NL Run Prevention Leaders: Kershaw And Then Everybody Else

In my previous post, I looked at how Tigers right hander Max Scherzer compared to other American League starters on four runs saved measures in 2013: 

• Pitching Runs -  Runs Saved Above Average based on innings and runs allowed. 

• Adjusted Pitching Runs - Pitching Runs minus estimated Runs allowed by fielders. 

• Base Runs -  Runs Saved Above Average based on batters faced and hits, walks, total bases and home runs allowed.

• FIP Runs - Runs Saved Above Average based on innings, bases on balls, hit batsmen and home runs allowed and strikeouts.

Scherzer was the best in aggregare, but did better on some measures than others ranking anywhere from first to fifth.

As Table 1 below shows there was more clarity in the National League where Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw led the league in all four categories.  The Los Angeles southpaw had 51 Pitching Runs, 43 Adjusted Pitching Runs, 50 Base Runs and 33 FIP Runs for average of 44 runs above average.  His closest competitor was Matt Harvey of the Mets with 34 runs above average.

Kershaw should be and most likely will be the unanimous Cy Young winner in the NL and could even get some MVP votes.

Table 1: NL Run Prevention Leaders, 2013

Pitcher	Team	IP	Pitching Runs	Adjusted Pitching Runs	Base Runs	FIP Runs	Average
Clayton Kershaw*	LAD	236.0	51	43	50	33	44
Matt Harvey	NYM	178.1	34	33	37	33	34
Jose Fernandez	MIA	172.2	30	29	34	19	28
Adam Wainwright	STL	241.2	25	24	27	30	27
Cliff Lee*	PHI	222.2	23	31	22	24	25
Madison Bumgarner*	SFG	201.1	22	17	30	13	21
Zack Greinke	LAD	177.2	26	19	16	8	17
Stephen Strasburg	WSN	183.0	11	12	26	11	15
Francisco Liriano*	PIT	161.0	18	13	16	13	15
Jordan Zimmermann	WSN	213.1	15	16	16	10	14
Hyun-jin Ryu*	LAD	192.0	19	12	12	8	13
Travis Wood*	CHC	200.0	17	18	16	0	13
Mat Latos	CIN	210.2	12	9	11	17	12
Jhoulys Chacin	COL	197.1	6	19	7	16	12
Patrick Corbin*	ARI	208.1	12	13	10	13	12
Mike Minor*	ATL	204.2	13	8	13	9	11
Homer Bailey	CIN	209.0	9	6	15	12	10
A.J. Burnett	PIT	191.0	7	1	15	19	10
Cole Hamels*	PHI	220.0	5	13	6	13	9
Gio Gonzalez*	WSN	195.2	9	10	7	8	8

Data source: Baseball-Reference.com