Dominance Factor (DF) = (Strikeout Percentage + Groundball Percentage – Walk Percentage) + ((Age-Level standard – actual age) *10)
Age-Level standard is an age that I assigned to each level in the minor leagues. The ages I chose are an approximate of what I believe to be average ages for an elite prospect in each league. Groundball percentages from Firstinning.com.
Age-Level standards:
Low-A = 20.0
High-A = 21.0
AA = 22.5
AAA = 24.0
I used weighted averages to calculate Age-Level standards for players who have spent time at more than one level this season -- the same goes for K, BB, and GB%.
Here is an example Dominance Factor calculation:
Trevor Cahill DOB: 3/1/1988 (age: 20.2), 7.5 BB%, 31.1 K%, 63 GB%, 68.2 IP
31.1 K% + 63 GB% - 7.5 BB% = 88.6
(21 (A+) – 20.2 = .8) *10 = 8
86.6 + 8 = 94.6 DF
Cahill's score is outstanding. He leads all minor leaguers with 30.0+ innings pitched. Max Scherzer is the only player with a DF over 100 this season, as he truly dominated AAA in 23.0 innings this year.
The following is the Top 25 Dominance Factors in the minor leagues in 2008 to this point (Min 30.0 innings):
| Top 25 Dominance Factors for 2008 | |||||||||||
| Player | DF | Age | IP | Org | Lvl | BB% | K% | GB% | RD% | AgeLvl | AgeMod |
| 1. Trevor Cahill | 94.6 | 20.2 | 68.2 | OAK | A+ | 7.5 | 31.1 | 63.0 | 86.6 | 21.0 | 8 |
| 2. Rick Porcello | 92.7 | 19.4 | 58.0 | DET | A+ | 5.8 | 14.5 | 68.0 | 76.7 | 21.0 | 16 |
| 3. Jaime Garcia | 90.2 | 21.8 | 64.0 | STL | AAA | 8.6 | 23.8 | 61.0 | 76.2 | 23.2 | 14 |
| 4. Clayton Kershaw | 89.3 | 20.1 | 43.1 | LAD | AA | 8.6 | 26.9 | 47.0 | 65.3 | 22.5 | 24 |
| 5. Madison Bumgarner | 87.9 | 18.8 | 51.1 | SF | A | 4.3 | 28.2 | 52.0 | 75.9 | 20.0 | 12 |
| 6. Brett Anderson | 83.7 | 20.3 | 44.1 | OAK | A+ | 7.1 | 22.8 | 61.0 | 76.7 | 21.0 | 7 |
| 7. Jonathon Niese | 79.6 | 21.5 | 53.2 | NYM | AA | 9.4 | 20.0 | 59.0 | 69.6 | 22.5 | 10 |
| 8. Phillipe Aumont | 78.7 | 19.3 | 36.0 | SEA | A | 7.6 | 24.3 | 55.0 | 71.7 | 20.0 | 7 |
| 9. Jhoulys Chacin | 78.2 | 20.3 | 77.0 | COL | A | 7.0 | 24.2 | 64.0 | 81.2 | 20.0 | -3 |
| 10. Neftali Feliz | 78.1 | 20.0 | 52.2 | TEX | A | 9.3 | 28.4 | 59.0 | 78.1 | 20.0 | 0 |
| 11. Nick Adenhart | 78.0 | 21.7 | 47.2 | LAA | AAA | 11.4 | 14.4 | 52.0 | 55.0 | 24.0 | 23 |
