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 achieved (1 for single, 2 for double, etc.), then divided by total at bats.

3. Importance of SLG in Baseball

Details: Slugging Percentage is a key metric for evaluating a player's hitting power. It's often used alongside On-Base Percentage (OBP) 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 .650+ is elite. The league average typically ranges between .400-.420.

Q2: How does SLG differ from batting average?
A: Batting average treats all hits equally, while SLG weights them by bases gained. A single and home run both count as 1 hit for BA, but 1 vs 4 bases for SLG.

Q3: Can SLG be higher than 1.000?
A: Yes, though rare. This would mean a player averages more than one base per at bat (e.g., 2 home runs in 5 at bats = 8/5 = 1.600 SLG).

Q4: Does SLG include walks?
A: No, walks don't count in SLG calculation since they're not at bats. They're included in On-Base Percentage (OBP).

Q5: Who has the highest career SLG in MLB history?
A: Babe Ruth holds the record with a .6897 career SLG. Barry Bonds has the single-season record (.863 in 2001).