This guide to changes in "statistical lines" between editions of Total Baseball now covers the Player and Pitcher Registers in editions 1,3,4,6, and 7 and the Relief Pitcher Register in edition 3. TB4 and TB6 seem to be identical in the Registers covered here, so this guide probably covers TB5 implicitly. There are many differences between TB1 and TB3, so I hope to add coverage of TB2.
Changes in scope of the registers are completely represented here. Each item that appears in some editions but not in all is underlined where it appears.
Changes in magnitude are illustrated insofar as they are appear in the statistical lines of the three players featured here, with a nod to some other changes in the notes. Therefore, two sorts of systematic revision are not covered. First, some systematic revisions concern other, particular time periods or positions. For example, the 1884 Union Association and 1914-15 Federal League seasons were devalued sometime between TB3 and TB6. If the sabrmetric assessment of catcher's fielding has been revised, that is another example, since no catcher is featured here. Second, some systematic revisions do affect the featured players but are not evident here because of roundoff error. For example, a revision in the measure of stolen base runs might be negligible for Rusty Staub; a revision in park adjustment of batting runs might be negligible for Sandy Koufax. Some unsystematic revisions are illustrated by good fortune. For example, note the changes in John Hiller's height and weight. Perhaps those revisions indicate the attention that the editors and countless readers spend on the records.
For each change in magnitude, one value or the other is red. That is, red indicates a change to or from the colored magnitude. There are many differences between TB1 and TB3, so which value is highlighted reflects convenience and readability. There are fewer revisions in the more recent editions, TB4=TB6 (apparently identical in the Registers) and TB7, so red consistently indicates a change to the colored magnitude.
Key: TB# represents editions one (TB1, 1989) to seven (TB7, 2001) , [comma] represents a vertical line in the printed table underline highlights a difference in scope red highlights a difference in magnitudeTB has successively credited Rusty Staub with more career runs above league average in the three published categories but with less career value (TPR). Evidently, the unpublished Positional Adjustment has been revised against Staub. Perhaps he is now rated as a corner outfielder with some time at firstbase, rather than as a generalized outfielder. (I have not tried to confirm this by reference to authority or by reconstruction of the adjustment.)Player Register
Rusty Staub Career (mainly RF; secondly 1B)
Adjusted Batting Runs, edition, ^ Stolen Base Runs, Fielding Runs, Total Player Rating TB1 331, -6, 35, TPR 29.4 [360 = sum of published runs] TB3 333, -6, 37, TPR 27.1 [364] TB4=TB6 334, -6, 55, TPR 27.6 [383] TB7 336, -1, 55, TPR 26.4 [390]
Rusty Staub 1982 (OF-1B)
TB1=TB3 #RUSTY STAUB Staub, Daniel Joseph b: 4/1/44, New Orleans, La. BL/TR, 6'2", 200 lbs. Deb: 4/09/63 C TB4=TB6 [one character dropped] #RUSTY STAUB Staub, Daniel Joseph b: 4/1/44, New Orleans, La. BL/TR, 6'2", 200 lbs. Deb: 4/9/63 C TB7 [outfield breakdown added (where space permits, this appears in the career totals line instead)] #RUSTY STAUB Staub, Daniel Joseph b: 4/1/44, New Orleans, La. BL/TR, 6'2", 200 lbs. Deb: 4/9/63 C Career OF: (75-LF 11-CF 1604-RF) TB1 YEAR TM/L , G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO, AVG OBP SLG PRO /A, BR /A PF CHI RC TA, SB CS SBR, FR POS, TPR TB3 [FA added, four items dropped, one renamed] YEAR TM/L , G AB R H, 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO, AVG OBP SLG, PRO+ BR /A RC,SB CS SBR, FA FR POS TPR TB4=TB6 [POS expanded, two items dropped, one renamed, one vertical line added] YEAR TM/L , G AB R H, 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO, AVG OBP SLG, PRO+ BR/A , SB CS SBR, FA FR G/POS , TPR TB7 [unadjusted OPS added, two items renamed] YEAR TM/L , G AB R H, 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO, AVG OBP SLG,OPS OPS+ BR+ , SB CS SBR, FA FR G/POS , TPR TB1 1982 NY-N 112 219 11 53 9 0 3 27 24 10 .242 .317 .324 .641 81 -6 -5 99 132 22 .540 0 0 0 -1 O1 -0.7 TB3 [values revised: PRO+, Fielding Runs, TPR (TPR not evident here)] 1982 NY-N 112 219 11 53, 9 0 3 27 24 10, .242 .317 .324, 80 -6 -5 22, 0 0 0, .959 0 O1 -0.7 TB4=TB6 [values revised: Fielding Runs, TPR; Position data expanded] 1982 NY-N 112 219 11 53, 9 0 3 27 24 10, .242 .317 .324, 80 -5 , 0 0 0, .959 2 O-27,1-18 , -0.5 TB7 [values revised: Stolen Base Runs (*), Fielding Runs, positional adjustment, TPR (* not evident here); Position data expanded] 1982 NY-N 112 219 11 53, 9 0 3 27 24 10, .242 .317 .324,641 80 -5 , 0 0 0, .959 2 O-27(12-0-15),1-18 , -0.6 ^ ^ After TB1, TM/L includes marks that represent postseason and allstar experience (see Koufax)
decision factor in calculating Pitching Wins, or weighing importance of Pitching Runs
In the Pitcher Register, the decision factor affects only TPI.
