Wins Above Replacement EXPLAINED! How to use WAR in Major League Baseball

In today's video, we will be talking about Wins Above Replacement in Baseball and how it is applied to any given player. WAR has become the most popular statistic used to measure the success of a player. WAR incorporates AVG, SLG, OBP and a ton of other statistics to measure a player.

I hope this video helps you out! Let me know if there's any other analytics you'd like me to tackle in the future!

[crazysteve]

I appreciate the explanation. However all this does for me is reaffirms that I don’t care about WAR. I also think that the evaluation of a player’s career and potential HOF worthiness being based on this “stat” is ludicrous. And this video solidifies that view. (This is not a criticism of the video, it’s a criticism of WAR).

[arichster]

Appreciated the analysis on WAR. I've been a baseball fan for over 60 years but I would like to have explanations even on basic statistics like batting average. While I've generally understood them my whole life I am sure that there are things that I'm not quite clear as to what goes into them. For example, does hit by a pitch go into a batting average? Dropped third strike? Sacrifices? All those little things I'm sure make every statistic a little more than what you primarily think about. Thanks.

[jonasirw]

Excellent! Thank you. You’re definitely filling a need with the charter of your channel

[guamistheplace]

So many years I never really had an understanding of WAR... appreciate the explanation.. 🎉

[worldconquestonyoutube]

I believe ops and ops+ is best for offensive stats and outs above average or defensive runs saved for defensive stats.

[yunghanhuang]

2023 Kyle Schwarber will have 40 hr with 100 rbi and minus WAR, WAR is a joke

[colinhiggins]

The most important statistic for any hitter in baseball is total bases. You cannot have a high total bases unless you have a high OBP, slugging average, and batting average. A high total bases also usually translates into a lot of runs scored. 300+ TB is excellent. 350-400 is elite. 400+ puts you into Hall-of-fame level hitters, and 440+ establishes your season as one if the greatest ever

[diazen]

Thank you, i've watched baseball since 2019, but it was intermittent, this year i want to "entry with all" (I have no idea how to say that in english, i'm colombian. But i mean i want to be informed and enjoy the league and the matches)in the sports and the league

[davidmacgown]

FWAR uses UZR and bWAR uses DRS for it's defensive metrics. Which one do you think is best?

[kylorenkardashian]

Do a episode on the 2012 MVP Race between Mike Trout and Miguel Cabrera. Mike Trout had a WAR of one million but Miggie won the Triple Crown. Miggie ended up with the MVP

[moronsaltable]

Would Mookie Betts have a higher WAR if he stayed at shortstop instead of moving to right field? Since the Dodgers moved him to RF, they must think they're a better team with him at RF. Does that mean Betts would have a higher WAR at SS but a worse team VS a lower WAR at RF but a better team? If Betts has a higher WAR at RF, does that mean he got punished for the time he was playing shortstop early in the season? Something doesn't seem right

[davidmacgown]

So...there are 3 different versions of WAR, each with different calculations. Which one is the best? Which is most accurate?

[kylorenkardashian]

Does WAR take into account how much a player is being paid compared to their replacement??

[pacmanly]

So what would also be helpful for a video like this is also an idea of the range of the stat. What's a really good WAR? what's a really bad WAR? what's an average WAR? You mentioned Mike Trout, but you didnt mention his opposite; one of the worst players in MLB. that would be really helpful for when im watching baseball and they mention a stat.

[dfcintron]

Because Mookie Betts was an RF w the red sox, only cause of Jackie Bradley Jr's defense, does Mookie ONLY get compared against other RFs. That would inflate his WAR. He should be compared against the average OF. Right?

[vanbrooks]

so can you explain WAR you have not, and adjusted by ballpark nonsense. WAR means nothing

[dfcintron]

I think that across eras SSs like Jeter, Garciaparra, and Tejada get punished because they r getting compared against each other. Whereas someone like Alan Trammell has an inflated WAR because during his time most organizations except Baltimore, saw SS as a defensive first position. I don't think Trammell is better than those late 90s SSs.

[erickarge]

You need to do a video on WAR of Shohei Ohtani vs Aaron Judge. People are saying judge has a higher war yet Ohtani, if he played on the Yankees, would be their BEST pitcher and their SECOND BEST hitter. I find it hard to believe a replacement level player can do that… hell, any other player in history.

[ron]

WAR involves too many hypotheticals and probabilities, plus can one really test the validity of the results? For all the gyrations employed to reduce players down to a single number, it's seems far easier to look at a few basic metrics, the eye test, and common sense.

[leovernor]

Great content! Might want to consider turning the music down a bit, but that’s just me. Keep it up!