WHAT IS BMP?
BMP or Base Movement Percentage is a revolutionary new method of calculating the productivity of a baseball player. The BMP rating of a batter or a pitcher is a simple and clear measurement of a player’s productivity. The batter’s fundamental job is to move the runners and the pitcher’s job is to keep runners from advancing. BMP captures this fundamental principle into a single statistic that can be used to evaluate a baseball player’s performance as measured by total base movement.
BASIC CONCEPT OF BMP
BMP is based on the principle that the batter’s basic job is to move the runners around the bases.
BMP essentially captures total offensive production measured by base movement.
One “Base Moved” is awarded for every player that advances one base. Basically, for a qualified plate appearance event, the batter will be credited with Bases Moved for himself plus any bases moved by runners already on base as well as any additional bases moved by the batter as a runner on subsequent plays.
THE BMP FORMULA
The basic formula for BMP is as follows:
BMP = TBM / PA
Where: TBM = Total Bases Moved PA = Plate Appearances
1 Base Moved is credited to the batter every time the batter causes one runner (including self) to advance one base. If the batter reaches base, he may add or subtract to his Bases Moved as a runner when there is no ball in play.
Negative Bases Moved are applied as a penalty in cases where the batter/runner causes runners previously on base to be eliminated.
Batters will only be credited Bases Moved for plate events that are caused by the batter.
In general, the pitcher will essentially be assigned the same bases moved as the batter with a few exceptions that are the exclusive responsibility of the pitcher.
Total Bases Moved (TBM) consists of three categories:
TBM = BBM + BRBM + RBM
BBM Batter Bases Moved Number of bases moved by the batter himself
BRBM Base Runner Based Moved Number of bases moved by the runners already on base
RBM Runner Bases Moved Number of bases moved by the batter as a runner once on base
For further analysis, BMP can be broken down into its three components:
BMP = BBMc + BRBMc + RBMc
BBMc BBM Component
BRBMc BRBM Component
RBMc RBM Component
where:
BBMc = BBM / PA BRBMc = BRBM / PA RBMc = RBM / PA
BMP RULES
BASE HIT
The batter is awarded one base moved for every base reached (BBM).
Single = 1 base moved
Double = 2 bases moved
Triple = 3 bases moved
Home Run = 4 bases moved
When runners are on base, the batter receives an additional base moved for every base moved by every runner on base (BRBM).
Some examples:
· If a runner advances from 1st to 2nd on the batter’s single, the batter receives 1 base moved for the single and 1 base moved because the runner advanced 1 base for a total of 2 bases moved.
· If a batter advances from 1st to 3rd on a batter’s single, then 3 bases moved are credited to the batter; one for the single and 2 for moving the runner 2 bases.
· A double with the bases loaded that scores all runners results in 2 bases moved for the hit, 1 for the runner scoring from 3rd, 2 for the runner scoring from 2nd, and 3 for the runner scoring from 1st for a total of 8 bases moved.
· The rule applies to home runs as well even though the runners would score no matter which base they were on. A home run with a runner on 1st nets 7 bases moved while a home run with a runner on 3rd nets only 5 bases moved. A Grand Slam Home run results in a total of 10 bases moved.
The batter inherently gets a higher BMP whenever hitting with runners on base or getting an extra base hit.
WALK
The batter is awarded one base moved for a walk, even if intentional.
Walk = 1 base moved
The batter is additionally awarded 1 base moved for every runner that is on base at the time of the walk.
OUT
There will be NO bases moved awarded to the batter for any OUT that does NOT move runners.
Out = 0 bases moved
OUT BY DOUBLE OR TRIPLE PLAY
The batter is penalized for hitting into a double play or a triple play. Basically, the batter is penalized for erasing the bases moved equivalent to the position of the runners that are forced out.
Hit into double play with man on 1st out = -1 base moved
Hit into double play with man on 2nd out = -2 bases moved
Hit into double play with man on 3rd out = -3 bases moved
Hit into triple play with men 1st/2nd out = -3 bases moved
Hit into triple play with men 1st/3rd out = -4 bases moved
Hit into triple play with men 2nd /3rd out = -5 bases moved
In situations where two players are out by double play, any other runner on base that advances will still credit the batter with bases moved
A runner advancing from 2nd to 3rd during a 6-4-3 double play credits the batter with 1 base moved while the runner out at second penalizes the batter with -1 bases moved.
OUT BY SACRIFICE
The batter is awarded one base moved for each runner that is advanced by a sacrifice.
