# Range factor

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Baseball statistic

**Range Factor** (commonly abbreviated **RF**) is a [baseball statistic](/source/Baseball_statistics) developed by [Bill James](/source/Bill_James). It is calculated by dividing [putouts](/source/Putout) and [assists](/source/Assist_(baseball)) by the number of [innings](/source/Inning) or games played at a given defense [position](/source/Baseball_positions).[1] The statistic is premised on the notion that the total number of outs in which a player participates is more relevant in evaluating that player's defensive play than the percentage of cleanly handled chances as calculated by the conventional statistic [fielding percentage](/source/Fielding_percentage).

However, some positions (especially [first baseman](/source/First_baseman)) may have substantially more putouts because of a superior infield around them that commits fewer [errors](/source/Error_(baseball)) and turns many [double plays](/source/Double_play), allowing them to receive credit for more putouts. Also, [catchers](/source/Catcher) who have many strikeout [pitchers](/source/Pitcher) on their team will have a high range factor, because the catcher gets the putout on a strikeout if the batter does not reach base.

## All-time single-season leaders

- **Note:** *All-time single-season leaders are listed according to Range Factor by games played (A + PO) / G. Yearly leaders listed above from 2001–present are listed according to Range Factor per nine innings 9 *(A + PO)/ Inn. Because the latter statistic is unavailable for older players, the former figure is used below to ensure use of comparable data for the all time single season leaders. The figures set forth below are verified from [Baseball-Reference.com](https://www.baseball-reference.com).*

### First base (minimum 80 games)

1. [Jiggs Donahue](/source/Jiggs_Donahue): 12.65 (Chicago White Sox, 1907)

1. [Jiggs Donahue](/source/Jiggs_Donahue): 12.35 (Chicago White Sox, 1908)

1. [Phil Todt](/source/Phil_Todt): 12.21 (Boston Red Sox, 1926)

1. [George Burns](/source/George_Burns_(first_baseman)): 12.10 (Detroit Tigers, 1914)

1. [Stuffy McInnis](/source/Stuffy_McInnis): 12.10 (Boston Red Sox, 1918)

### Second base (minimum 80 games)

1. [Fred Pfeffer](/source/Fred_Pfeffer): 7.29 (Chicago White Stockings, 1884)

1. [Jack Burdock](/source/Jack_Burdock): 7.18 (Boston Red Caps, 1879)

1. [Joe Quest](/source/Joe_Quest): 7.16 (Chicago White Stockings, 1879)

1. [Pop Smith](/source/Pop_Smith): 7.13 (Pittsburgh Alleghenys, 1885)

1. [Bid McPhee](/source/Bid_McPhee): 7.09 (Cincinnati Red Stockings, 1886)

### Shortstop (minimum 80 games)

1. [Hughie Jennings](/source/Hughie_Jennings): 6.73 (Baltimore Orioles, 1895)

1. [George Davis](/source/George_Davis_(shortstop)): 6.69 (New York Giants, 1899)

1. [Dave Bancroft](/source/Dave_Bancroft): 6.62 (Philadelphia Phillies, 1918)

1. [Hughie Jennings](/source/Hughie_Jennings): 6.56 (Baltimore Orioles, 1896)

1. [Hughie Jennings](/source/Hughie_Jennings): 6.55 (Baltimore Orioles, 1897)

### Third base (minimum 80 games)

1. [Billy Shindle](/source/Billy_Shindle): 4.34 (Baltimore Orioles, 1892)

1. [Jumbo Davis](/source/Jumbo_Davis): 4.33 (Kansas City Cowboys, 1888)

1. [Billy Alvord](/source/Billy_Alvord): 4.31 (Cleveland Spiders/Washington Statesmen, 1891)

1. [Bill Bradley](/source/Bill_Bradley): 4.29 (Chicago Orphans, 1900)

1. [Jimmy Collins](/source/Jimmy_Collins): 4.26 (Boston Beaneaters, 1896)