Beginning with TB4, the overall rating of pitchers is governed partly by a decision factor (my term) that is relatively high for pitchers with more wins, losses, and saves and low for pitchers with fewer such decisions. The rationale is that a high or low rate of officially scored wins, losses, and saves indicates a pitcher who worked when each run was more or less valuable than league-average; that is, a pitcher whose work was more or less important than league-average.
Sandy Koufax was a starting pitcher with about one decision per nine innings. That is nearly average, so TB rates his work nearly average in importance. Koufax' rating barely changed (down a little) when the decision factor was introduced in TB4. John Hiller often worked in relief, late in a close game, especially in his best seasons. Thus his decision factor is high, and TB rates his work well above average in importance. In his very best season, he set the Saves record at 38 (hence a high decision factor) and he pitched exceptionally well, with ERA less than half of league average (hence many Runs saved). Hiller's rating jumped up when the decision factor was introduced in TB4. Since the revision, TB rates John Hiller the most valuable player in AL1973, more valuable than Koufax was in any single season, and rates Hiller about equal to Sandy Koufax in career value.
park adjustment in calculating Pitching Runs.
In the Pitcher Register, the adjustment affects only PR/A (or PR+) and TPI.
TB7 corrects a blunder, an arithmetic error in implementation of the model. Pitching in favorable or unfavorable conditions, cmopared to league average, is measured by Pitcher Park Factor (PPF) less than or greater than 100. Before TB7, the adjustment for PPF was implemented twice; I believe that every pitcher's line in TB1 to TB6 was affected. The effect was nil for Park Factor 100, small for Park Factor close to 100, large for pitchers in Los Angeles and Chicago, NL1963. One consequence of the correction is that TB7 gives the implied Cy Young Award for NL1963 to Sandy Koufax of LA, not to Dick Ellsworth of Chicago.
The decision factor introduced in TB4 hurts Koufax a little. The correction to park adjustment of pitching runs, in TB7, helps Koufax a little. There are small revisions in batting and fielding runs not shown here.Sandy Koufax Career (Starting Pitcher)
Adjusted Pitching Runs, Total Pitcher Index TB1 223, TPI 20.0 TB3 221, TPI 19.8 TB4=TB6 221, TPI 18.5 TB7 226, TPI 20.5
The decision factor introduced in TB4 helps all late/close relief pitchers such as Hiller in his important seasons. The correction to park adjustment of pitching runs, in TB7, hurts him a little. There are small revisions in batting and fielding runs not shown here.Sandy Koufax 1963 (Starting Pitcher)
TB1 #SANDY KOUFAX Koufax, Sanford b: 12/30/35, Brooklyn, N.Y. BR/TL, 6'2", 210 lbs. Deb: 6/24/55 H TB3=TB7 [birth name added] #SANDY KOUFAX Koufax, Sanford (b: Sanford Braun) b: 12/30/35, Brooklyn, N.Y. BR/TL, 6'2", 210 lbs. Deb: 6/24/55 H TB1 YEAR TM/L , W L PCT, G GS CG SH SV, IP H H/G HR BB BB/G SO SO/G, ERA /A OAVG OOBP, PR /A PF CPI WAT, PB PD TPI TB3=TB6 identical [five items added (postseason and allstar marks not evident here), six dropped] YEAR TM/L , W L PCT, G GS CG SH SV, IP H HR BB SO RAT , ERA ERA+ OAV OOB , BH AVG PB, PR /A PD, TPI TB7 [two items added, one renamed] YEAR TM/L , W L PCT, G GS CG SH SV, IP H R HR HB BB SO RAT , ERA ERA+ OAV OOB , BH AVG PB, PR PR+ PD, TPI TB1 1963 LA-N 25 5 .833 40 40 20 11 0 311 214 6.2 18 58 1.7 306 8.9 1.88 163 .189 .227 49 41 94 69 9.3 -3 -4 3.8 TB3 [values revised: Innings Pitched (thirds, not evident here); Opp's On-Base Average (maybe HB or SF); Adjusted ERA, Adjusted Pitching Runs, TPI (park factor)] 1963 *LA-N* 25 5 .833, 40 40 20 11 0, 311 214 18 58 306 8.0, 1.88 161 .189 .230, 7 .064 -3, 49 39 -4, 3.7 TB4=TB6 identical [values revised: Pitcher Batting, TPI (decision factor)] 1963 *LA-N* 25 5 .833, 40 40 20 11 0, 311 214 18 58 306 8.0, 1.88 161 .189 .230, 7 .064 -4, 49 39 -4, 3.0 TB7 [values revised: Adjusted Pitching Runs, TPI (park adjustment; no change in Park Factor)] 1963 *LA-N* 25 5 .833, 40 40 20 11 0, 311 214 68 18 3 58 306 8.0, 1.88 161 .189 .230, 7 .064 -4, 49 43 -4, 3.4 ^ ^After TB1, TM/L includes marks that represent postseason and all-star experience. For Koufax, the two stars are closed (postseason play) and open (all-star selection, did not play)John Hiller Career (mainly Relief Pitcher)
