Value is roughly how many runs a player was worth above an average major leaguer of his own season, stretched out over a full season. Hitters and pitchers are on the same scale, so you can compare them directly.
Hitters: it starts with Runs Created per plate appearance (at-bats plus walks), compared with the league average that year and scaled to a full season of 650. Then it adds or subtracts runs for the position he played most. Catchers and shortstops get a bump, while first basemen and DHs give some back, since a good glove at a hard position is worth more.
Pitchers: it averages his ERA with the ERA his WHIP would suggest, then compares that with the league that year. A starter is figured over 200 innings and a reliever over 70, so a strong starter is worth more than an equally good reliever.
Two more things go into it:
- Every season is measured against its own year's league, so a 2.00 ERA in 1968 and a 3.50 ERA in 2000 can come out about the same.
- Small samples are pulled toward average. A full season counts for more than a hot 60 at-bat stretch.
A two-way player like 1919 Ruth shows whichever side is higher. His Value of 50 comes from his bat, about 50 runs better than an average player that year. If you narrow the list to pitchers, he's ranked by his pitching value instead. The CPU teams draft by this same number.
Value is roughly how many runs a player was worth above an average major leaguer of his own season, stretched out over a full season. Hitters and pitchers are on the same scale, so you can compare them directly.
Hitters: it starts with Runs Created per plate appearance (at-bats plus walks), compared with the league average that year and scaled to a full season of 650. Then it adds or subtracts runs for the position he played most. Catchers and shortstops get a bump, while first basemen and DHs give some back, since a good glove at a hard position is worth more.
Pitchers: it averages his ERA with the ERA his WHIP would suggest, then compares that with the league that year. A starter is figured over 200 innings and a reliever over 70, so a strong starter is worth more than an equally good reliever.
Two more things go into it:
- Every season is measured against its own year's league, so a 2.00 ERA in 1968 and a 3.50 ERA in 2000 can come out about the same.
- Small samples are pulled toward average. A full season counts for more than a hot 60 at-bat stretch.
A two-way player like 1919 Ruth shows whichever side is higher. His Value of 50 comes from his bat, about 50 runs better than an average player that year. If you narrow the list to pitchers, he's ranked by his pitching value instead. The CPU teams draft by this same number.