### Pitcher (minimum 250 innings pitched)

1. [Harry Howell](/source/Harry_Howell_(baseball)): 5.24 ([St. Louis Browns](/source/St._Louis_Browns), 1905)

1. [Harry Howell](/source/Harry_Howell_(baseball)): 4.97 ([St. Louis Browns](/source/St._Louis_Browns), 1904)

1. [Ed Walsh](/source/Ed_Walsh): 4.68 ([Chicago White Sox](/source/Chicago_White_Sox), 1907)

1. [Will White](/source/Will_White): 4.56 ([Cincinnati Red Stockings](/source/Cincinnati_Red_Stockings), 1882)

1. [George Mullin](/source/George_Mullin_(baseball)): 4.24 ([Detroit Tigers](/source/Detroit_Tigers), 1904)

1. [Nick Altrock](/source/Nick_Altrock): 4.21 ([Chicago White Sox](/source/Chicago_White_Sox), 1905)

1. [Tony Mullane](/source/Tony_Mullane): 4.20 ([Louisville Eclipse](/source/Louisville_Eclipse), 1882)

1. [Willie Sudhoff](/source/Willie_Sudhoff): 4.19 ([St. Louis Browns](/source/St._Louis_Browns), 1904)

1. [Red Donahue](/source/Red_Donahue): 4.14 ([St. Louis Browns](/source/St._Louis_Browns), 1902)

1. [Nick Altrock](/source/Nick_Altrock): 4.13 ([Chicago White Sox](/source/Chicago_White_Sox), 1904)

### Catcher (minimum 81 games)

1. [Buster Posey](/source/Buster_Posey): 9.23 (San Francisco Giants, 2021)

1. [Damian Miller](/source/Damian_Miller): 8.89 (Chicago Cubs, 2003)

1. [Damian Miller](/source/Damian_Miller): 8.64 (Arizona Diamondbacks, 2001)

1. [Barney Gilligan](/source/Barney_Gilligan): 8.63 (Providence Grays, 1884)

1. [Michael Barrett](/source/Michael_Barrett_(baseball)): 8.32 (Chicago Cubs, 2004)

1. [Duffy Dyer](/source/Duffy_Dyer): 8.25 (New York Mets, 1972)

1. [Javy López](/source/Javy_L%C3%B3pez): 8.17 (Atlanta Braves, 1998)

1. [Joe Azcue](/source/Joe_Azcue): 8.06 (Cleveland Indians, 1967)

1. [Mike Piazza](/source/Mike_Piazza): 8.05 (Los Angeles Dodgers, 1997)

1. [Johnny Edwards](/source/Johnny_Edwards_(baseball)): 8.04 (Houston Astros, 1969)

### Right field (minimum 80 games)

1. [Babe Herman](/source/Babe_Herman): 2.81 (Cincinnati Reds, 1932)

1. [Harry Heilmann](/source/Harry_Heilmann): 2.78 (Cincinnati Reds, 1930)

1. [Paul Waner](/source/Paul_Waner): 2.68 (Pittsburgh Pirates, 1931)

1. [Al Kaline](/source/Al_Kaline): 2.63 (Detroit Tigers, 1961)

1. [Dave Parker](/source/Dave_Parker): 2.63 (Pittsburgh Pirates, 1977)

1. [Chuck Klein](/source/Chuck_Klein): 2.60 (Philadelphia Phillies, 1930)

1. [Roberto Clemente](/source/Roberto_Clemente): 2.58 (Pittsburgh Pirates, 1957)

1. [Dwight Evans](/source/Dwight_Evans_(Baseball)): 2.57 (Boston Red Sox, 1975)

1. [Tony Armas](/source/Tony_Armas): 2.53 (Oakland Athletics, 1982)

### Center field (minimum 80 games)

1. [Taylor Douthit](/source/Taylor_Douthit): 3.62 (St. Louis Cardinals, 1928)