| 12. Carlos Carrasco | 77.7 | 21.1 | 67.2 | PHI | AA | 8.9 | 24.6 | 48.0 | 63.7 | 22.5 | 14 |
| 13. Justin Masterson | 77.5 | 23.1 | 44.1 | BOS | AAA | 8.9 | 21.4 | 69.0 | 81.5 | 22.7 | -4 |
| 14. Edward Cegarra | 77.4 | 19.2 | 60.0 | KC | A+ | 2.5 | 22.9 | 48.0 | 68.4 | 20.1 | 9 |
| 15. Daniel Bard | 77.0 | 22.9 | 35.0 | BOS | A+ | 4.0 | 44.0 | 64.0 | 104.0 | 20.2 | -27 |
| 16. Juan Ramirez | 76.4 | 19.7 | 51.1 | SEA | A | 6.8 | 24.2 | 56.0 | 73.4 | 20.0 | 3 |
| 17. Chris Volstad | 76.2 | 21.6 | 70.0 | FLA | AA | 8.6 | 15.8 | 60.0 | 67.2 | 22.5 | 9 |
| 18. Chris Tillman | 76.0 | 20.1 | 53.2 | BAL | AA | 12.7 | 22.7 | 42.0 | 52.0 | 22.5 | 24 |
| 19. Zach McAllister | 74.7 | 20.4 | 62.1 | NYY | A | 3.2 | 20.9 | 61.0 | 78.7 | 20.0 | -4 |
| 20. Vincent Mazzaro | 72.9 | 21.6 | 59.2 | OAK | AA | 6.6 | 16.5 | 54.0 | 63.9 | 22.5 | 9 |
| 21. Homer Bailey | 72.8 | 22.0 | 66.2 | CIN | AAA | 10.2 | 19.0 | 44.0 | 52.8 | 24.0 | 20 |
| 22. Collin Balester | 72.5 | 21.9 | 56.1 | WAS | AAA | 7.0 | 18.5 | 40.0 | 51.5 | 24.0 | 21 |
| 23. Kennil Gomez | 72.4 | 20.1 | 57.0 | TEX | A | 5.8 | 20.2 | 59.0 | 73.4 | 20.0 | -1 |
| 24. Trevor Reckling | 71.1 | 19.0 | 50.2 | LAA | A | 12.6 | 16.7 | 57.0 | 61.1 | 20.0 | 10 |
| 25. Blake Beavan | 70.9 | 19.3 | 31.0 | TEX | A | 0.8 | 12.7 | 52.0 | 63.9 | 20.0 | 7 |
| * only pitchers with 30.0+ minor league innings this season were considered for this list | |||||||||||
| ** RD% is raw dominance percentage (K% + GB% - BB%) | |||||||||||
Here are some other notable Dominance Factors:
| Other Notable Dominance Factors for 2008 | |||||||||||
| Player | DF | Age | IP | Org | Lvl | BB% | K% | GB% | RD% | AgeLvl | AgeMod |
| Max Scherzer | 101.7 | 23.8 | 23.0 | ARI | AAA | 3.5 | 44.2 | 59.0 | 99.7 | 24.0 | 2 |
| Sean Gallagher | 89.9 | 22.4 | 29.0 | CHC | AAA | 7.7 | 25.6 | 56.0 | 73.9 | 24.0 | 16 |
| Aaron Laffey | 84.8 | 23.1 | 26.0 | CLE | AAA | 5.5 | 18.3 | 63.0 | 75.8 | 24.0 | 9 |
| Christopher Perez | 75.8 | 22.9 | 17.2 | STL | AAA | 12.3 | 30.1 | 47.0 | 64.8 | 24.0 | 11 |
| Jeremy Hellickson | 70.3 | 21.1 | 56.2 | TB | A+ | 1.8 | 28.1 | 45.0 | 71.3 | 21.0 | -1 |
| Eric Hurley | 70.2 | 22.6 | 60.2 | TEX | AAA | 8.6 | 21.8 | 43.0 | 56.2 | 24.0 | 14 |
