Podcast: The Most Valued Sabermetric Stats According to @TangoTiger

Sabermetric stats have revolutionized the way we evaluate MLB performance. In a recent article, Tom Tango (@TangoTiger) conducted a survey with over 200 participants to determine which stats are the most valuable in modern baseball analysis. The results highlight which metrics dominate today’s game and which have fallen out of favor.

The Leaders: WAR and wOBA

For position players, WAR (Wins Above Replacement) remains the preferred stat, whether from Baseball Reference or Fangraphs. Just behind, wOBA (Weighted On-Base Average) stands out as an improvement over OBP by weighting different types of hits.

Pitching: Fangraphs WAR and the Statcast Era

Among pitchers, Fangraphs WAR leads the way, followed by K% (Strikeout Percentage), which even surpasses Baseball Reference’s WAR. Other highly regarded stats include FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching), BB% (Walk Percentage), and xERA (Statcast ERA), an indicator adjusted for contact quality.

The Decline of Traditional Stats

Among official stats, few managed to maintain relevance in the sabermetric world. OBP (On-Base Percentage) is still a trusted indicator, while SLG (Slugging Percentage) and ERA (Earned Run Average) have some staying power. However, BA (Batting Average), RBI (Runs Batted In), Saves, and Pitcher Win-Loss Records ranked at the bottom.

The Defensive Impact of Catchers

When evaluating catchers, Framing overwhelmingly dominated, reinforcing the importance of a catcher’s ability to receive pitches effectively. In contrast, metrics like Blocking Runs and Throwing Runs were much less favored.

Tom Tango’s study confirms that advanced metrics continue to lead baseball analysis, while many traditional stats have lost significance.

Source: Best Sabre Stats – Tom Tango
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