Sunday, May 22, 2022

What Team Had the Lowest Power-Speed # since 1920?

I thought about this because the Tigers came into today with only 20 HRs, last in the AL by 5 while also being last in SBs with just 6, by 4.

Here is what Baseball Reference says about Power-Speed #

"2 x (Home Runs x Stolen Bases)/(Stolen Bases + Home Runs) The harmonic mean of HR and SB. To do well you need a lot of both. Developed by Bill James." 

Using Stathead, I called up all the teams who had both 50 or less HRs & SBs then all the teams with 20 or fewer HRs then all the teams with 20 or fewer SBs. It will probably be one of those teams. I just have not done the math yet. I only looked teams with 100+ games in a season (team Power-Speed # is not directly searchable in Stathead). 

The 1931 Reds have a PS# of 22.4, the lowest of any team from 1920 on (1957 Senators have 23.27). Found only 8 teams post 1920 under 30.

There are lots of teams lower than 22.4 but they all played before 1920 and even then it looks mostly before 1910. The 1908 White Sox are 5.91 with 3 HRs and 209 SBs

The Reds were still playing at Redland Field where it was very tough to hit a HR.

Here are the 10 lowest that I found

Tm

Year

Lg

HR

SB

PS#

G

CIN

1931

NL

21

24

22.40

154

WSH

1957

AL

111

13

23.27

154

BSN

1926

NL

16

81

26.72

153

KCA

1960

AL

110

16

27.94

155

BOS

1921

AL

17

83

28.22

154

PHA

1945

AL

33

25

28.45

153

STL

1949

NL

102

17

29.14

157

PIT

1920

NL

16

181

29.40

155

CLE

1945

AL

65

19

29.40

147

SLB

1953

AL

112

17

29.52

154