2015 Midseason First Base Rankings: Ranked by wRC+

I am taking a break from the Roto Roundup for a few days, so I will focus on midseason rankings. These rankings aren't my regular rankings. I am taking a different approach to the rankings for this version using the weighted runs created stat from FanGraphs. wRC+ is a good measure of how well a hitter has performed relative to his peers as well as the league, and is league and park adjusted.

Below is how FanGraphs defines wRC+:

Weighted Runs Created (wRC) is an improved version of Bill James' Runs Created (RC) statistic, which attempted to quantify a player's total offensive value and measure it by runs.  In Runs Created, instead of looking at a player's line and listing out all the details (e.g. 23 2B, 15 HR, 55 BB, 110 K, 19 SB, 5 CS), the information is synthesized into one metric in order to say, "Player X was worth 24 runs to his team last year."  While the idea was sound, James' formula has since been superseded by Tom Tango's wRC , which is based off Weighted On-Base Average (wOBA).

Similar to OPS+, Weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+) measures how a player's wRC compares with league average after controlling for park effects.  League average for position players is 100, and every point above 100 is a percentage point above league average. For example, a 125 wRC+ means a player created 25% more runs than a league average hitter would have in the same number of plate appearances. Similarly, every point below 100 is a percentage point below league average, so a 80 wRC+ means a player created 20% fewer runs than league average.

wRC+ is park and league-adjusted, allowing one to to compare players who played in different years, parks, and leagues.

More from FanGraphs on how to use the stat:

But as a general breakdown, this distribution works fine with wRC listed per 600 plate appearances. League average wRC+ will always be 100.

So, let's take a look at the first baseman ranked according to wRC+ through the first three months of the 2015 season:

Quick Thoughts

Paul Goldschmidt, Diamondbacks

Goldschmidt is having a monster season at the plate with 20 home runs, 54 runs scored, 62 RBI and 13 stolen bases (updated - 64 RBI and 15 stolen bases). He is on pace to hit 42 home runs and steal 32 bases at this point, and is my choice as the #1 fantasy hitter and should be the hands down #1 pick next season. Others will include Mike Trout and Bryce Harper in the overall #1 pick conversation, but Goldschmidt does it all, hitting for a high average, hitting for power and stealing bases. Harper and Trout aren't running as much as they use to, so they aren't in the conversation for me.

Mark Teixeira, Yankees

Well, Teixeira is making a lot of us fantasy writers look bad for not ranking him higher in our preseason rankings back in March. He currently ranks ninth in wRC+ among first baseman and that should rise after his 19th home run last night in Anaheim. He was a league average first baseman last season, but this season, he is not only hitting for more power, but his plate discipline has improved dramatically as well.

Jose Abreu, White Sox

Abreu is coming off a fantastic rookie season so expectations were high for a repeat of his .317-36-107 stat line. While he isn't a huge disappointment through the first three months, his power, hard hit % and plate discipline is down across the board. While he could put up a strong second half, he will be hard pressed to repeat the 36 home runs he hit last season.

Mitch Moreland, Rangers

Moreland is another surprise in the top 12 in these rankings, and he will probably move up after hitting two more home runs last night, giving him four in the last two days. After a down year in 2014, Moreland's power is back to the levels we saw from him in 2013, and he is on pace for career highs in home runs and RBI this season.

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