| Brett Cecil | 70.1 | 21.9 | 33.2 | TOR | AA | 8.6 | 23.7 | 54.0 | 69.1 | 22.0 | 1 |
| Jeff Locke | 70.1 | 20.5 | 56.2 | ATL | A | 7.0 | 21.1 | 61.0 | 75.1 | 20.0 | -5 |
| Tyler Robertson | 70.0 | 20.4 | 56.1 | MIN | A+ | 8.6 | 21.6 | 51.0 | 64.0 | 21.0 | 6 |
| Ryan Tucker | 69.9 | 21.4 | 65.0 | FLA | AA | 9.1 | 22.0 | 46.0 | 58.9 | 22.5 | 11 |
| Casey Weathers | 69.8 | 22.9 | 21.0 | COL | AA | 12.8 | 25.6 | 61.0 | 73.8 | 22.5 | -4 |
| Clayton Tanner | 69.8 | 20.4 | 50.1 | SF | A+ | 8.6 | 16.4 | 56.0 | 63.8 | 21.0 | 6 |
| Greg Reynolds | 69.7 | 22.9 | 33.1 | COL | AAA | 6.0 | 10.7 | 54.0 | 58.7 | 24.0 | 11 |
| Tim Alderson | 68.8 | 19.5 | 51.1 | SF | A+ | 9.3 | 18.1 | 45.0 | 53.8 | 21.0 | 15 |
| Jordan Walden | 68.5 | 20.5 | 57.2 | LAA | A | 7.2 | 18.7 | 62.0 | 73.5 | 20.0 | -5 |
| James Simmons | 68.0 | 21.6 | 40.0 | OAK | AA | 4.8 | 18.8 | 45.0 | 59.0 | 22.5 | 9 |
| Carlos Rosa | 68.0 | 23.6 | 60.0 | KC | AAA | 3.9 | 23.9 | 55.0 | 75.0 | 22.9 | -7 |
| Michael Bowden | 67.8 | 21.7 | 61.1 | BOS | AA | 6.8 | 24.6 | 42.0 | 59.8 | 22.5 | 8 |
| Kasey Kiker | 67.6 | 20.5 | 46.0 | TEX | A+ | 5.1 | 18.7 | 49.0 | 62.6 | 21.0 | 5 |
| Henry Rodriguez | 67.5 | 21.2 | 43.1 | OAK | AA | 16.6 | 24.6 | 53.0 | 61.0 | 21.9 | 7 |
| Colton Willems | 67.5 | 19.8 | 47.2 | WAS | A | 7.0 | 14.5 | 58.0 | 65.5 | 20.0 | 2 |
| Chris Mason | 66.6 | 23.9 | 55.2 | TB | AAA | 9.4 | 22.0 | 53.0 | 65.6 | 24.0 | 1 |
| Adam Miller | 66.6 | 23.5 | 28.2 | CLE | AAA | 9.8 | 16.4 | 55.0 | 61.6 | 24.0 | 5 |
| Gio Gonzalez | 66.6 | 22.6 | 53.2 | OAK | AAA | 11.6 | 21.2 | 43.0 | 52.6 | 24.0 | 14 |
| Jarrod Parker | 66.3 | 19.5 | 36.2 | ARI | A | 5.7 | 19.0 | 48.0 | 61.3 | 20.0 | 5 |
| Jeanmar Gomez | 66.3 | 19.6 | 49.2 | CLE | A+ | 9.0 | 19.3 | 42.0 | 52.3 | 21.0 | 14 |
| Charlie Morton | 66.2 | 24.5 | 59.0 | ATL | AAA | 8.7 | 20.9 | 59.0 | 71.2 | 24.0 | -5 |
| Felix Doubront | 66.1 | 20.5 | 48.0 | BOS | A | 2.2 | 26.3 | 47.0 | 71.1 | 20.0 | -5 |
| Jordan Zimmerman | 66.0 | 22.0 | 48.2 | WAS | AA | 10.1 | 27.1 | 52.0 | 69.0 | 21.7 | -3 |
| Eulogio De La Cruz | 65.6 | 24.2 | 48.2 | FLA | AAA | 8.7 | 18.3 | 58.0 | 67.6 | 24.0 | -2 |
| Will Inman | 65.6 | 21.3 | 55.2 | SD | AA | 10.5 | 25.1 | 39.0 | 53.6 | 22.5 | 12 |
