In talking with the great Rickey Henderson some years ago, he was asked among the offensive statistics that flood the MLB game, which stat provides the best reading as to a player’s true worth to his team.
Although one might guess that Henderson would indicate stolen bases, since he is the all-time career and single-season record holder in steals with a lifetime total of 1,406 and holds the season mark of 130 in 1982, the Hall of Famer indicated runs scored without hesitation.
Henderson also scored more runs than any other player in the history of the game with 2,295, so he may be biased on what he views as the most valuable stat to measure a player’s worth. But to surpass Henderson’s run scoring mark, a player would have to average 115 runs per season for 20 years . . . that’s incredible.
“Runs scored,” said Henderson, “tells you about a player’s ability to get on base, whether it’s by hits, walks or hit by pitch, and his ability to run around the bases. A big part of my game was running the bases and stealing. Both are a lot harder than they look . . . but are essential in creating runs. A good base runner, once on base, knows how to take advantage and create an edge against the pitcher/catcher and the defense—whether it’s stealing a base, taking an extra base on a hit, going from first to third or scoring from second on a single or from first on a double.”
“I was able to disrupt a pitcher and the opposing defense with my base stealing and running and if you can do that you’re able to score a lot of runs.”
To be a good base runner, a player needs to be smart, aggressive, and have keen instincts on the bags.
Kris Bryant of the Cubs holds all elements that make a player a successive runner and run scorer. He has scored 420 runs in his first 609 major league games—that’s .690 runs per game. Henderson scored .745 runs per game during his 25-year career. Angels All-Star center fielder Mike Trout scored 828 runs in his first 1,113 games for a .744 reading.
“KB is an outstanding baserunner,” said Cubs manager Joe Maddon. “He’s faster than he looks and he hustles on every ball he hits and whenever he’s on the bases. He goes from first to third as well as any player in the game and a lot of his success on the bases is due to his instincts, which are phenomenal.”
Bryant has scored 42 runs in his first 50 games this season which ranks him tied for fourth in the majors behind Cody Bellinger (49) of the Dodgers, Trevor Story (44) of the Rockies, Chirstian Yelich (43) of the Brewers and tied with Mookie Betts of the Red Sox and Nolan Arenado of the Rockies.
In his first four big-league seasons, Bryant scored 87 runs in 151 games in 2015, a league-leading 121 in 155 contests in 2016, a team high 111 in 151 games in 2017 and only 59 runs in 102 games during his injury plagued 2018 campaign.
This season, he is on pace to score more than 130 runs, with a 0.840 runs per game mark through his first 50. The last three Cubs players to cross the plate more than 130 times in a season were Augie Galan (133) in 1935, Billy Williams (137) in 1970, and Sammy Sosa (134) in 1998 and (146) in 2001.
But, the baseball season is a long grind, and scoring 130-plus runs can wreak havoc on a player’s body with the constant quick sprint action and sliding involved in circling the bases. With consistent longball power from Bryant and several teammates, it enables the All-Star third baseman to occasionally trot around the bases.
Bryant is among the league leaders in run scored because he not only uses his power, or benefits from a teammate’s longballs, but he uses his ability to get on base, use his deceptive leg speed and outstanding baserunning instincts.
For his career, Bryant owns a .387 on-base percentage and his 2019 reading is at .405 through May 26. “He gets on base a lot,” Maddon said, “and teams are aware of his speed and his ability to take extra bases, so that can disrupt a pitcher and a defense. Good baserunning is so important to winning ball games and I think we are one of the better teams in the league when it comes to moving our guys around the bases.”
So, if a player owns an almost run-per-game average at season’s end, it will merely be reaffirming their place among the best all-around players in the game today. The players with the highest runs-per-game averages (with a minimum of 40 games played) through May 26 are Anthony Rendon, Nationals (1.025), Cody Bellinger, Dodgers (.942), Christian Yelich, Brewers (.896), George Springer, Astros (.854), Trevor Story, Rockies (.846), Bryant, Cubs (.840), Joey Gallo, Rangers (.826), and Nolan Arenado, Rockies (.824).
If you look over the offensive statistics for all 30 teams in the majors, invariably the most valuable non-pitcher on each team is the one who has scored the most runs.
For Kris Bryant, his value to the Cubs keeps rising.
It’s a game of inches — and dollars. Get the latest sports news and analysis of valuations, signings and hirings, once a week in your inbox, from the Forbes SportsMoney Playbook newsletter. Sign up here.