It does NOT matter where the sacrifice is technically as “Sacrifice Hit” or a “Sacrifice Fly”
The sacrifice must be an “officially scored” sacrifice to be awarded with bases moved
Sacrifice examples (officially scored as a sacrifice):
A sacrifice fly that scores a runner from 3rd will credit the batter with 1 base moved.
A sacrifice fly that scores a runner from 3rd and moves a runner from 2nd to 3rd will credit the batter with 2 bases moved
A sacrifice bunt that moves runners from 1st to 2nd and from 2nd to 3rd will credit the batter with 2 bases moved.
Non-sacrifice example (not officially scored as a sacrifice):
Fly ball out that advances a runner from 2nd to 3rd does not receive bases moved (this will not be officially scored as a sacrifice)
OUT BY FIELDER’S CHOICE
There are NO bases moved awarded for plays that are officially scored as a fielder’s choice.
With a fielder’s choice, the batter reaches base and the assumption is that the batter would be thrown out if the fielder had not decided to force out another base runner.
Even if there is a net gain in bases, the batter receives no credit as this is the defense’s choice.
Fielder’s Choice example:
The batter hits a ground ball and the runner at first is forced out at 2nd base. The batter reaches 1st but does not receive bases moved
ERROR
There are no bases moved awarded for a batter who reaches base on a fielding error.
There are no bases moved awarded for runners who advance an additional base on a throwing error.
Error by defense = 0 bases moved
Passed ball = 0 bases moved
HIT BY PITCH
The batter receives NO credit when hit by a pitch. The batter did not earn this base.
The pitcher, however, is assigned the bases moved. This is treated as the responsibility of the pitcher.
Hit by Pitch = 0 base moved (Batter)
= 1 base moved (Pitcher)
The pitcher is additionally awarded 1 base moved for every runner that is on base at the time of the HPB.
BASE RUNNING WITH HITS
If the batter gets a base hit and is thrown out trying to extend the hit, he will be credited with the bases moved for the hit but will also be penalized for losing that base. The net result will be zero bases moved.
It the batter gets a base hit, any net gain in bases is always credited to the batter whether it is positive or negative. Runners get NO credit for any good or bad base running since the runners cannot clearly be assigned credit for the base running. For example, if a runner at 1st base is thrown out at third on a single by the batter, there is no penalty for the runner. In this case, the batter ends up with a single and one base moved but loses 1 bases moved for the runner at first being thrown out.
BASERUNNING WITH NO BALL IN PLAY (Steals/Pickoffs)
In cases where there is NO ball in play, the runner can add to or subtract from his bases moved (RBM). This base moved is awarded to the runner as part of his current plate appearance. The current batter is irrelevant. The batter/runner is credited with one base moved for every successful base stolen. If the runner is caught stealing or picked off then a penalty is assigned to erase his previous base position.
Stolen Base = 1 base moved
Caught stealing 2nd = -1 base moved
Caught stealing 3rd = -2 bases moved
Caught stealing home = -3 bases moved
Picked off = Same as caught stealing
If a batter is thrown out trying to extend a hit, it will be officially scored as a hit plus caught stealing.
PITCHER'S RESPONSIBILITY (BALK, WILD PITCH, ERRANT PICKOFF ATTEMPT)
The batter/runner receives NO credit when runners advance on balks or wild pitches. The pitcher is charged bases moved for runners that advance in these situations.
Balk = 0 bases moved (Batter)
Balk = 1 base moved for each runner that advances (Pitcher)
Wild Pitch = 0 bases moved (Batter)
Wild Pitch = 1 base moved for each runner that advances (Pitcher)
INTERFERENCE
There are no bases moved awarded for a batter who reaches base on offensive or defensive interference.
Offensive Interference= 0 bases moved (Treat this like an out)
Defensive Interference= 0 bases moved (Treat this like an error)
PITCHER’S BMP
The pitcher is assigned the same number of bases moved as the batter faced except in case of pitcher mistakes (HBP, Wild Pitch, Balk, and pickoff error)
If a pitcher does not complete pitching to a batter for any reason, then that pitcher is not charged with any bases moved or plate appearances.
BMP will finally allow starting and relief pitchers to be compared more fairly. Relievers often have a lower ERA than starters because some of the runs they allow to score are charged to the starting pitcher who put the runners on base. The problem is that it is the reliever’s job to stop runners who are on base from scoring! Giving up a single with the bases loaded often allows two runs to score. These runs are charged to the starting pitcher and the reliever is only charged with a single. This is unfairly unfavorable to relievers. BMP will penalize the relievers for allowing runners to move and their mistakes will no longer be covered up. With BMP starters and relievers can be directly compared!