| Ryan Morris | 65.3 | 20.3 | 53.2 | CLE | A | 8.3 | 16.6 | 60.0 | 68.3 | 20.0 | -3 |
| Kelvin De La Cruz | 64.8 | 20.3 | 51.2 | CLE | A | 12.2 | 23.0 | 57.0 | 67.8 | 20.0 | -3 |
| Luis Marte | 63.8 | 21.7 | 54.1 | DET | A+ | 9.6 | 22.4 | 55.0 | 67.8 | 21.3 | -4 |
| Zach Braddock | 63.4 | 20.7 | 26.0 | MIL | A+ | 14.9 | 26.3 | 51.0 | 62.4 | 20.8 | 1 |
| Mitch Talbot | 63.1 | 24.6 | 64.2 | TB | AAA | 4.1 | 18.2 | 55.0 | 69.1 | 24.0 | -6 |
| Kevin Mulvey | 63.1 | 23.0 | 55.1 | MIN | AAA | 8.8 | 19.9 | 42.0 | 53.1 | 24.0 | 10 |
| Brandon Erbe | 63.0 | 20.4 | 57.2 | BAL | A+ | 6.5 | 21.5 | 42.0 | 57.0 | 21.0 | 6 |
| Daniel Cortes | 63.0 | 21.1 | 29.0 | KC | AA | 11.8 | 21.8 | 39.0 | 49.0 | 22.5 | 14 |
| Aneury Rodriguez | 62.6 | 20.4 | 59.1 | COL | A+ | 5.4 | 20.0 | 42.0 | 56.6 | 21.0 | 6 |
| Deolis Guerra | 62.5 | 19.1 | 55.1 | MIN | A+ | 10.7 | 13.2 | 41.0 | 43.5 | 21.0 | 19 |
| Bud Norris | 62.1 | 23.2 | 37.1 | HOU | AA | 8.4 | 26.5 | 51.0 | 69.1 | 22.5 | -7 |
| Jacob McGee | 61.8 | 21.8 | 52.2 | TB | AA | 10.6 | 23.4 | 42.0 | 54.8 | 22.5 | 7 |
| P.J. Walters | 61.1 | 23.2 | 63.0 | STL | AAA | 7.2 | 21.3 | 48.0 | 62.1 | 23.1 | -1 |
| Daniel Moskos | 60.9 | 22.0 | 50.0 | PIT | A+ | 7.4 | 16.3 | 62.0 | 70.9 | 21.0 | -10 |
| Jonathon Kibler | 60.8 | 21.7 | 61.1 | DET | A | 4.8 | 23.6 | 59.0 | 77.8 | 20.0 | -17 |
| Ryan Miller | 60.2 | 21.4 | 52.1 | CLE | A | 12.3 | 27.5 | 59.0 | 74.2 | 20.0 | -14 |
| Matt Latos | 60.0 | 20.4 | 23.2 | SD | A | 7.0 | 20.0 | 51.0 | 64.0 | 20.0 | -4 |
| Travis Wood | 59.2 | 21.3 | 52.2 | CIN | AA | 10.8 | 22.0 | 49.0 | 60.2 | 21.2 | -1 |
| Jose Ortegano | 58.8 | 20.8 | 54.0 | ATL | A | 5.7 | 21.5 | 51.0 | 66.8 | 20.0 | -8 |
| Mitchell Boggs | 58.6 | 24.2 | 65.1 | STL | AAA | 8.2 | 16.8 | 52.0 | 60.6 | 24.0 | -2 |
| Bryan Augenstein | 57.8 | 21.8 | 65.0 | ARI | A | 3.1 | 20.9 | 58.0 | 75.8 | 20.0 | -18 |
| Aaron Poreda | 57.7 | 21.6 | 61.1 | CHW | A+ | 6.2 | 15.9 | 54.0 | 63.7 | 21.0 | -6 |
| Wes Roemer | 57.5 | 21.6 | 58.0 | ARI | A+ | 6.5 | 19.0 | 51.0 | 63.5 | 21.0 | -6 |
| Drew Naylor | 57.0 | 21.9 | 73.2 | PHI | A | 6.4 | 26.4 | 56.0 | 76.0 | 20.0 | -19 |
| Sean O'Sullivan | 56.7 | 20.7 | 50.2 | LAA | A+ | 9.3 | 16.0 | 47.0 | 53.7 | 21.0 | 3 |
