Sports: The Average Baseball Player by Year

Below is a table marking the stats of the "average player" for each Major League Baseball season since 1876. The statistics were determined as follows:

1) Use league AVG, OBP, SLG and OBP;
2) Find average rate of other cumulative stats by dividing total stat by total plate appearances;
3) Find the average player's plate appearances (details below);
4) Find average player's stats by applying rate as determined in #2 to plate appearances in #3.

The average player's plate appearances are found by:

1) Multiply number of offensive players in a starting lineup by number of teams to get total starting offensive positions (for example, (8 X 16) + (9 X 14) for 2009 (this is the total number of starting offensive positions that season -- we'll call it S);
2) Since S refers to the total number of starting offensive positions, we'll want to find the average plate appearances for the top S players.

Back to the example in 2009, there were a total of 254 starting positions. We would then list the top 254 players in plate appearances for that season and find the average of that number.

Once we apply the league average rate for cumulative stats to this number, we will get a much more realistic number for what to expect from the average player during that season.

Year	PA	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
2009	538.4	64.5	125.3	14.5	61.5	8.5	96.7	.262	.333	.418	.751
2008	532.0	64.0	124.7	13.8	61.1	7.9	93.3	.264	.333	.416	.749
2007	544.3	67.3	129.8	14.3	64.2	8.4	92.9	.268	.336	.423	.758
2006	548.1	68.8	131.4	15.7	65.6	8.1	92.3	.269	.337	.432	.768
2005	537.0	64.4	126.8	14.5	61.3	7.4	88.3	.264	.330	.419	.749
2004	543.6	67.4	128.4	15.7	64.2	7.5	91.8	.266	.335	.428	.763
2003	539.5	66.1	126.8	15.0	63.0	7.4	88.7	.264	.333	.422	.755
2002	538.3	64.6	124.8	14.6	61.5	7.9	90.6	.261	.331	.417	.748
2001	538.7	66.8	126.4	15.7	63.6	8.9	93.4	.264	.332	.427	.759
2000	543.9	71.4	129.4	16.3	67.9	8.4	89.7	.270	.345	.437	.782
1999	538.9	70.2	128.8	15.7	66.7	9.7	88.4	.271	.345	.434	.778
1998	538.5	66.6	127.3	14.5	63.2	9.4	91.2	.266	.335	.420	.755
1997	534.2	65.8	126.2	14.1	62.3	10.1	91.1	.267	.337	.419	.756
1996	539.2	69.5	128.8	15.1	65.6	9.9	89.2	.270	.340	.427	.767
1995	474.9	59.3	112.1	12.4	55.9	8.9	77.1	.267	.338	.417	.755
1994	391.7	49.6	93.6	10.4	46.8	7.1	62.2	.270	.339	.424	.763
