1. What is Slugging Percentage?

Slugging percentage (SLG) is a baseball statistic that measures the power of a hitter by calculating total bases divided by at bats. Unlike batting average, it gives more weight to extra-base hits.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the slugging percentage formula:

Where:

• \( 1B \) — Singles
• \( 2B \) — Doubles
• \( 3B \) — Triples
• \( HR \) — Home Runs
• \( AB \) — At Bats

Explanation: Each type of hit is weighted by the number of bases gained (1 for single, 2 for double, etc.), then divided by total at bats.

3. Importance of Slugging Percentage

Details: SLG is a key metric for evaluating a player's power hitting ability. It's often combined with on-base percentage to calculate OPS (On-base Plus Slugging), a comprehensive offensive statistic.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the count of each type of hit (singles, doubles, triples, home runs) and total at bats. All values must be non-negative integers, and at bats must be greater than zero.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is a good slugging percentage?
A: In MLB, .450 is considered good, .550 is excellent, and .300 is poor. The league average typically ranges between .400-.420.

Q2: How does SLG differ from batting average?
A: Batting average counts all hits equally, while SLG weights hits by bases gained. A player with many extra-base hits will have a higher SLG than BA.

Q3: Can SLG be greater than 1.000?
A: No, the theoretical maximum is 4.000 (a home run every at bat), but in practice it rarely exceeds .800 over a full season.

Q4: Does SLG include walks?
A: No, walks are excluded from both the numerator and denominator. Only hits and at bats are considered.

Q5: Who has the highest career SLG?
A: Babe Ruth holds the career record with .6897. The active leader is Mike Trout with approximately .580 (as of 2023).