Player of the Game criteria?

[Folderol]

Just played a Met game where Matt Harvey threw 8 innings of two-hit, shutout ball, Wilmer Flores hit for the cycle in 5AB with 2 rbi, but it was Juan Lagares with a 4-for-6 day (2hr, 2 singles, 4rbi) that got the honors.

With all three players legitimate contenders, what was the tipping point for Lagares?

[dynaboyj]

It's based on game score. From Baseball Reference:

GmSc - Game Score - This is a value created by Bill James that evaluates how good a pitcher's start was.

Start with 50 points. Add 1 point for each out recorded, (or 3 points per inning). Add 2 points for each inning completed after the 4th. Add 1 point for each strikeout. Subtract 2 points for each hit allowed. Subtract 4 points for each earned run allowed. Subtract 2 points for each unearned run allowed. Subtract 1 point for each walk.

Batting Game Score - This is a value also created by Bill James, but not nearly as widely known. I've modified it. My goal is to identify the heroes and anti-heroes from each day and highlight them, so feel free to quibble with the weighting.

Start with 0 points. Add 40 points for a cycle, 30 for a 3-HR game and 10 for a 2-HR game. Add 1 point for each run, RBI, 2B, SB, BB, and HBP recorded. Add 2.5 for each hit, 3 for each 3B and 4 for each HR. Subtract 1 for each CS and GIDP, subtract 2 for each error, 0.2 for each SO and 0.5 for each AB. I should have LOB's in here somewhere, but I don't track that in my player gamelogs since no one can agree on a definition.

Game score is also viewable in the Top Game Performances page. Generally, a pitcher who did well will get the highest game score and therefore the award, but as shown in yours, a game like Lagares' can get a batter the award.

[ToTheBackstop]

For what it's worth, OOTP uses a different method to calculate Batting Game Score than the BBref formula:

- 8 points per hit
- 7 points per run
- 7 points per RBI
- 5 points per homer
- 5 points per walk
- subtract 4 points per out

[Number4]

I'd give it to the pitcher. With 2 outstanding offensive players, their individual performance wasn't as important to the win as the shutout was. "Mere" 8 innings tarnished it a bit though.
But for the hitters, Lagrages had the better performance - his 2 hr and 2 single produce more value than the cycle, even with an extra out. RBIs are more luck by having teammates in the right position, except the homers of course.

[Number4]

Well, I've found other run values for single, 2b, 3b and HR, which would make the cycler better. Maybe the RBIs made the difference...