Average Averages

When crunching numbers, you need to know the average. If you just landed on earth from a galaxy far, far away, and the first human you saw was Yao Ming, you may not have a good reference for the average height of a human.

If the first house you see is owned by Tom Hicks, that may confuse your idea of what a house looks like.

And the same is true when looking at baseball statistics. Most people know that hitting .300 is great, hitting .200 is awful, and hitting .400 is the eternal dream. But, what means better-than-average?

Well, here are the league averages for 4 important stats. 2011 stats are through July 28, 2011.

2011	ERA	AVG	OBP	SLG
MLB	3.86	.253	.320	.392
AL	3.92	.256	.322	.399
NL	3.80	.251	.318	.386

Table Tutorial

2010	ERA	AVG	OBP	SLG
MLB	4.07	.257	.325	.403
AL	4.14	.260	.327	.407
NL	4.02	.255	.324	.399

Table Tutorial

2009	ERA	AVG	OBP	SLG
MLB	4.31	.262	.333	.418
AL	4.45	.267	.336	.428
NL	4.19	.259	.331	.409

Table Tutorial

2008	ERA	AVG	OBP	SLG
MLB	4.32	.264	.333	.416
AL	4.35	.268	.336	.420
NL	4.29	.260	.331	.413

Table Tutorial

So, the major league average in 2011 (to date) for batting average is .253-
The league average for on base percentage was .320-
And, the league average for slugging percentage was .392-
That would make the league average OPS (OBP + Slugging) .712
And the league average in 2011 for ERA is 3.86 - the lowest it has been since 1992!

2011: .253/.320/.392 3.86
2010: .257/.325/.403 4.07
2009: .262/.333/,418 4.31
2008: .264/.333/.416 4.32
2007: .268/.336/.423 4.46
2006: .269/.337/.432 4.52
2005: .264/.330/.419 4.28
2004: .266/.335/.428 4.46
2003: .264/.333/.422 4.39
2002: .261/.331/.417 4.27
2001: .264/.332/.427 4.41
2000: .270/.345/.437 4.76
1999: .271/.345/.434 4.70
1998: .266/.335/.420 4.42
1997: .267/.337/.419 4.38
1996: .270/.340/.427 4.60
1995: .267/.338/.417 4.45
1994: .270/.339/.424 4.50
1993: .265/.332/.403 4.18
1992: .256/.322/.377 3.74

So, hopefully, this will help you the next time you examine someone's stats.