1993	532.1	63.6	125.3	12.3	59.7	9.9	80.2	.265	.332	.403	.736
1992	518.0	56.0	117.9	9.8	52.5	10.5	76.0	.256	.322	.377	.700
1991	517.5	58.4	117.7	10.9	54.9	10.0	78.5	.256	.323	.385	.708
1990	522.1	58.4	119.9	10.8	54.7	10.7	77.7	.258	.325	.385	.710
1989	519.0	56.4	117.7	10.0	52.6	10.1	76.7	.254	.320	.375	.695
1988	523.5	57.1	119.1	10.4	53.3	10.8	76.7	.254	.318	.378	.696
1987	530.5	65.2	124.2	14.6	61.3	11.7	82.3	.263	.331	.415	.747
1986	522.9	60.3	119.9	12.4	56.6	10.8	80.3	.258	.326	.395	.721
1985	531.9	60.4	122.0	12.0	56.8	10.3	74.5	.257	.323	.391	.714
1984	523.6	58.4	121.9	10.6	54.7	9.9	73.4	.260	.323	.385	.708
1983	527.2	59.6	122.9	10.8	56.0	10.9	71.3	.261	.325	.389	.714
1982	539.3	60.6	126.1	11.3	57.0	10.6	71.0	.261	.324	.389	.713
1981	355.7	37.5	81.2	6.0	35.1	6.8	44.5	.256	.320	.369	.689
1980	522.6	58.5	123.7	10.0	54.9	10.7	65.5	.265	.326	.388	.714
1979	534.7	62.4	126.4	11.4	58.6	9.9	66.8	.265	.330	.397	.727
1978	534.5	57.9	122.6	9.9	54.1	10.1	67.4	.258	.323	.379	.702
1977	542.9	63.2	127.8	12.2	59.1	10.1	73.0	.264	.329	.401	.730
1976	525.7	55.2	119.7	8.0	51.2	10.9	66.8	.255	.320	.361	.681
1975	529.3	58.0	120.6	9.6	54.0	9.0	68.7	.258	.327	.374	.701
1974	536.7	57.9	122.5	9.6	53.6	9.0	70.3	.257	.324	.369	.693
1973	530.5	58.4	121.3	11.1	54.4	7.3	72.6	.257	.325	.379	.704
1972	502.2	49.2	109.2	9.1	45.8	6.5	74.4	.244	.311	.354	.664
1971	519.7	53.4	115.3	10.1	49.9	6.3	74.2	.249	.317	.365	.682
1970	538.5	60.9	121.0	12.4	56.8	6.9	80.7	.254	.326	.385	.711
1969	558.3	59.7	122.8	11.8	55.2	7.0	84.7	.248	.320	.369	.689
1968	521.3	47.9	110.9	8.6	44.5	6.5	82.6	.237	.299	.340	.639
1967	526.5	52.8	114.4	9.9	48.7	5.9	83.9	.242	.306	.357	.664
1966	535.3	56.7	119.7	12.1	52.8	6.4	82.7	.249	.310	.376	.686
1965	538.7	56.8	118.3	11.8	52.7	6.4	84.6	.246	.311	.372	.683
1964	536.1	57.2	120.6	12.0	53.3	5.1	83.7	.250	.313	.378	.690
1963	536.8	56.1	118.7	11.9	52.2	5.4	82.4	.246	.309	.372	.681
1962	552.3	64.1	126.5	13.3	60.1	6.0	77.9	.258	.326	.393	.719
1961	526.8	62.2	120.5	13.1	58.0	5.0	71.9	.258	.328	.399	.727
1960	514.3	57.9	116.3	11.5	54.1	5.0	69.5	.255	.324	.388	.712
1959	510.6	58.5	116.6	12.1	54.9	4.6	67.9	.257	.324	.392	.716
1958	505.9	56.8	116.2	12.0	53.5	4.0	65.7	.258	.325	.394	.719
1957	516.2	57.6	118.3	11.9	54.2	4.2	64.7	.258	.324	.391	.715
1956	530.7	61.5	120.7	12.8	57.6	4.0	64.1	.258	.331	.397	.729
1955	517.7	60.3	117.7	12.1	56.6	3.8	58.9	.259	.332	.394	.726
