Linear Weights System

The Linear Weights System is the player valuation system developed by Pete Palmer. Due to its appearances in ESPN Baseball Encyclopedia, it is often used when evaluating players, particularly on a historical basis. Apparently because of copyright issue, the names of many of the components of the system have been changed in the ESPN Baseball Encyclopedia. For the purposes of this article, the new names are in parentheses immediately following the more familiar older names.

The system is baselined against an average player. In each aspect of the game (batting, baserunning, fielding, pitching, and positional value), a number of runs above or below average is calculated. These are then converted to wins by dividing by a Runs Per Win factor, combined, and ultimately each player can be compared using Total Baseball Ranking (Player Overall Win Rating), an estimate of the number of the total number of wins he contributed above an average player.

Components of the Linear Weights System

Offense

• Batting Runs (Batter Runs)--The number of runs a batter has contributed above those that an average hitter would have in an equal number of outs. In Total Baseball, Basestealing Runs were included in Batting Runs.
• Basestealing Runs--The number of runs a batter gained through his stolen base attempts, figured as .22*SB - .38*CS.

Fielding

• Fielding Runs

Pitching

• Pitching Runs

Overall Values

• Total Player Rating (Batter-Fielder Wins)
• Total Pitcher Index
• Total Baseball Ranking (Player Overall Win Rating)