| Daryl Thompson | 56.7 | 22.5 | 68.1 | CIN | AAA | 6.1 | 23.8 | 37.0 | 54.7 | 22.7 | 2 |
| David Bromberg | 56.6 | 20.7 | 56.2 | MIN | A | 9.8 | 26.4 | 47.0 | 63.6 | 20.0 | -7 |
| Matt Harrison | 56.5 | 22.7 | 46.0 | TEX | AA | 7.0 | 17.5 | 48.0 | 58.5 | 22.5 | -2 |
| Wade Davis | 55.7 | 22.7 | 65.1 | TB | AA | 9.4 | 18.1 | 49.0 | 57.7 | 22.5 | -2 |
| David Huff | 54.9 | 23.7 | 59.0 | CLE | AA | 6.1 | 24.0 | 49.0 | 66.9 | 22.5 | -12 |
| Ross Detwiler | 54.7 | 22.2 | 46.0 | WAS | A+ | 12.6 | 24.3 | 55.0 | 66.7 | 21.0 | -12 |
| Thomas Hanson | 54.2 | 21.7 | 60.0 | ATL | AA | 8.9 | 29.1 | 36.0 | 56.2 | 21.5 | -2 |
| Jake Arrieta | 54.0 | 22.2 | 65.2 | BAL | A+ | 11.6 | 27.6 | 50.0 | 66.0 | 21.0 | -12 |
| Nicholas Carr | 51.6 | 21.1 | 44.1 | NYM | A+ | 11.4 | 20.0 | 44.0 | 52.6 | 21.0 | -1 |
| Andrew Miller | 51.3 | 22.2 | 57.0 | SD | A+ | 6.5 | 19.8 | 50.0 | 63.3 | 21.0 | -12 |
| Blake Wood | 50.6 | 22.8 | 57.1 | KC | A+ | 7.1 | 29.7 | 46.0 | 68.6 | 21.0 | -18 |
| Joe Savery | 47.7 | 22.5 | 62.0 | PHI | A+ | 8.9 | 19.6 | 52.0 | 62.7 | 21.0 | -15 |
| James McDonald | 46.2 | 23.6 | 55.1 | LAD | AA | 8.2 | 23.4 | 42.0 | 57.2 | 22.5 | -11 |
| Dellin Betances | 46.0 | 20.1 | 55.0 | NYY | A | 16.6 | 26.6 | 37.0 | 47.0 | 20.0 | -1 |
| Matt Maloney | 45.3 | 24.3 | 61.2 | CIN | AAA | 7.3 | 20.6 | 35.0 | 48.3 | 24.0 | -3 |
| Jesse Darcy | 44.9 | 22.9 | 42.1 | TB | A | 3.1 | 22.0 | 55.0 | 73.9 | 20.0 | -29 |
| Craig Italiano | 44.3 | 21.9 | 55.0 | OAK | A | 11.2 | 30.5 | 44.0 | 63.3 | 20.0 | -19 |
| Anthony Swarzak | 43.1 | 22.7 | 56.0 | MIN | AA | 7.3 | 22.4 | 30.0 | 45.1 | 22.5 | -2 |
| Donald Veal | 43.1 | 23.6 | 57.2 | CHC | AA | 11.7 | 17.8 | 48.0 | 54.1 | 22.5 | -11 |
| Joshua Outman | 39.8 | 23.7 | 43.0 | PHI | AA | 11.8 | 24.6 | 39.0 | 51.8 | 22.5 | -12 |
| Matt Torra | 39.5 | 23.9 | 64.0 | ARI | AA | 4.0 | 15.5 | 42.0 | 53.5 | 22.5 | -14 |
| Andrew Bailey | 38.3 | 23.9 | 54.0 | OAK | AA | 12.2 | 21.5 | 43.0 | 52.3 | 22.5 | -14 |
| Esmil Rogers | 37.9 | 22.7 | 65.0 | COL | A+ | 8.4 | 19.3 | 44.0 | 54.9 | 21.0 | -17 |
| Radhames Liz | 37.6 | 24.9 | 59.0 | BAL | AAA | 9.8 | 22.4 | 34.0 | 46.6 | 24.0 | -9 |
| ** RD% is raw dominance percentage (K% + GB% - BB%) | |||||||||||
Brett Sullivan can be reached at sullivan10x@yahoo.com.