Range Factor (commonly abbreviated RF ) is a baseball statistic developed by Bill James . It is calculated by dividing putouts and assists by number of innings or games played at a given defense position . [1] The statistic is premised on the notion that the total number of outs that a player participates in is more relevant in evaluating his defensive play than the percentage of cleanly handled chances as calculated by the conventional statistic fielding percentage .
However, some positions (especially first baseman) may have substantially more putouts because of a superior infield around them, that commits fewer errors and turns many double plays , allowing them to receive credit for more putouts.
National League Leaders by Position [ ] 2003 [ ]
Name Position Team
RF
Robert Fick 1B
Atlanta Braves
10.38
Marcus Giles 2B
Atlanta Braves
5.55
Chris Stynes 3B
Colorado Rockies
3.01
Adam Everett SS
Houston Astros
4.96
Jay Payton
LF
Colorado Rockies
2.22
Jim Edmonds CF
St. Louis Cardinals
3.06
Jose Cruz, Jr. RF
San Francisco Giants
2.39
Mike Hampton P
Atlanta Braves
3.17
Damian Miller C
Chicago Cubs
9.81
Name Position Team
RF
Kevin Young 1B
Pittsburgh Pirates
10.88
Pokey Reese 2B
Pittsburgh Pirates
5.86
Scott Rolen
3B
Philadelphia Phillies /St. Louis Cardinals3.10
Juan Uribe SS
Colorado Rockies
5.24
Adam Dunn LF
Cincinnati Reds
2.01
Tsuyoshi Shinjo CF
San Francisco Giants
3.12
Reggie Sanders RF
San Francisco Giants
2.39
Greg Maddux P
Atlanta Braves
3.12
Brad Ausmus
C
Houston Astros
8.40
Name Position Team
RF
Kevin Young
1B
Pittsburgh Pirates
10.20
Todd Walker 2B
Cincinnati Reds/Colorado Rockies
5.09
Jeff Cirillo 3B
Colorado Rockies
2.98
Orlando Cabrera SS
Montreal Expos 4.87
Cliff Floyd
LF
Florida Marlins 2.06
Andruw Jones CF
Atlanta Braves
2.95
Brian Jordan RF
Atlanta Braves
2.41
Greg Maddux
P
Atlanta Braves
2.82
Damian Miller
C
Arizona Diamondbacks
9.63
American League Leaders by Position [ ] 2003 [ ] All Time Single Season Leaders [ ] NOTE: All time single season leaders are listed according to Range Factor by games played (A + PO) / G. Yearly leaders listed above from 2001 - present are listed according to Range Factor per nine innings 9 * (A + PO)/ Inn. Because the latter statistic is unavailable for older players, the former figure is used below to ensure use of comparable data for the all time single season leaders. The figures set forth below are verified from Baseball-Reference.com .
First Base (minimum 80 games) [ ] Jiggs Donahue : 12.650 (Chicago White Sox, 1907)Jiggs Donahue : 12.350 (Chicago White Sox, 1908)Phil Todt : 12.210 (Boston Red Sox, 1926)George Burns : 12.100 (Detroit Tigers, 1914)Stuffy McInnis : 12.100 (Boston Red Sox, 1918)Second Base (minimum 80 games) [ ] Fred Pfeffer : 7.29 (Chicago White Stockings, 1884)Jack Burdock : 7.18 (Boston Red Caps, 1879)Joe Quest : 7.16 (Chicago White Stockings, 1879)Pop Smith : 7.13 (Pittsburg Alleghenys, 1885)Bid McPhee : 7.09 (Cincinnati Red Stockings, 1886)Frankie Frisch : 6.78 (St. Louis Cardinals, 