[BirdWatcher]

A feature I have been meaning to roll out for some time is periodic tools reports for the WPK. Today I am publishing the first of these, which looks at which players in the WPK have the best batting eye.
Just to explain the methodology a bit:
1) This is not a reporting of scouting ratings...
2) Nor is it just a stats based ranking.
3) The idea is to identify a subjective, but evidence-based, top 10 list for a specific baseball tool.
4) Some weight will be given to career stats but even more weight will be given to current stats and scouting perceptions. In other words, what have you done for me lately?

In the case of batting eye we have of course looked at the scouting EYE ratings for all WPK players, total walks for the 1977 season and career totals, OBP for 1977 and career- but particularly looking at the difference between batting average and OBP, and walk percentages. (And just a reminder: the WPK uses a 1-10 scouting rating.)

So without further ado, here are your top 10 players in the WPK in terms of batting eye:

10- Mike Wagner, Left fielder, Phoenix Speed Devils.
EYE rating=9. 1977 walks= 67, tied for 14th in WPK. 1977 OBP= .362, minus BA= 118. Career walks= 735, 15th most. Career walk %= 17.5.
Three-time All-Star Mike Wagner has walked more than 100 times in a season 4 times in his career, though he has never led the league in the category. He is a power-hitting, low contact hitter who has walked 228 more times in his career than he has struck out. Although he is only on track for 2.5 WAR this season, he is also on pace for 30 homers and 92 bases on balls. So a pretty typical season for the 30-year old fan favorite.

9- Bob Hernandez, First baseman, San Francisco Velocity. EYE rating=9. 1977 walks=55, outside of the top 20. 1977 OBP=.378, minus BA=119. Career walks= 937, 5th most. Career walk %=13.7.
36-year old power hitter Bob Hernandez has never walked more than 94 times in a single season (though he led the league in walks with 92 in 1965) but over the years he has proven to have one of the best approaches at the plate in the game, having walked 937 times while striking out 787 times. At 36 he appears to possibly be on his last legs, currently out with a concussion with no timeline on when he will return and considered wrecked in terms of his injury proneness. But even this year, prior to his injury, he was showing his great patience at the plate and is on this list primarily for his long track record in this regard and his continuing reputation.

8- Nate Bennett, First baseman, Los Angeles Spinners.
EYE rating=6. 1977 walks= 69, tied for 12th in WPK. 1977 OBP= .407, minus BA=94. Career walks= 986, 3rd most. Career walk %=11.6.
Another power hitter. Well, not another power hitter, but rather THE power hitter thus far in WPK history, with the career best total of 416. While Bennett has the lowest EYE rating according to the scouts of any player on this list, his career numbers and his 1977 performance indicates that he is better than his reputation in this area. Granted, he has never put together a 100 walk season with his best being a league leading 91 last season, but at age 38 he is still going strong and is on a 94 walk pace this year. And for a guy with over 400 homers to have walked more times in his career than he has struck out is impressive. For career totals and consistency, he belongs on the list.

7- Danny Salvador, First baseman, Brooklyn Aces.
EYE rating=9. 1977 walks= 69, tied for 12th. 1977 OBP= .375, minus BA=101. Career walks= 676, 19th most. Career walk%= 14.8.
Yup, another power hitter who walks far more than he strikes out. He has put together 4 100-walk seasons in his career and led the league 3 straight years (1973-1975). He is on pace for 94 more this season.

6- Chia-ch'ing Chou, Left fielder, Baltimore Lords.
EYE rating=9. 1977 walks= 55, outside of the top 20. 1977 OBP= .456, minus BA=105. Career walks= 147 (only in league 1 1/2 years). Career walk %= 16.2.
Chou only came to the WPK last season from Taiwan but when healthy he shows one of the best batting eye's in the game. He would likely be higher on the list if he had more WPK history.

5- Larry Leshane, Left fielder, Pittsburgh Roadrunners.

EYE rating=9. 1977 walks= 66, 15th most. 1977 OBP= .437, minus BA=109. Career walks= 78 (first full season in league). Career walk %=16.5.
And now we start getting into the budding potential portion of the rankings. Leshane is a rookie this year, having had a late season call-up in 1976, and he is already showing an impressive approach at the plate. There are concerns about his durability and his work habits, but for at least the next several years there is a good chance that Leshane will compete for the best OBP in the SJL.

4- Nick Haran, Right fielder, San Antonio Keys.

EYE rating=9. 1977 walks= 78, tied for 4th most. 1977 OBP=.385, minus BA=115. Career walks= 1,108, 2nd most. Career walk %=14.2.
Only one player thus far in the history of the WPK has collected more bases on balls than Nick Haran, and we will see that person still on this list, of course. At age 35 (he'll be 36 before the season ends), Haran is still a tremendous player, on pace for 5.1 WAR this season. The biggest concern with Haran is his health (Wrecked), but if he can stay in the lineup he is on pace for not only 26 homers but 106 walks. It would be his 5th season with 100 plus walks in his career if he can get there. He has led the league in this category twice.

3- Matt Van der Heyden, Center fielder, Pittsburgh Roadrunners.

EYE rating=10. 1977 walks= 53, outside of the top 20. 1977 OBP= .427, minus BA=132. Career walks= 53 (first year rookie). Career walk %=18.8.
If and when this list is compiled two or three years in the future, it is a safe bet that this guy will be in the top spot. Although he isn't among the league leaders in walks this season, he has an impressive 18.8 walk % and his OBP is 132 points higher than his batting average. He is one of only two players who the scouts consider a perfect 10 in terms of EYE rating. And he's just a fabulous all-around player who is quickly becoming one of the biggest stars in the game.

2- Josh Schaeffer, Right fielder, Denver Brewers.

EYE rating=9. 1977 walks= 81, most in the WPK. 1977 OBP= .458, minus BA=144. Career walks= 404. Career walk %=17.3.
Schaeffer was never considered a top prospect coming up through the Brewers farm system, but in his 4 1/2 seasons as a starter with the club he has emerged as one of their most consistent players and arguably the best OBP guy in the game. Many might argue that there is a strong case for this guy being at the top of this list. His OBP leads all of the WPK this year, he led the league in walks last season with a tremendous 122 total, his career walk % is phenomenal.Among qualifying batters in the WPK with a .400 OBP or better, Schaeffer leads the pack in terms of OBP minus BA at 144. Because of the emergence of Van der Heyden, Schaeffer may never make the top spot on this list, but at age 28 he has certainly earned the reputation of having one of the best batting eyes in the game. (Also, in spite of his propensity to strike out a bit, he has 100 more walks than strikeouts in his short career thus far.)

1- Ryan Rodgers, Right fielder, Brooklyn Aces.

EYE rating=10. 1977 walks=78, tied for 4th most. 1977 OBP= .440, minus BA= 114. Career walks= 1,233, most in WPK history. Career walk %=16.7.
And finally, at #1 on this list, is former Brewers superstar outfielder Ryan Rodgers, who at age 38 is still considered by scouts to have the best eye in the business, with the possible exception of young Matt Van der Heyden. Rodgers career walk total of 1,233 almost surely has hurt his chances of getting to 3,000 career hits (he only just cracked 2,000 recently) but he is almost surely a Hall of Famer. He has led the league in walks 4 times, drawn over 100 walks 5 seasons, led the league in OBP 7 times. And even at his advanced age he is on pace to walk 106 times this season. Though Van der Heyden and Schaeffer are giving him a good run for his money, Ryan Rodgers remains the WPK player with the distinction of having the best batting eye.