Team Running - Kansas City Royals

In conjunction with the publication of the most recent Royals Roundtable led by Garth Sears over at The Baseball Think Factory today we'll review the Royals running game from 2006.

Overall the Royals ranked 6th among the 30 teams in 2006 by getting a contribution of -0.87 theoretical runs from their running game. When not considering EqSBR they ranked third in baseball at +8.08 runs on the strength of +5.88 runs on advancement on fly balls. Since EqAAR is the most variable of the measures their high ranking is in some measure a mirage. In the more skill-based EqGAR they ranked 21st at -0.94 and in EqHAR they ranked 8th at +3.14.


On an individual level Mark Teahen takes the top spot at +3.91 runs by scoring well in all the metrics. I've mentioned before that in a previous Royals Roundtable Joe Posnanski mentioned that Teahen was one of the best baserunners he's ever seen. The 2006 numbers back up that claim to a certain degree. He scored well despite very few opportunities becuase of his time spent in Omaha. David DeJesus also does well placing 17th overall at +3.14 by scoring well once again in advancing on hits. In 2004 he was at +1.59 and in 2005 +2.98. He continues, however, to a very poor percentage baserunner despite taking few opportunities and is now -2.59 for his three seasons in 70 opportunities. Somewhat surprisingly Joey Gathright came out even at 0.00 and scored poorly (-0.32) in advancing on hits after coming out on the positive side in 2004 and 2005 in limited opportunities.

As expected Reggie Sanders cost the team a couple runs on the bases at -2.70 after being essentially a break-even runner the previous six seasons. His decline is expected as I mentioned in the Diamondbacks team running post and here it is graphically going back to his age 32 season in 2000 with Braves (5 teams ago).

Equivalent Stolen Base Runs
Name              Team     SB    PO     CS  EqSBR
Mark Teahen       KCA      10     1      0   1.46
Doug Mientkiewicz KCA       3     0      0   0.48
Shane Costa       KCA       2     0      0   0.25
Justin Huber      KCA       1     0      0   0.10
Angel Berroa      KCA       3     1      1  -0.11
Emil Brown        KCA       6     0      3  -0.18
Aaron Guiel       KCA       0     1      0  -0.24
Andres Blanco     KCA       0     0      1  -0.24
Ryan Shealy       KCA       1     0      1  -0.35
Kerry Robinson    KCA       1     0      1  -0.50
John Buck         KCA       0     0      2  -0.68
Esteban German    KCA       7     1      3  -0.97
Mark Grudzielanek KCA       2     1      2  -1.07
Joey Gathright    KCA      10     0      6  -1.29
Tony Graffanino   KCA       3     0      4  -1.57
David DeJesus     KCA       5     1      3  -1.76
Reggie Sanders    KCA       7     0      7  -2.28
Equivalent Hit Advancement Runs
Name              Team    Opp    OA  ExHAR  EqHAR  HARate
David DeJesus     KCA      55     1   8.49   3.10     136
Tony Graffanino   KCA      20     0   4.24   2.53     160
Emil Brown        KCA      43     1   6.89   1.73     125
Mark Grudzielanek KCA      49     1   7.50   1.57     121
Mark Teahen       KCA      33     0   3.52   1.21     134
Angel Berroa      KCA      27     0   3.45   0.87     125
Kerry Robinson    KCA       5     0   0.78   0.46     159
Shane Costa       KCA      12     0   1.02   0.46     145
Aaron Guiel       KCA       7     0   1.06   0.32     130
Paul Phillips     KCA       4     0   0.42   0.22     154
Andres Blanco     KCA      10     0   0.56   0.21     138
Justin Huber      KCA       1     0   0.61   0.12     120
Mitch Maier       KCA       1     0   0.02   0.02     198
Angel Sanchez     KCA       1     0   0.03  -0.03       0
Jeff Keppinger    KCA       2     0   0.16  -0.16       0
Matt Stairs       KCA      14     1   3.54  -0.20      94
Reggie Sanders    KCA      26     2   3.01  -0.23      92
Mike Sweeney      KCA      11     0   0.58  -0.35      39
Esteban German    KCA      39     2   3.23  -0.82      75
Joey Gathright    KCA      13     1   2.09  -0.89      57
Ryan Shealy       KCA      15     1   3.29  -1.35      59
Paul Bako         KCA      11     1   0.97  -1.45     -50
John Buck         KCA      26     1   3.95  -1.94      51
Doug Mientkiewicz KCA      31     1   3.66  -2.25      39

