Gross Productivity Average, or GPA, is a new baseball statistic that measures performance. Accounting for the effect that each plate appearance or baserunning play has on scoring opportunities, it is reported on a scale similar to that for batting average, making it easy for the average fan to understand.
Beginning with a detailed explanation of the statistic and its derivation, the book identifies, in Part II, historical patterns in league-average GPA (even the steroids effect is quantified). Practical applications are then explored, as GPA is used in Part III to settle long-running arguments about strategy and in Part IV to reassess players and awards voting from 1952 to 2012.

David P. Gerard is a practicing gastroenterologist in the Chicago area and is actively involved in research. He lives in Oak Brook, Illinois.

David P. Gerard
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 268
Bibliographic Info: 223 graphs & tables, glossary, index
Copyright Date: 2013
pISBN: 978-0-7864-7256-7
eISBN: 978-1-4766-0123-6
Imprint: McFarland

Table of Contents


Preface 1

Part I. GPA: The Basics

Statistics, Simple and Otherwise 5

Creating GPA 9

The 2010 through 2012 Seasons 23

Best Individual Seasons, 1952–2012 48

Ballpark Corrections 56

Baserunning Strategies 66

Applying Baserunning Corrections 73

Baserunning Corrections, 1952–2012 83

Part II. GPA and Baseball Eras

The Relationship Between GPA and Batting Average 93

Baseball Eras, 1952–2012 100

The Pitching Era, 1971–1984 105

The Steroid Era, 1994–2004 112

Part III. GPA, Game Strategy and

the Baseball Game Simulator

The Baseball Game Simulator 117

Constructing the Best Lineup 121

Run Production 129

Winning Games 136

Chance in Baseball 144

Should They Have Walked Bonds? 149

The Sacrifice Bunt 164

Baserunning Revisited 174

Part IV. Using GPA

GPA and Wins Above Replacement 181

Who Should Have Won the Cy Young Award? 201

Who Should Have Won the MVP Award? 217

GPA and Free Agency 235

Jim Rice’s 1984 Season 245

Conclusion 251

Glossary 255

Index 261

“Recommended”—Choice.