In anticipation of Saturday’s Chicago APBA Tournament, I’ve been looking over the roster of my 1979 Kansas City Royals on Baseball Reference. One of my favorite features of B-R when doing replays is looking at the “Batting Orders” page of a team (it’s under Other). It simply gives you the lineup batting order of each game of the season.
Even better, there’s a section at the bottom of the page which lists the Most Common Batting Orders. While that’s certainly a handy feature, there’s a caveat. Sometimes the most common lineup does not reflect the season as whole.
Case in point, my 1979 KC Royals have three most common batting orders which were used six times each. The thing to watch is that the first two listed do not include Willie Wilson. Now Willie Wilson played 154 games and started 135 in 1979. As it turned out, of the six top lineups listed, three of them do not have Wilson listed.
Note, I’m not doubting the veracity of the numbers. Kansas City was just very consistent with their lineups when Willie was not playing. As you notice from the graphic above, George Brett and Frank White led off for KC when Wilson sat.
I love the Batting Orders feature by Baseball Reference but if you use it, use it with care when formulating realistic lineups. Or just use actual lineups like some do.
Great post, Tom. I think batting order is the most important decision for managers. It can make a huge difference in offensive performance. I have looked at the batting orders for some teams in the past (1940s and 1950s especially) and I often shake my head at who the manager put in the leadoff spot. Many times it was a guy with some speed but very mediocre at getting on base. Batting order is especially important for ABPA managers when, for example, planning hit and run strategy.
I completely agree, Richard. I’m looking forward to sticking with one lineup for the GMABT in March with the 1993 Braves. I feel in my other two tournament experiences, I tinkered with the lineups of my 1912 Giants and 1917 White Sox too much, maybe. I do rely heavily on Baseball Ref, by the way Tom.
After apparently starting the season as a pinch-runner/defensive replacement, Wilson worked his way into the lineup and wound up leading off 116 games. The lineups underneath him changed a lot, though, so few rise to “most common”
Good luck in the tourney, looking forward to reading about how it turns out!
Interesting page on the B-R site. I was playing around and it looks like Wilson started 116 at leadoff which is first, 18 at 9th which is fourth and twice in the 8th spot which is tied with Cruz & Quirk for ninth. The drop-down menu in the upper left where the lineups is listed gives the names and highlights the names in the order which makes them much easier to see. I wonder what Whitey was thinking?