12 | 0.16 | 0.00 | 0.78 |
| Giants | 3 | 0.00 | -1.32 | -1.26 | -0.89 | 1.47 | 0.79 | 0.00 | 0.46 | 0.54 |
| White Sox | 3 | 0.00 | -0.64 | -0.38 | -2.09 | 1.02 | -0.26 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.46 |
| Orioles | 2 | 0.23 | 0.18 | 0.41 | -1.79 | 0.07 | -0.65 | 0.19 | 1.92 | -1.97 |
| Dodgers | 1 | 0.00 | -0.22 | -0.52 | -0.29 | -0.26 | -1.15 | 0.00 | 1.96 | -1.68 |
| Phillies | 1 | 0.00 | -0.51 | -0.39 | 0.75 | -1.10 | -0.05 | 0.00 | 0.10 | -1.25 |
| Marlins | 1 | 0.23 | -0.91 | -0.13 | -1.04 | 0.20 | -0.65 | 0.89 | 0.61 | -1.94 |
| Athletics | 1 | 0.94 | -1.31 | -1.86 | 0.00 | 0.30 | -1.47 | 0.65 | 0.00 | -0.98 |
| Cubs | 0 | 0.00 | -0.45 | 0.15 | -0.44 | -0.81 | -2.08 | 0.00 | 0.88 | -1.97 |
| Twins | 0 | 0.00 | -1.29 | -1.33 | -0.44 | -2.53 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.00 | -1.73 |
Underrated Player Leaderboard
To determine the most underrated player, we look at each player’s WAR relative to a very fake version of WAR (called FANT, in this case) constructed only by the five most common fantasy categories. (Read more here.)
| Name | Diff | WAR | FANT | Avg | HR | R | RBI | SB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denard Span | 2.1 | 2.6 | 0.5 | 0.77 | -1.18 | -0.65 | -1.65 | -0.39 |
| Howie Kendrick | 1.8 | 3.7 | 1.9 | 1.19 | -0.13 | 0.20 | -0.82 | 0.20 |
| Ben Zobrist | 1.8 | 3.9 | 2.1 | -0.37 | 0.05 | 1.34 | 0.25 | 0.05 |
| Shane Victorino | 1.6 | 4.4 | 2.8 | 1.04 | 0.05 | 1.34 | -0.21 | 0.93 |
| Brendan Ryan | 1.5 | 1.5 | 0.0 | -0.46 | -1.53 | -1.22 | -0.97 | -0.24 |
| Andrew McCutchen | 1.4 | 4.7 | 3.3 | 0.77 | 0.58 | 1.15 | 0.63 | 1.23 |
| Cameron Maybin | 1.4 | 2.3 | 0.9 | -0.22 | -0.65 | -0.37 | -1.42 | 0.64 |
| Matt Wieters | 1.4 | 2.0 | 0.6 | -0.19 | -0.30 | -1.03 | -0.28 | -0.97 |
| Dustin Pedroia | 1.4 | 3.9 | 2.5 | 0.29 | -0.30 | 0.86 | 0.10 | 1.37 |
| Brett Gardner | 1.3 | 3.0 | 1.7 | 0.05 | -0.83 | 0.39 | -1.42 | 1.96 |
| Kurt Suzuki | 1.3 | 0.9 | -0.4 | -1.61 | -0.48 | -1.41 | -1.27 | -0.68 |
| Peter Bourjos | 1.3 | 1.8 | 0.5 | -0.10 | -1.01 | -0.65 | -1.58 | 0.35 |
| Alberto Callaspo | 1.1 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0.29 | -1.01 | -1.13 | -0.44 | -0.53 |
| Ronny Cedeno | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.0 | -0.50 | -1.18 | -0.84 | -1.04 | -0.83 |
| Jamey Carroll | 1.1 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.80 | -1.53 | -0.37 | -2.18 | -0.24 |
| Alexei Ramirez | 1.0 | 2.9 | 1.9 | 0.20 | -0.13 | 0.96 | 0.10 | -0.53 |
| John Buck | 1.0 | 0.9 | -0.1 | -1.70 | -0.13 | -1.32 | -0.59 | -0.97 |
| Jose Reyes | 1.0 | 5.3 | 4.3 | 2.58 | -1.01 | 2.48 | -0.36 | 3.42 |
| Brian McCann | 1.0 | 3.2 | 2.2 | 1.37 | 0.93 | -0.84 | 0.78 | -0.68 |
| Miguel Montero | 0.9 | 2.3 | 1.4 | -0.01 | 0.05 | -0.18 | 0.25 | -0.83 |
Pitcher NERD Leaderboard
The idea with Pitcher NERD — as with the other NERDs — is to express with one number the likelihood that the learned fan might have interest in a certain player. (To read more about Pitcher NERD, click here.)