1954	534.9	60.6	122.7	10.8	56.9	3.9	57.2	.261	.333	.390	.723
1953	539.9	64.7	127.1	11.7	60.6	3.8	57.8	.264	.336	.397	.733
1952	518.7	56.6	116.4	9.3	52.9	4.2	56.8	.253	.327	.370	.696
1951	523.2	61.4	120.9	10.2	57.4	4.7	50.9	.261	.336	.386	.722
1950	536.9	66.9	125.6	11.5	62.7	3.6	53.2	.266	.346	.402	.748
1949	514.8	61.1	118.6	9.1	57.0	3.9	47.9	.263	.344	.384	.728
1948	522.8	61.8	121.4	8.5	57.8	4.4	49.2	.263	.341	.382	.723
1947	531.9	60.4	122.7	8.7	56.4	4.2	51.1	.261	.336	.377	.713
1946	487.8	51.1	110.6	6.2	47.2	4.5	49.7	.256	.328	.360	.688
1945	512.7	55.6	118.9	5.4	51.4	5.3	43.5	.260	.329	.355	.684
1944	528.5	57.2	123.3	5.7	52.9	5.1	45.2	.260	.326	.358	.684
1943	528.0	53.8	119.2	5.0	49.7	5.6	47.5	.253	.323	.344	.667
1942	526.6	56.0	118.7	6.0	51.5	5.4	46.7	.253	.323	.350	.674
1941	544.5	63.0	127.1	7.5	58.3	5.0	49.8	.262	.334	.375	.709
1940	545.6	65.8	130.9	8.9	60.9	5.4	51.5	.267	.334	.392	.726
1939	514.8	63.7	125.4	7.8	59.3	5.1	45.6	.275	.344	.397	.740
1938	547.2	68.7	133.7	8.5	64.5	5.1	47.8	.274	.343	.396	.739
1937	543.4	68.2	134.3	8.1	63.3	5.8	50.9	.277	.343	.399	.742
1936	563.4	73.9	143.1	7.9	68.7	5.5	47.4	.284	.349	.404	.753
1935	549.0	68.6	137.4	7.6	63.7	5.0	45.7	.279	.341	.397	.738
1934	534.5	67.1	134.0	7.5	62.7	5.1	47.2	.279	.342	.397	.738
1933	547.6	63.6	132.9	6.2	59.1	5.0	43.1	.270	.330	.376	.706
1932	544.5	68.3	135.9	7.7	63.6	5.6	44.4	.277	.337	.400	.737
1931	530.0	65.6	132.6	5.9	60.9	6.0	43.5	.278	.339	.391	.730
1930	538.3	75.8	141.7	8.7	70.6	6.0	43.9	.296	.356	.434	.790
1929	549.3	72.7	140.5	7.7	67.3	7.6	39.8	.289	.353	.417	.770
1928	528.3	64.4	131.2	6.0	59.4	7.0	39.2	.281	.344	.397	.741
1927	529.7	65.1	132.8	5.1	59.6	8.0	38.2	.284	.345	.393	.738
1926	529.1	63.6	130.7	4.8	58.1	7.1	37.7	.281	.345	.389	.733
1925	518.6	67.9	134.3	6.3	61.6	7.5	35.9	.292	.354	.411	.765
1924	527.2	64.8	134.3	5.0	58.7	8.3	36.7	.287	.348	.394	.742
1923	542.8	67.0	136.7	5.5	60.2	8.8	39.6	.284	.347	.391	.738
1922	552.9	69.3	141.5	6.1	62.0	8.3	40.0	.288	.348	.401	.749
1921	552.8	69.0	143.4	5.4	62.0	8.6	40.3	.291	.348	.403	.750
1920	544.4	61.9	133.9	3.6	53.8	9.9	41.7	.276	.335	.372	.707
1919	483.8	50.0	113.2	2.6	42.8	12.0	39.5	.263	.322	.348	.670
1918	431.1	41.9	97.0	1.3	35.2	11.3	33.6	.254	.317	.325	.642
1917	525.6	50.8	115.7	1.9	42.9	13.7	49.3	.249	.311	.324	.635
1916	517.8	49.8	113.6	2.1	42.1	15.4	53.4	.248	.312	.326	.638
1915	524.1	53.9	115.4	2.4	45.4	15.6	53.1	.250	.318	.332	.650
