Disclaimer -- This is for fun.  In my computerized baseball game, I keep track of a category called "stolen hits", defined as a play made that "an average fielder would not make with average effort."  Using the 1992 Defensive Averages posted by Sherri Nichols (Thanks Sherri!), I've figured out some defensive stats for the leftfielders. Hits Stolen have been redefined as "Plays Kevin Bass would not have made."  OK, I realize that's unfair.  Kevin's probably the victim of pitching staff, fluke shots, and a monster park factor.  But let's put it this way:  If we replaced every leftfielder in the league with someone with Kevin's 49.4% out making ability, how many extra hits would go by?  To try and correlate it to reality a little more, I've calculated Net Hits Stolen, based on the number of outs made compared to what a league average fielder would make.  By the same method I've calculated Net Extra  Bases (doubles and triples let by).  Finally, I throw all this into a a formula I call Defensive Contribution, or DCON :->.  Basically, it represents the defensive contribution of a player. I add this number to OPS to get DOPS (Defense + Onbase Plus Slug), which should represent the player's total contribution to the team.  So don't take it too seriously.  The formula for DCON appears at the end of this article.  The short version -- definition of terms HS -- Hits Stolen -- Extra outs compared to Kurt Stillwell NHS -- Net Hits Stolen -- Extra outs compared to average fielder NDP -- Net Double Plays -- Extra double plays turned compared to avg fielder NEB -- Net Extra Bases --  Extra bases prevented compared to avg. fielder DCON -- Defensive Contribution -- bases and hits prevented, as a rate. DOPS -- DCON + OPS -- quick & dirty measure of player's total contribution.  National League  Name            HS   NHS   NEB   DCON    DOPS Gonzalez, L.    63    28    20   .192    .866 Gilkey, B.      52    23    14   .150    .941 Clark, G.       46    11    11   .065    .726 Alou, M.        20     3    12   .052    .835 Bonds, B.       54     9    -7   .019   1.099 May, D.         21     0    -7  -.020    .659 Gant, R.        31    -5    -2  -.021    .715 Bass, K.         0   -24    -4  -.126    .600  Ordered by DOPS  1.099 Bonds  .941 Gilkey  .866 Gonzalez  .835 Alou  .726 Clark  .718 *NL Average*  .715 Gant  .659 May  .600 Bass   American League ---------------  Name            HS   NHS   NEB   DCON    DOPS Raines, T.      53    22    20   .111    .896 Anderson, B.    65    30     8   .102    .924 Henderson, R.   43    20     4   .101    .984 Vaughn, G.      55    27    -3   .095    .817 Gladden, D.     25     4     8   .038    .699 Hall, M.        29     6    -2   .017    .756 Mack, S.        38     6    -8   .005    .866 Polonia, L.     10   -11    10  -.019    .647 McReynolds, K.  13    -8    -9  -.064    .711 Maldanado, C.    9   -21   -12  -.105    .714 Reimer, K.       5   -18   -16  -.102    .671   Order by DOPS  .984 Henderson .924 Anderson .896 Raines .866 Mack .817 Vaughn .756 Hall .733 *AL Average* .714 Maldanado .711 McReynolds .699 Gladden .671 Reimer .647 Polonia  More discussion --  DCON formula:  ((NHS + NDP)/PA) + ((NHS + NDP + NEB)/AB) Why such a bizzare formula?  Basically, it's designed to be added into the OPS, with the idea that "a run prevented is as important as a run scored". The extra outs are factored into OBP, while the extra bases removed are  factored into SLG.  That's why I used PA and AB as the divisors.  For more discussion see the post on Hits Stolen -- First Base 1992 --  Dale J. Stephenson |*| (steph@cs.uiuc.edu) |*| Baseball fanatic