| Name | NERD | xFIP | SwStrk | Strk | Velo | Luck | Age | KN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zack Greinke | 10 | 2.73 | 1.79 | 0.95 | 0.72 | 2.00 | 0.22 | 0.00 |
| Clayton Kershaw | 10 | 1.98 | 1.85 | 0.58 | 1.01 | 0.59 | 1.22 | 0.00 |
| Roy Halladay | 10 | 2.33 | 1.46 | 2.31 | 0.57 | 0.03 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| David Price | 10 | 1.58 | 0.59 | 0.86 | 1.61 | 0.53 | 0.72 | 0.00 |
| Matt Garza | 10 | 1.63 | 1.63 | 0.58 | 1.09 | 0.90 | 0.22 | 0.00 |
| Michael Pineda | 10 | 0.58 | 2.50 | 1.88 | 1.72 | 0.00 | 1.46 | 0.00 |
| Cole Hamels | 10 | 2.06 | 1.85 | 0.98 | 0.61 | 0.00 | 0.22 | 0.00 |
| Brandon Morrow | 10 | 1.10 | 2.01 | 0.22 | 1.13 | 1.35 | 0.47 | 0.00 |
| Brandon Beachy | 10 | 1.55 | 2.06 | 0.69 | 0.49 | 0.31 | 0.97 | 0.00 |
| Madison Bumgarner | 10 | 1.18 | 0.37 | 1.43 | 0.68 | 0.49 | 1.71 | 0.00 |
| Justin Verlander | 10 | 1.44 | 1.52 | 1.13 | 1.72 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Cliff Lee | 9 | 1.78 | 0.81 | 2.28 | 0.38 | 0.15 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| James Shields | 9 | 1.72 | 2.23 | 1.17 | 0.27 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Felipe Paulino | 9 | 0.87 | 1.30 | -0.07 | 1.72 | 0.93 | 0.22 | 0.00 |
| Jaime Garcia | 9 | 1.36 | 1.63 | 0.62 | 0.00 | 0.29 | 0.97 | 0.00 |
| Tim Lincecum | 9 | 1.67 | 1.46 | -0.60 | 0.83 | 0.20 | 0.22 | 0.00 |
| Anibal Sanchez | 9 | 1.33 | 1.90 | 0.82 | 0.49 | 0.24 | 0.22 | 0.00 |
| Edwin Jackson | 9 | 0.99 | 0.81 | -0.17 | 1.42 | 0.96 | 0.22 | 0.00 |
| Felix Hernandez | 9 | 1.24 | 0.48 | 0.16 | 1.13 | 0.23 | 0.72 | 0.00 |
| R.A. Dickey | 8 | 0.07 | -0.01 | 1.16 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3.88 |
Player NERD Leaderboard
Very similar to Pitcher NERD, except for position players. (Read more here.)
| Name | NERD | Age | WAR | xBABIP | HR/FB | Spd | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jose Bautista | 10 | 0.00 | 3.08 | -0.22 | 3.19 | -0.10 | 0.23 |
| Jose Reyes | 10 | 0.31 | 2.40 | 0.00 | -1.07 | 2.32 | 1.82 |
| Matt Kemp | 10 | 0.80 | 2.03 | -0.22 | 2.52 | 1.11 | -0.67 |
| Ryan Braun | 10 | 0.55 | 1.80 | -0.05 | 1.45 | 1.31 | 0.48 |
| Shane Victorino | 10 | 0.00 | 2.54 | -0.53 | 0.07 | 2.17 | 1.21 |
| Troy Tulowitzki | 10 | 0.80 | 1.42 | 0.27 | 1.04 | 0.20 | 1.46 |
| Andrew McCutchen | 10 | 1.28 | 2.16 | -0.05 | 0.60 | 1.01 | 0.13 |
| Robinson Cano | 10 | 0.31 | 0.90 | 0.10 | 1.42 | 1.42 | 0.92 |
| Curtis Granderson | 10 | 0.00 | 2.02 | -0.01 | 1.95 | 2.07 | -1.09 |
| Elvis Andrus | 9 | 1.76 | 0.80 | 0.42 | -0.50 | 1.52 | 0.90 |
| Ian Kinsler | 9 | 0.07 | 1.36 | 0.48 | 0.15 | 1.62 | 1.20 |
| Asdrubal Cabrera | 9 | 1.04 | 1.11 | 0.01 | 1.04 | 1.42 | 0.19 |
| Albert Pujols | 9 | 0.00 | 0.90 | 0.48 | 1.56 | 0.26 | 1.60 |
| Chase Utley | 9 | 0.00 | 2.02 | -0.38 | -0.27 | 1.77 | 1.33 |
| Howie Kendrick | 9 | 0.55 | 2.00 | 0.05 | 1.03 | 0.86 | -0.10 |
| Lance Berkman | 9 | 0.00 | 1.30 | 0.45 | 3.43 | -1.06 | 0.22 |
| Danny Espinosa | 9 | 1.28 | 1.22 | -0.18 | 1.29 | 1.31 | -0.75 |
| Starlin Castro | 9 | 2.01 | 0.20 | 0.00 | -1.12 | 1.67 | 1.30 |
| Evan Longoria | 9 | 1.04 | 1.62 | 0.53 | 0.99 | -0.60 | 0.39 |
| Melky Cabrera | 9 | 0.80 | 0.62 | 0.25 | 0.44 | 0.96 | 0.88 |
Carson Cistulli has published a book of aphorisms called Spirited Ejaculations of a New Enthusiast.
But what am I supposed to watch tonight, Carson?
I can’t think for myself!
Be strong, sir. Be strong.