1914	524.0	54.8	117.4	2.7	46.1	17.3	55.7	.254	.321	.337	.659
1913	512.9	55.7	117.5	2.6	46.7	18.2	51.9	.259	.325	.345	.670
1912	513.7	61.5	121.5	2.4	51.5	18.7	25.5	.269	.337	.359	.695
1911	527.8	62.8	123.3	2.9	52.4	19.1	27.0	.266	.336	.357	.693
1910	525.1	54.2	115.1	2.0	44.5	18.5	25.0	.249	.318	.326	.644
1909	504.0	48.7	108.9	1.4	39.5	16.9	0.0	.244	.306	.311	.618
1908	519.9	48.3	110.7	1.5	39.2	15.7	0.0	.239	.297	.305	.602
1907	521.0	50.5	114.4	1.4	41.1	16.1	0.0	.245	.305	.309	.614
1906	514.9	51.0	113.4	1.5	41.7	17.2	0.0	.247	.306	.314	.621
1905	531.3	56.0	118.1	2.0	46.2	17.1	0.0	.248	.307	.323	.630
1904	534.2	54.6	119.4	1.9	44.5	16.3	0.0	.247	.301	.321	.622
1903	500.6	59.2	118.5	2.0	48.8	16.4	0.0	.262	.317	.346	.664
1902	497.1	58.4	120.0	2.1	48.7	15.8	0.0	.267	.322	.344	.665
1901	507.2	66.0	124.9	2.7	54.5	17.0	0.0	.272	.327	.360	.686
1900	504.3	68.8	126.7	2.9	57.1	19.6	0.0	.279	.339	.366	.705
1899	527.2	72.8	133.6	2.6	60.2	20.1	0.0	.282	.343	.366	.710
1898	549.9	71.8	133.3	2.4	60.0	16.3	0.0	.271	.334	.347	.681
1897	490.3	73.9	128.1	2.9	62.1	20.9	0.0	.292	.354	.386	.741
1896	485.6	74.6	125.9	3.2	62.7	23.9	27.5	.290	.354	.387	.741
1895	503.5	83.3	133.2	3.8	69.8	23.0	28.6	.296	.361	.400	.761
1894	517.3	95.0	143.8	5.1	80.5	25.3	26.9	.309	.379	.435	.814
1893	509.1	82.5	127.2	3.7	68.4	22.0	26.7	.280	.356	.379	.736
1892	552.6	73.5	122.3	3.3	57.6	25.0	46.7	.245	.317	.327	.644
1891	501.6	73.2	114.1	3.4	57.7	24.1	44.3	.254	.332	.343	.675
1890	487.3	74.7	113.7	2.9	56.8	26.5	25.4	.260	.337	.351	.688
1889	514.6	79.0	122.4	4.1	62.3	29.3	46.7	.263	.333	.357	.690
1888	472.8	62.0	105.1	3.0	46.9	30.7	23.3	.239	.291	.320	.611
1887	486.7	80.1	120.8	3.6	62.0	37.9	16.8	.271	.332	.374	.705
1886	470.3	68.7	107.3	2.5	49.2	19.4	25.4	.246	.303	.332	.634
1885	400.7	55.9	92.1	1.9	39.0	0.0	20.1	.244	.288	.325	.613
1884	355.1	51.8	82.3	2.1	15.2	0.0	13.4	.243	.279	.327	.606
1883	384.4	57.9	95.0	1.5	29.0	0.0	18.4	.257	.286	.345	.631
1882	314.0	44.3	75.1	1.3	24.2	0.0	15.7	.248	.276	.330	.606
1881	322.1	43.4	80.3	1.0	31.5	0.0	22.6	.260	.290	.338	.628
1880	320.3	40.8	76.1	0.8	28.4	0.0	25.5	.245	.267	.320	.587
1879	316.4	43.7	79.2	0.7	30.2	0.0	23.6	.255	.271	.329	.599
1878	250.2	34.0	63.2	0.4	23.8	0.0	19.3	.259	.279	.319	.598
1877	249.6	36.3	66.0	0.4	25.1	0.0	12.9	.271	.289	.338	.627
1876	272.5	40.8	71.1	0.5	26.4	0.0	7.8	.265	.277	.321	.598