1927)Shortstop (minimum 80 games) [ ] Hughie Jennings : 6.73 (Baltimore Orioles, 1895)George Davis : 6.69 (New York Giants, 1899)Dave Bancroft : 6.62 (Philadelphia Phillies, 1918)Hughie Jennings : 6.56 (Baltimore Orioles, 1896)Hughie Jennings : 6.55 (Baltimore Orioles, 1897)Third Base (minimum 80 games) [ ] Billy Shindle : 4.34 (Baltimore Orioles, 1892)Jumbo Davis : 4.33 (Kansas City Cowboys, 1888)Bill Alvord : 4.31 (Cleveland Spiders/Washington Statesmen, 1891)Bill Bradley : 4.29 (Chicago Orphans, 1900)Jimmy Collins : 4.26 (Boston Beaneaters, 1896)Pitcher (minimum 250 innings pitched) [ ] Harry Howell : 5.24 (St. Louis Browns , 1905)Harry Howell : 4.97 (St. Louis Browns , 1904)Ed Walsh : 4.68 (Chicago White Sox , 1907)Will White : 4.56 (Cincinnati Red Stockings , 1882)George Mullin : 4.24 (Detroit Tigers , 1904)Nick Altrock : 4.21 (Chicago White Sox , 1905)Tony Mullane : 4.20 (Louisville Eclipse , 1882)Willie Sudhoff : 4.19 (St. Louis Browns , 1904)Red Donahue : 4.14 (St. Louis Browns , 1902)Nick Altrock : 4.13 (Chicago White Sox , 1904)Catcher (minimum 80 games) [ ] Damian Miller : 8.89 (Chicago Cubs, 2003)Damian Miller : 8.64 (Arizona Diamondbacks, 2001)Barney Gilligan : 8.63 (Providence Grays, 1884)Michael Barrett : 8.32 Chicago Cubs, 2004)Duffy Dyer : 8.25 (New York Mets, 1972)Javy López : 8.17 (Atlanta Braves, 1998)Joe Azcue : 8.06 (Cleveland Indians, 1967)Mike Piazza : 8.05 (Los Angeles Dodgers, 1997)Johnny Edwards : 8.04 (Houston Astros, 1969)Johnny Edwards : 8.03 (Cincinnati Reds, 1964)Right Field (minimum 80 games) [ ] Babe Herman : 2.81 (Cincinnati Reds, 1932)Harry Heilmann : 2.78 (Cincinnati Reds, 1930)Paul Waner : 2.68 (Pittsburgh Pirates, 1931)Al Kaline : 2.63 (Detroit Tigers, 1961)Dave Parker : 2.63 (Pittsburgh Pirtes, 1977)Chuck Klein : 2.60 (Philadelphia Phillies, 1930)Roberto Clemente : 2.58 (Pittsburgh Pirates, 1957)Dwight Evans : 2.57 (Boston Red Sox, 1975)Tony Armas : 2.53 (Oakland Athletics, 1982)Center Field (minimum 80 games) [ ] Taylor Douthit : 3.62 (St. Louis Cardinals, 1928)Richie Ashburn : 3.59 (Philadelphia Phillies, 1951)Thurman Tucker : 3.55 (Chicago White Sox, 1944)Kirby Puckett : 3.55 (Minnesota Twins, 1984)Chet Lemon : 3.52 (Chicago White Sox, 1977)Irv Noren : 3.45 (Washington Senators, 1951)Richie Ashburn : 3.42 (Philadelphia Phillies, 1949)Carden Gillenwater : 3.39 (Boston Braves, 1945)Sam West : 3.38 (St. Louis Browns, 1935)Richie Ashburn : 3.34 (Philadelphia Phillies, 1956)Left Field (minimum 80 games) [ ] Rickey Henderson 3.12 (Oakland Athletics, 1981)Ed Delahanty : 2.98 (Philadelphia Phillies, 1893)Joe Vosmik : 2.90 (Cleveland Indians, 1932)Ed Delahanty : 2.83 (Philadelphia Phillies, 1896)Fred Clarke : 2.76 (Louisville Colonels, 1895)Charlie Jamieson : 2.74 (Cleveland Indians, 1928)Goose Goslin : 2.73 (Washington Senators, 1925)Bobby Veach : 2.72 (Detroit Tigers, 1921)Elmer Valo : 2.69 (Philadelphia Athletics, 1949)Al Simmons : 2.67 (Chicago White Sox, 1933)Ben Oglivie : 2.64 (Milwaukee Brewers, 1980)Sources [ ] 