2017 APBA Baseball by the Numbers: Hitting

Hey APBA Fans,

I’ve posted 2017 by the Numbers: Fielding last week and earlier this week, we saw 2017 by the Numbers: Pitching.  It’s time to look at the hitting numbers of the 2017 APBA set!  This one is especially fun because well, everyone enjoys looking at APBA cards and while pitching grades and fielding ratings may win games, most love looking at the hitting result numbers.

Let’s begin with power numbers.  First, who had the most first column (or single column) ones on their card in 2017?  Used to be that three ones belonged to Babe Ruth and Babe Ruth only.  This year, four players were BTR (Better Than Ruth).

Stanton and Martinez are legit sluggers (especially Giancarlo who is a J-0).  Hoskins and Olson however, are J-4.  Worth noting, Matt Olson has a 5 to go along with his three 1s.

If you’re wondering which team had the most total first column 1s on their entire roster (non-pitchers only), it was a three-way tie.

Every Brewer except three sported a 66-1.

If you want to know who was the pathetic slugging team was, I would have to go with San Francisco.  Only three players could boast a 66-1.

How many hitters had a extra base hit number (0-6) at 44?

Nolan Arenado gets extra credit for also being the only 3B-6 in the 2017 set.  He is joined on this list by Colorado teammate Pat Valaika who admittedly is a J-3.

Switching gears from sluggers to pure hitters, who had the most hit numbers on their card in the 2017 card set.  For this purpose, hit numbers are defined as numbers 1 through 11.

Only six had as many as twelve.  To put that in perspective, these players most likely, had a 42-9 but no better.

Blackmon, Altuve Garcia and Alfaro have a 66-1 on top of all their hit numbers.

The 14s topped out at six with seven players.

Not too surprising, Joey Votto is one of those.  He’s been on this list for years.

While we’re on the topic of on-base numbers, only two players received two 42s.

Both received a 35-42.  Flowers’ second 42 came on his 13 while Gomez received a 61-42.

When all of the hit numbers, 14s, even 42s are calculated, which card has the best chance to get on base given a D pitcher is on the mound and the bases are empty?

I was surprised to see Kris Bryant on this list. Since he didn’t land on the top hits list or walks list.  However, he does have a 42 and that brought his total numbers up to join this elite crowd.

If we narrow the requirements to on-base against an A pitcher, that is hit numbers 1-7, 10, 11 as well 14 and 42, Bryant falls off the list.

A few of these would make excellent leadoff men, no doubt!

Speaking of leadoff men, here are the only cards that received a 15-11 and a 25-11.

Dee Gordon received a 51-11 in addition.

If Gordon somehow doesn’t get to second, these guys would be good to have at the plate.  MVP Jose Altuve was among three players who received three hit and run-friendly 31s.

The same three players received three 31s last year.

These are the cards from 2017 (remember non-pitchers) which were punished with the most 13s.

Yikes.  JaCoby Jones has the dreaded run of three 13s in a row.  He has a 62-13, 63-13, and a 64-13.  I shouldn’t talk… Joc Pederson had that on my Twin City Thunderchickens and did fine.  Oh wait, JaCoby just has two zeroes.

Now that we’re on negative stats, how about 24s?

Interesting that there are some notable players on this list.  I’m looking at you, J.D.

I thought I would throw out interesting, oddball numbers just for fun…

Which card had the most second column 1s?

Now, I’ll take a 1 any way I get it.  However, you might suspect that these players probably don’t have many zeroes and you would be right.  In fact, each one has just one zero (with no other power number).

That said, there is something to be said about hitting a homerun on a 16.  Four of these five players indeed have a 1 on 16 in second column.

On the opposite end of the spectrum it’s the bane of APBA offense.  You get into the second column and yet, you still get a single.  These players’ cards had the most second column 7s and 8s on their card.

Even rolling a 13 or a 53, Gimenez suffers a single.

Getting to the good stuff now.  Which players have the magic combination of five power numbers (0-6) and a 15-11?

Trout sports a 1-1-0-0-0 and one 11.  Ramirez received a 1-4-5-6-6 and one 11 as well.

Finally, here are the ultimate cards from the 2017 set.  To get on this list, the card needed to:

• at least four 14s
• be a J-2, J-1 or J-0
• have at least four power numbers
• have at least 10 hit numbers

That’s it for hitting!  If you’re interested, check out last’s year’s By the Numbers: Hitting for comparison.

Here is the link for all of the 2017 by the Numbers articles.