A Beginner's Guide to Modern Baseball Analytics

Baseball has always been a sport driven by numbers, but the analytics revolution has taken statistical analysis to unprecedented levels. WAR (Wins Above Replacement) has become the gold standard for evaluating overall player value, while metrics like OPS+, wRC+, and FIP provide more nuanced views of offensive and pitching performance. Exit velocity and launch angle have transformed how we evaluate hitters, while spin rate and pitch movement data have done the same for pitchers. Understanding these metrics is essential for any modern baseball fan. Traditional statistics like batting average and RBIs still matter, but advanced metrics provide deeper context about a player's true contribution. Defensive metrics like DRS and UZR attempt to quantify fielding value, while contextual stats like WPA measure performance in high-leverage situations.