Baseball is one of America’s favorite pastimes and the statistics that track a player’s progress and performance are an integral part of the game. There are dozens of different stats that baseball fans and analysts use to measure a player’s success, from batting average to home runs to earned run average. One of the most important stats for a pitcher is HPB, which stands for hits per batter. In this article, we’ll explore what HPB means in baseball stats and how it can be used to evaluate a pitcher’s performance.
What Does HPB Stand For?
HPB stands for hits per batter. This statistic measures the number of hits a pitcher allows per batter faced. It is calculated by dividing the total number of hits given up by the total number of batters faced. For example, if a pitcher faces 30 batters and allows 8 hits, their HPB would be 0.267 (8 divided by 30 equals 0.267). This statistic is most commonly used to measure how well a pitcher is controlling the plate, as it measures how often they are allowing a hit.
How Is HPB Used to Evaluate a Pitcher’s Performance?
HPB is an important statistic for evaluating a pitcher’s performance because it measures how often they are allowing a hit. Generally, the lower a pitcher’s HPB, the better their performance. For example, if a pitcher has an HPB of 0.200, they are allowing fewer hits than a pitcher with an HPB of 0.300. This means that the pitcher with the lower HPB is doing a better job at controlling the plate and limiting the number of hits they are allowing.
HPB can also be used to compare pitchers from different leagues, as the average HPB for each league is different. For example, the average HPB for pitchers in the American League is 0.259, while the average HPB for pitchers in the National League is 0.253. This means that pitchers in the American League are allowing slightly more hits than pitchers in the National League, on average.
HPB can also be used to compare pitchers from different teams. For example, if two pitchers have the same HPB, but one is pitching for a team with a higher winning percentage than the other, the pitcher on the team with the higher winning percentage is likely more successful. This is because the team’s success may be due in part to the pitcher’s ability to limit the number of hits they are allowing.
What Other Statistics Can Be Used Along With HPB?
HPB is an important statistic for evaluating a pitcher’s performance, but it is not the only statistic that should be used. Other important statistics for evaluating a pitcher’s performance include earned run average (ERA), walks per nine innings (BB/9), strikeouts per nine innings (K/9), and WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched).
ERA measures a pitcher’s performance by measuring the number of earned runs they allow per nine innings pitched. BB/9 measures the number of walks a pitcher allows per nine innings pitched. K/9 measures the number of strikeouts a pitcher has per nine innings pitched. WHIP measures the number of walks and hits a pitcher allows per innings pitched.
By comparing all of these statistics, it can be easier to evaluate a pitcher’s performance. For example, if a pitcher has a low HPB but a high ERA, it may indicate that the pitcher is allowing a lot of hits, but also a lot of runs.
Conclusion
HPB is an important statistic for evaluating a pitcher’s performance. It measures the number of hits a pitcher allows per batter faced and is used to compare pitchers from different leagues and teams. While HPB is an important statistic, it is not the only statistic that should be used to evaluate a pitcher’s performance. Other important statistics include ERA, BB/9, K/9, and WHIP. By comparing all of these statistics, it can be easier to get a more accurate picture of a pitcher’s performance.