The folks over at Beyond the Boxscore posted an article on the best and worst base-runners from 2008 using Baseball Prospectus' base running statistics. Their numbers are park adjusted, situation adjusted, etc. Team Rankings are also included.
Michael Bourn is in the top ten of players whose base stealing abilities outweighs their aggregate baserunning ability (getting good jumps, judging balls/fielders, taking the extra base when prudent, and stealing bases). Bourn contributed three runs above average purely on stolen bases alone, but was actually below average on scoring/taking the extra base on both fly balls and ground balls.
For those that have a BPro subscription, their baserunning stats are a little cumbersome to identify at first, but here is the breakdown that BtB gave:
- SB/CS runs (EQSBR)
- GB out advancement runs (EQGAR)
- FB out advancement runs (EQAAR)
- Hit advancement runs (EQHAR)
- Passed ball, wild pitch, and balk advancement runs (EQOAR)
On the whole, the Astros were an average team (15th out of 30 teams) when it came to non-SB baserunning. This component of the game contributed .8 runs to our cause, an extremely insignificant number. The Twins, Yankees and Rangers managed to each eek out a win's worth of non-SB baserunning runs. Loveable losers, they may be, but great baserunners they are not- the Cubbies lost nearly a whole game in this area. Didn't seem to hurt to much though...Ditto for the AL Champ Rays.
Here are the non SB run contributions from our big guys in 2008:
| Player | Runs |
| Kaz Matsui | 2.47 |
| Lance Berkman | 2.14 |
| Michael Bourn | -1.05 |
| Darin Erstad | 1.77 |
| Miguel Tejada | 2.19 |
| Hunter Pence | 1.91 |
| Brad Ausmus | .02 |
| Carlos Lee | -2.33 |
| Ty Wigginton | -.29 |
- Kaz and Lance's numbers reflect above average non-SB baserunning and SB baserunning.
- Darin Erstad was not a great baserunner when attempting to steal bases, but was fine otherwise.
- Miguel Tejada and Hunter Pence had very similar stolen base numbers- both cost the team roughly 2.75 runs when attempting to steal.
- Carlos Lee was slightly aboave average on stealing bases, but in all other aspects he struggled
- Ty Wigginton was the opposite- the Astros suffered when he tried to steal, but benefitted from the rest of his baserunning