Adjusted Pitching Runs, Total Pitcher Index TB1 132, TPI 13.2 TB3 130, TPI 12.2 TB4=TB6 130, TPI 20.6 TB7 127, TPI 20.3
John Hiller 1973 (Relief Pitcher)
TB1 #JOHN HILLER Hiller, John Frederick b: 4/8/43, Toronto, Ont., Canada BR/TL, 6'1", 185 lbs. Deb: 9/06/65 TB3 [height revised] #JOHN HILLER Hiller, John Frederick b: 4/8/43, Toronto, Ont., Canada BR/TL, 6', 185 lbs. Deb: 9/06/65 TB4=TB6 [one character dropped] #JOHN HILLER Hiller, John Frederick b: 4/8/43, Toronto, Ont., Canada BR/TL, 6', 185 lbs. Deb: 9/6/65 TB7 [weight revised] #JOHN HILLER Hiller, John Frederick b: 4/8/43, Toronto, Ont., Canada BR/TL, 6', 195 lbs. Deb: 9/6/65 TB1 YEAR TM/L , W L PCT, G GS CG SH SV, IP H H/G HR BB BB/G SO SO/G, ERA /A OAVG OOBP, PR /A PF CPI WAT, PB PD TPI TB3=4=6 identical [five items added (postseason/allstar marks not evident here), six dropped] YEAR TM/L , W L PCT, G GS CG SH SV, IP H HR BB SO RAT , ERA ERA+ OAV OOB , BH AVG PB, PR /A PD, TPI TB7 [two items added, one renamed] YEAR TM/L , W L PCT, G GS CG SH SV, IP H R HR HB BB SO RAT , ERA ERA+ OAV OOB , BH AVG PB, PR PR+ PD, TPI TB1 1973 Det-A 10 5 .667 65 0 0 0 38 125 89 6.4 7 39 2.8 124 8.9 1.44 269 .198 .257 33 34 101 127 2.4 0 0 3.6 TB3 [values revised: Innings Pitched (thirds); Opp's On-Base Average (hit batsmen or sac flies?); Adjusted ERA, Adjusted Pitching Runs, TPI (underlying park factor?)] 1973 Det-A 10 5 .667, 65 0 0 0 38, 125' 89 7 39 124 9.2, 1.44 285 .198 .262, 0 ---- 0, 33 37 0, 3.6 TB4=TB6 [values revised: Pitcher Batting (not evident), TPI (decision factor)] 1973 Det-A 10 5 .667, 65 0 0 0 38, 125' 89 7 39 124 9.2, 1.44 285 .198 .262, 0 ---- 0, 33 37 0, 6.7 TB7 [values revised: Adjusted Pitching Runs, TPI (park adjustment)] 1973 Det-A 10 5 .667, 65 0 0 0 38, 125' 89 21 7 0 39 124 9.2, 1.44 285 .198 .262, 0 ---- 0, 33 35 0, 6.6
In 1972, Hiller worked both as a relief pitcher (green in the table, generally indicated in print by 'R' in the column label) and as a starting pitcher (the last two columns, with 'S' in the labels). In 1973, he worked only in relief, so his Relief Runs are equal to his Pitching Runs in the Pitcher Register (above): 33 plain and 37 adjusted. TB rates those 37 Adjusted Relief Runs equivalent to 65 average runs because Hiller's work in 1973 is rated that much more important than average.John Hiller 1972-73, two lines from the Relief Register
TB3 YEAR TM/L WR LR GR SV IPR ERAR RR /A RNK GS IPS #John Hiller 1972 Det-A 0 0 21 3 28' 2.22 3 3 1 3 16 [total 24 G, 44' IP] 1973 Det-A 10 5 65 38 125' 1.44 33 37 65 [total 65 G, 125' IP]
The decision factor is implicit in the Register. For Hiller 1973, it is 65/37 = 1.76; his work is rated 76% more important than league average pitching. The factor is defined in the Glossary entry "Relief Ranking". For Hiller 1973, it is dervied from his 10 wins, 5 losses, and 38 saves in 125 innings; that is, from his decisions and his innings pitched. The calculation is (10 + 5 + 38/4) / (125/9) = 1.76 . (The division of 38 by 4 means that Saves are counted as decisions at one quarter the rate of Wins and Losses, which is not constant for all time.)
Acknowledgments. Andrew Clarke provided all of the data from TB4 and TB7 as plain text with suitable spacing! Mark Wernick checked TB1 to confirm the history of the blunder in park adjustment of Pitching Runs, and hence in calculation of published TPI.
See an Introduction to TB editions or the Table of Contents of edition 6, contrasted with edition 3 (not ready for prime time).