Equivalent Ground Advancement Runs
Name              Team    Opp ExGAR  EqGAR GARate
David DeJesus     KCA      41  3.11   0.80   1.26
Mark Teahen       KCA      14  0.85   0.49   1.58
Esteban German    KCA      22  1.15   0.42   1.37
Paul Bako         KCA       4  0.24   0.18   1.75
Brandon Duckworth KCA       1  0.12   0.15   2.19
John Buck         KCA      21  1.21   0.14   1.12
Jeff Keppinger    KCA       9  0.41   0.13   1.31
Joey Gathright    KCA      18  1.63   0.09   1.05
Kerry Robinson    KCA       4  0.18   0.07   1.40
Doug Mientkiewicz KCA      22  0.50   0.04   1.08
Aaron Guiel       KCA       5  0.32   0.00   1.01
Mitch Maier       KCA       1  0.00   0.00   0.00
Paul Phillips     KCA       4  0.33  -0.02   0.93
Ryan Shealy       KCA       9  0.28  -0.03   0.89
Andres Blanco     KCA       6  0.36  -0.05   0.86
Scott Elarton     KCA       2  0.11  -0.11   0.00
Matt Stairs       KCA      11  0.82  -0.15   0.82
Shane Costa       KCA      14  1.04  -0.18   0.83
Emil Brown        KCA      36  2.66  -0.27   0.90
Mark Grudzielanek KCA      18  1.08  -0.36   0.67
Mike Sweeney      KCA       8  0.33  -0.43  -0.30
Tony Graffanino   KCA      14  0.79  -0.54   0.32
Reggie Sanders    KCA       8  0.70  -0.57   0.19
Angel Berroa      KCA      25  2.19  -0.75   0.66

Equivalent Air Advancement Runs
Name              Team   Opps ExAAR  EqAAR AARate
David DeJesus     KCA      27  2.95   1.01   1.34
Mark Grudzielanek KCA      28  4.30   0.90   1.21
Esteban German    KCA      26  2.17   0.90   1.41
Mark Teahen       KCA      22  2.22   0.74   1.34
John Buck         KCA      18  2.25   0.64   1.28
Mike Sweeney      KCA       7  1.45   0.38   1.26
Reggie Sanders    KCA      10  1.03   0.38   1.37
Joey Gathright    KCA       8  1.20   0.36   1.30
Shane Costa       KCA       9  1.20   0.32   1.27
Andres Blanco     KCA       5  0.70   0.31   1.45
Kerry Robinson    KCA       5  0.71   0.29   1.42
Angel Berroa      KCA       6  1.17   0.26   1.23
Doug Mientkiewicz KCA       8  0.86   0.19   1.22
Ryan Shealy       KCA       6  0.48   0.18   1.39
Matt Stairs       KCA      10  0.67   0.12   1.18
Paul Phillips     KCA       3  0.62   0.11   1.18
Aaron Guiel       KCA       1  0.00   0.00   0.00
Mitch Maier       KCA       1  0.00   0.00   0.00
Mark Redman       KCA       1  0.00   0.00   0.00
Jeff Keppinger    KCA       2  0.01  -0.01   0.00
Paul Bako         KCA       3  0.05  -0.02   0.68
Emil Brown        KCA      21  2.55  -0.06   0.98
Tony Graffanino   KCA       9  1.84  -1.62   0.12