NEWS: MLB will integrate Negro League records into its statistical database on Wednesday.
With that change, Josh Gibson will replace Ty Cobb as baseball's all-time batting leader in the official records.
I thought they had done this a few years ago, but they had simply classified the Negro Leagues as MLB equivalent. Turns out they've been spending the last few years getting stats and validating things.
As a stat nerd, I have no problem with this, it's better to include them than not. None of them had much volume in official games, as most of their numbers came in unofficial games, barnstorming, etc., and MLB didn't include that.
I get it. It's a good thing. I'm on board.
BUT
there's one radical statistical discrepancy with the Negro League data: strikeouts
.
Joe Sewell and Tris Speaker were 1st and 2nd all-time in walks per strikeout, with about 7 and 6, respectively.
Now, they're 71st and 74th.
Here are some BB & K numbers:
Josh Gibson: 359 & 11
Most everyone would agree Gibson was probably one of the best baseball players of all-time. But 11 Ks and 359 walks? C'mon, man.
Turkey Stearns with 424 walks to 5 strikeouts? Stop.
Willie Keeler, of the Dodgers, had a lifetime 524 and 36. That's insane enough. But it's dwarfed by some of the Negro League guys.
I believe the walk totals, but the strikeouts are a joke.
Stearns with 5 Ks in 3837 ABs is obviously skewed. But instead of just saying "we couldn't find valid data," they included it and said it's fine.
I'd rather they just have left it blank.
