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On the one hand, free agency is an important right that grants players the power to choose their employer and negotiate a fair salary. On the other hand, job hunting is super, mega stressful. Players don’t need to rely on Nascar voodoo to make career choices. A more logical system is possible.
Specifically, a system to help players evaluate which teams tend to facilitate a player’s best on-field performance. After finding the difference in WAR600 for each player with one season on the team of interest and an adjacent season on some other team, the average difference (weighted by playing time) was calculated for each team. Difference in this case is defined as the percentage increase or decrease in WAR600 coming from another team to the team of interest.
Since the method discussed here is based on averages, an individual player’s mileage may vary. Grouping players based on skill profiles might provide more specialized insight, but team-level averages get a little shaky due to the small samples. The tables below rank teams according to the magnitude of their estimated impact on overall player performance expressed as a percentage increase or decrease; they also include a breakdown of their impact for three tiers of players divided up by WAR600.
Team Rankings, Pitchers
| Team | Overall WAR600 | < 1.0 WAR600 | 1.0-2.0 WAR600 | > 2.0 WAR600 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TBR | 10% | 23% | 1% | 0% |
| SFG | 7% | 14% | -3% | -4% |
Team Rankings, Hitters
| Team | Overall WAR600 | < 1.0 WAR600 | Between 1.0-2.0 WAR600 | > 2.0 WAR600 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TBR | 1% | 11% | 0% | -12% |
| BAL |
