HR, RBI, Runs: whose stat is it anyway?
How does a hitter drive in 100 runs without being a great hitter?
Home runs are real — nobody hits 40 by accident. But RBI and Runs are team stats wearing a player costume. You can only drive in runners who are already on base, and you can only score if someone behind you drives you in.
The lineup lottery
A cleanup hitter on a great team bats with runners on constantly; the same hitter on a bad team sees empty bases all year. Their RBI totals can differ by 40 without any change in skill. Runs scored has the same problem in reverse.
Counting stats also grow with playing time. 20 HR in 400 at-bats is more impressive than 22 HR in 650, but the raw totals point the other way. This is why Level 1 converts everything to rates — and why Level 3 builds stats that strip teammates out entirely.
How this stat lies to you
- RBI rewards hitting behind on-base machines, not hitting well.
- Runs scored rewards having good hitters behind you.
- All counting stats reward staying healthy in a way that hides per-game skill.
Check yourself
1. Two identical hitters. One bats cleanup for a playoff team, one bats cleanup for a last-place team. Who has more RBI?
2. Which of these is most nearly a pure individual skill?