Messing Around on Fangraphs' Leader Board

Where would sites like this one be without the great statistic sites on the Internet? Nowhere, man. Nowhere. There is so much information at our fingertips. While such information automatically leads to terrific analysis performed all over the blog-sphere, these stats can also lead to silly little posts like this one. A Tangotiger this writer is definitely not. One of the places the Fan likes to mess around on is Fangraph.com's Leader Board. Speaking of the term, spell check should really allow that to be one word. But back to the point: By clicking headings on the tab, you can quickly find leaders in losers in all the categories. Here are some of the Fan's favorite clicks:

Lowest walk percentage by qualifying batters: 1. Yuniesky Betancourt - 3.1 percent, Darwin Barney - 3.1 percent, 3. Vladimir Guerrero - 3.3 percent.

Barney and Guerrero at least hit enough to have on base percentages at league average (.320). But imagine how valuable they could be if they took a walk once in a while. Betancourt's .276 on base percentage is just another facet in a really bad year for the Brewers' shortstop. Plus, if you take away intentional walks, these players would be even worse. Barney has twelve walks all season and one was intentional. Guerrero has two intentional walks out of his twelve and Betancourt has three intentional walks out of his twelve. Who cares if the pitcher is due up next, why would you intentionally walk Betancourt?

Lowest on base percentage by qualifying batters: 1. Alex Rios - .252, 2. Miguel Olivo - .253, Alex Gonzalez - .254.

Lowest ISO (Isolated Power) by qualifying batters: 1. Chris Getz - .029, 2. Ichiro Suzuki - .048, 3. Juan Pierre - .050

Chris Getz has eight extra base hits in 94 games. Eight! 85 percent of Ichiro's hits have been singles.

Lowest strikeout rate by qualifying batters: 1. A.J. Pierzynski - 6.2 percent, 2. Jose Reyes - 6.6 percent, 3. Juan Pierre - 6.8 percent.

Highest walk percentage by qualifying batters: 1. Jose Bautista - 19.7 percent, 2. Miguel Cabrera - 16.1 percent, 3. Carlos Santana - 15.4 percent.

Yeah, that third one is surprising. Bautista has been intentionally walked 17 times, Cabrera 14 times and Santana, only five times.

Top three fielding scores for players who qualify: 1. Brett Gardner - +16.2, 2. Dustin Pedroia - +14.6, 3. Howie Kendrick - +12.4.

Kendrick is having a wonderful and overlooked season.

Top three base runners for players who qualify: 1. Elvis Andrus - +6.0, 2. Michael Bourn - +5.4, Drew Stubbs - +5.1

Lowest BABIP for players who qualify: 1. Alex Rios - .220, 2. Dan Uggla - .225, 3. Evan Longoria - .233

It's hard to believe that Evan Longoria is batting .226 on the season.

Highest BABIP for players who qualify: 1. Adrian Gonzalez - .398, 2. Michael Bourn - .380, 3. Emilio Bonifacio - .373.

Fewest runs scored for players who qualify: 1. James Loney - 26, 2. Chris Johnson - 28, 2. Adam Dunn - 28

Adam Dunn has only scored 18 times when he hasn't hit a homer!

Most runs scored: 1. Curtis Granderson - 98, 2. Jacoby Ellsbury - 87, 3. Jose Bautista and Jose Reyes - 79.

Fewest RBIs for players who qualify: 1. Jimmy Carroll - 10, 2. Kosuke Fukudome - 15, 3. Emilio Bonifacio - 18.

How about some pitching stats:

Walks per nine innings for starters who qualify: 1. Josh Tomlin - 1.02, 2. Roy Halladay - 1.04, 3. Dan Haren - 1.34.

Lowest strikeouts per nine for starters who qualify: 1. Carl Pavano - 3.72, 2. Brad Penny - 3.76, 3. Wade Davis - 4.38.

Lowest home runs per nine innings for starters who qualify: 1. Justin Masterson - 0.24, 2. Madison Bumgarner - 0.35, C.C. Sabathia - 0.36

Highest home runs per nine innings for starters who qualify: 1. Bronson Arroyo - 2.0, 2. Colby Lewis - 1.75, 3. Ted Lilly - 1.67.

Lowest ground ball percentage for starters who qualify: 1. J.A. Happ - 32.4 percent, 2. Jeremy Hellickson - 32. 6 percent, 3. Ted Lilly - 32.8 percent.

Highest ground ball percentage for starters who qualify: 1. Jake Westbrook - 61.3 percent, 2. Charlie Morton - 59.6 percent, 3. Derek Lowe - 59 percent.

Lowest FIP for starters that qualify: 1. Roy Halladay - 2.20, 2. Madison Bumgarner - 2.49, 3. Clayton Kershaw - 2.51.

Lowest left on base percentage for starters that qualify (with ERAs to prove it): 1. J.A. Happ - 62.6 percent, 2. Fausto Carmona - 63.5 percent, 3. Carl Pavano - 63.8 percent.

Highest left on base percentage for starters that qualify: 1. Ryan Vogelson - 84.7 percent, 2. Jeff Karstens - 84.5 percent, 3. Josh Beckett - 83.6 percent.