With the top corner outfielders in the bag, the B/R MLB 300 now moves on to the guys who only work in the batter's box: designated hitters.
There aren't many true DHs in the league, and there are even fewer who are especially good at their craft. As such, our list of DHs contains only five of our overall 300 players. And whereas all other position players could earn up to 100 points, the max score for DHs is 80.
First, there are 35 points for hitting. Our focus is on how well each player is equipped to hit for average and get on base. This means looking not only at how they hit the ball, but also at how consistently they make contact and whether they have the discipline to draw walks.
Then, there are 40 points for power. We concentrated on how well each player collects extra-base hits, which means looking at how often they put the ball in the air—ground balls don't tend to go for extra-base hits, after all—how hard they hit it and how much of the field they can use for power.
Lastly, there are five points for baserunning. We'll be looking at whether they can steal bases as well as whether they're capable of running the bases aggressively. These being DHs, suffice it to say these aren't exactly priorities.
As for how the scoring works, a score in the middle is meant to denote average, not failing. For example, a 20 out of 40 for power means the player has merely average power, whereas 15 out of 40 is clearly below average and 25 out of 40 is above average. It's also important to note that if two or more players end up with the same final score, the priority goes to our preference.
Before we begin, here's an important reminder that while we're using what's happened in 2015 as a foundation for the scores, this list projects performance for the 2016 season. Players are evaluated based on the staying power of each category with progression, decline and past luck in mind—creating a different ranking system than simply judging where each player stands today.
You may now start the show.
- Login to post comments