Best Base Runners in Baseball

In my previous base running analysis, I concluded that Pudge Rodriguez was the best base runner on the Tigers in 2006. That is, he netted more bases by taking the extra base on hits and by advancing on ground outs, air outs, stolen bases and other plays than any player on the team last year. Who was the best base runner in the American League? According to the statistics in Table 1 below, it was Orlando Cabrera (40.1 bases gained above average) followed by Grady Sizemore (35.1) and Corey Patterson (33.7). The only Tigers in the top 25 were Ivan Rodriguez (ranking 18th) and Curtis Granderson (22nd).

The National League leaders are listed in Table 2 below. The top base runner in the NL and also in the Majors was Jimmy Rollins with 43.9 bases gained above average. Next in line were Jose Reyes (40.1) and Hanley Ramirez (39.5).


Table 1: American League Bases Gained Leaders in 2006

Player	Team	BG Hits	BGAA Hits	BG Ground	BGAA Ground	BG Air	BGAA Air	BG Other	BGAA Other	BG Total	BGAA Total
Cabrera	ANA	32.0	5.3	18.0	4.2	8.0	0.5	38.1	30.1	96.1	40.1
Sizemore	CLE	39.0	13.0	24.0	6.4	12.0	3.2	21.6	12.5	96.6	35.1
Patterson	BAL	23.0	8.7	11.0	2.2	0.0	-4.0	32.3	26.8	66.3	33.7
Figgins	ANA	36.0	13.7	11.0	-3.5	16.0	5.5	21.6	13.6	84.6	29.2
Crawford	TBA	17.0	0.5	10.0	-2.6	8.0	2.8	35.1	27.1	70.1	27.7
Teahen	KCA	22.0	7.0	5.0	-0.3	10.0	5.4	18.7	13.4	55.7	25.4
Suzuki	SEA	14.0	-12.4	26.0	2.7	11.0	-0.9	44.9	35.0	95.9	24.4
Damon	NYA	34.0	12.4	23.0	4.3	12.0	4.5	8.7	0.8	77.7	21.9
Lugo	TBA	11.0	1.8	13.0	2.3	7.0	3.4	16.8	13.0	47.8	20.5
Baldelli	TBA	12.0	3.6	15.0	5.8	1.0	-1.5	15.7	11.4	43.7	19.2
Roberts	BAL	28.0	12.2	14.0	-2.4	0.0	-7.5	23.4	16.0	65.4	18.3
DeJesus	KCA	34.0	12.4	17.0	0.6	10.0	4.3	7.8	1.0	68.8	18.3
Crisp	BOS	19.0	6.2	6.0	-0.9	3.0	-2.4	19.8	14.9	47.8	17.7
Ellis	OAK	22.0	7.3	6.0	-4.3	12.0	6.3	12.0	6.7	52.0	16.1
Jeter	NYA	18.0	-6.2	11.0	1.8	9.0	-0.0	28.6	18.2	66.6	13.8
Tyner	MIN	12.0	-0.1	13.0	4.2	5.0	2.3	9.4	6.2	39.4	12.6
McDonald	TOR	10.0	0.8	4.0	0.9	7.0	4.7	7.4	4.8	28.4	11.3
Rodriguez	DET	27.0	9.8	3.0	-3.9	9.0	3.8	7.8	1.3	46.8	10.9
Ford	MIN	16.0	4.6	6.0	0.7	0.0	-2.5	9.7	7.2	31.7	10.0
Grudzielanek	KCA	24.0	3.5	6.0	-0.9	14.0	8.1	6.1	-0.9	50.1	9.9
Hill	TOR	24.0	7.5	10.0	-0.7	7.0	1.6	9.1	1.4	50.1	9.8
Granderson	DET	27.0	3.9	24.0	3.8	10.0	0.4	8.9	1.6	69.9	9.6
Inglett	CLE	4.0	-0.4	4.0	0.9	2.0	1.2	10.7	7.9	20.7	9.6
Mauer	MIN	28.0	4.2	8.0	0.4	14.0	7.5	6.5	-2.5	56.5	9.6
Rios	TOR	19.0	7.3	4.0	-4.0	12.0	6.8	4.9	-0.9	39.9	9.2

Table 2: National League Bases Gained Leaders in 2006

Player	Team	BG Hits	BGAA Hits	BG Ground	BGAA Ground	BG Air	BGAA Air	BG Other	BGAA Other	BG Total	BGAA Total
Rollins	PHI	27.0	-1.9	29.0	11.0	15.0	5.4	37.8	29.5	108.8	43.9
Reyes	NYN	28.0	7.5	30.0	8.2	17.0	8.2	24.7	16.2	99.7	40.1
Ramirez	FLO	25.0	5.6	22.0	4.0	12.0	6.6	31.5	23.3	90.5	39.5
Barfield	SDN	28.0	12.2	35.0	16.3	2.0	-3.2	15.5	8.6	80.5	33.8
Duffy	PIT	18.0	4.4	13.0	3.4	7.0	4.1	23.1	19.1	61.1	31.1
Pierre	CHN	25.0	6.3	33.0	7.0	16.0	6.6	19.1	10.0	93.1	29.9
Utley	PHI	41.0	16.1	10.0	0.8	7.0	3.2	15.5	6.7	73.5	26.9
Taveras	HOU	42.0	20.8	20.0	5.1	6.0	-2.2	9.8	2.4	77.8	26.0
Roberts	SDN	22.0	1.1	16.0	3.8	7.0	-1.4	27.4	20.1	72.4	23.6
Abreu	PHI	13.0	5.3	6.0	1.4	8.0	4.4	18.5	12.3	45.5	23.4
Lopez	WAS/CIN	19.0	1.4	9.0	-0.6	12.0	5.1	26.1	17.3	66.1	23.2
Phillips	CIN	8.0	-0.8	10.0	2.0	3.0	-1.6	26.8	20.2	47.8	19.8
Gross	MIL	14.0	7.0	17.0	6.7	3.0	1.1	8.0	4.9	42.0	19.7
Wright	NYN	27.0	9.1	12.0	1.3	8.0	1.9	15.5	7.2	62.5	19.5
Beltran	NYN	22.0	4.4	9.0	0.6	12.0	5.5	15.8	8.2	58.8	18.7
McLouth	PIT	13.0	4.2	8.0	-1.2	11.0	7.2	10.7	7.9	42.7	18.1
Finley	SFN	22.0	6.2	9.0	-1.3	5.0	1.0	17.0	11.4	53.0	17.3
Wilson	SLN/HOU	19.0	5.8	14.0	4.1	6.0	0.8	11.5	5.6	50.5	16.3
Cameron	SDN	27.0	12.0	10.0	2.0	7.0	-0.1	9.7	2.1	53.7	15.9
Jones	ATL	20.0	6.1	16.0	5.7	8.0	2.6	8.7	1.2	52.7	15.5
Byrnes	ARI	22.0	5.5	7.0	-5.2	6.0	1.2	20.2	13.7	55.2	15.2
Kearns	WAS/CIN	25.0	7.8	13.0	1.5	11.0	4.3	8.8	1.3	57.8	14.9
Nunez	PHI	12.0	2.5	16.0	7.6	2.0	-0.3	9.0	4.7	39.0	14.5
Everett	HOU	16.0	3.9	28.0	12.0	8.0	3.8	0.2	-6.0	52.2	13.6
Furcal	LAN	30.0	5.8	25.0	5.5	2.0	-8.7	20.1	10.9	77.1	13.5

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