xBA is a relatively new statistic in baseball that seeks to measure a batter’s expected batting average. It is based on the quality of contact that a batter makes and seeks to provide a more accurate measure of batting performance than traditional batting average stats. In this article, we’ll take a look at what xBA is, how it is calculated, and how it can be used to evaluate a player’s performance.
What is xBA?
xBA (expected batting average) is a statistic developed by Baseball Savant that seeks to measure a batter’s expected batting average based on the quality of contact that a batter makes. It takes into account factors such as exit velocity, launch angle, batted ball type, and other factors to measure the expected batting average for a given batter in a given situation. In essence, xBA attempts to measure the expected batting average for a batter based on the quality of contact that a batter makes.
How is xBA Calculated?
The xBA calculation is based on a batter’s exit velocity, launch angle, batted ball type, and other factors. It looks at the quality of contact that a batter makes and then calculates an expected batting average based on the data. The xBA calculation takes into account factors such as the type of pitch (fastball, curveball, etc.), the pitcher’s velocity, the batter’s exit velocity, the launch angle, and other data.
The xBA calculation is based on data from the Statcast system, which tracks batted ball data from every MLB game. This data is used to calculate the expected batting average for a given batter in a given situation.
Advantages of xBA
xBA provides a more accurate measure of a batter’s performance than traditional batting average stats. It takes into account factors such as exit velocity, launch angle, and batted ball type, which are all factors that can influence the outcome of a batted ball.
xBA also takes into account the type of pitch that the batter is facing, allowing for a more accurate measure of performance. For example, if a batter is facing a fastball, they may be expected to hit the ball harder than if they are facing a breaking ball. This is something that traditional batting average stats do not take into account.
xBA also provides a more accurate measure of performance when it comes to evaluating a batter’s performance over the course of a season. With traditional batting average stats, a batter may have a high batting average, but if they are not making solid contact, their expected batting average may be significantly lower than their actual batting average. xBA takes into account the quality of contact that a batter is making, providing a more accurate measure of performance.
Limitations of xBA
Despite the advantages of xBA, there are some limitations to the statistic. For example, xBA does not take into account other factors that may influence the outcome of a batted ball, such as the pitcher’s movement, the field conditions, or the wind. These factors may have an impact on a batter’s performance, but they are not taken into account in the xBA calculation.
In addition, xBA does not take into account factors such as a batter’s approach or their ability to hit different types of pitches. A batter may have a high xBA, but if they are unable to hit certain types of pitches, their performance may suffer.
Conclusion
xBA is a relatively new statistic in baseball that seeks to measure a batter’s expected batting average based on the quality of contact that a batter makes. It takes into account factors such as exit velocity, launch angle, batted ball type, and other factors to measure the expected batting average for a given batter in a given situation. xBA provides a more accurate measure of performance than traditional batting average stats, but it does have some limitations.
Overall, xBA is a useful tool for evaluating a batter’s performance and provides a more accurate measure of performance than traditional batting average stats. It is an important statistic to consider when evaluating a batter’s performance.