1. [Richie Ashburn](/source/Richie_Ashburn): 3.59 (Philadelphia Phillies, 1951)

1. [Thurman Tucker](/source/Thurman_Tucker): 3.55 (Chicago White Sox, 1944)

1. [Kirby Puckett](/source/Kirby_Puckett): 3.55 (Minnesota Twins, 1984)

1. [Chet Lemon](/source/Chet_Lemon): 3.52 (Chicago White Sox, 1977)

1. [Irv Noren](/source/Irv_Noren): 3.45 (Washington Senators, 1951)

1. [Mike Cameron](/source/Mike_Cameron): 3.42 (Seattle Mariners, 2003)

1. [Richie Ashburn](/source/Richie_Ashburn): 3.42 (Philadelphia Phillies, 1949)

1. [Carden Gillenwater](/source/Carden_Gillenwater): 3.39 (Boston Braves, 1945)

1. [Sam West](/source/Sam_West): 3.38 (St. Louis Browns, 1935)

1. [Richie Ashburn](/source/Richie_Ashburn): 3.34 (Philadelphia Phillies, 1956)

### Left field (minimum 80 games)

1. [Rickey Henderson](/source/Rickey_Henderson) 3.12 (Oakland Athletics, 1981)

1. [Ed Delahanty](/source/Ed_Delahanty): 2.98 (Philadelphia Phillies, 1893)

1. [Joe Vosmik](/source/Joe_Vosmik): 2.90 (Cleveland Indians, 1932)

1. [Ed Delahanty](/source/Ed_Delahanty): 2.83 (Philadelphia Phillies, 1896)

1. [Fred Clarke](/source/Fred_Clarke): 2.76 (Louisville Colonels, 1895)

1. [Charlie Jamieson](/source/Charlie_Jamieson): 2.74 (Cleveland Indians, 1928)

1. [Goose Goslin](/source/Goose_Goslin): 2.73 (Washington Senators, 1925)

1. [Bobby Veach](/source/Bobby_Veach): 2.72 (Detroit Tigers, 1921)

1. [Elmer Valo](/source/Elmer_Valo): 2.69 (Philadelphia Athletics, 1949)

1. [Al Simmons](/source/Al_Simmons): 2.67 (Chicago White Sox, 1933)

## Sources

- [Baseball-Reference.com (Career Leaders & Records for Range Factor/9Inn as SS)](https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/range_factor_per_nine_ss_career.shtml)

- [Baseball Almanac](http://www.baseball-almanac.com)

- [ESPN.com](https://www.espn.com/)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Baseball-Reference.com (Fielding Stats Glossary)](https://www.baseball-reference.com/about/field_glossary.shtml)

v t e Baseball statistics Batting Batting average On-base percentage Slugging percentage Hit Single Double Triple Home run Extra-base hit Grand slam Total bases RBI Game-winning RBI Walk Bunt Sacrifice bunt Sacrifice fly On-base plus slugging Times on base Walk-to-strikeout ratio Walk percentage Base running Run Stolen base Stolen base percentage Caught stealing Pitching Win–loss record Innings pitched Save Hold Run Earned ERA Strikeout Looking Walk Perfect game No-hitter WHIP BB/9 K/9 Quality start Complete game Shutout Wild pitch Strikeout-to-walk ratio Maddux Fielding Fielding percentage Assist Putout Error Total chances Fielder's choice Defensive indifference Passed ball Sabermetrics Adjusted ERA+ Base runs Batting average on balls in play Batting park factor Catcher's ERA Defensive Runs Saved Exit velocity Extrapolated Runs Fielding independent pitching Game score Isolated power Jaffe Wins Above Replacement Score Pop time Power–speed number Range factor Runs created Runs produced Secondary average Speed Score NERD Out of zone plays made Ultimate zone rating Value over replacement player Weighted on-base average Wins above replacement Win probability added Win Shares

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Range factor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Range_factor) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Range_factor?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.