After consideration from many sources and in an attempt to make Dominance Factor the best it can be, Project Prospect has slightly tweaked the statistic. Firstly, ground-ball percentage has been weighted to .72 (the percentage that a ground-ball turns into an out). In addition to this, the age-modifier will now be multiplied by 7 rather than 10, in an effort to more appropriately weight the advantages that age-related-to-level have on minor league starting pitching prospects.
What these new modifications have done are slightly tweak the overall rankings giving a little more bonus to fly-ball heavy pitchers, and also shortened the range that a pitchers Dominance Factor falls into. Previously, a pitchers DF ranged from 30 to the upper 90's, but with Weighted Dominance Factor (WDF), the range is generally from 30 to the upper 70's. Overall, we feel this statistic is significantly improved, and a better way to determine just how dominant a starting pitching prospect was at each stop. Here are the 2008 top 25 Weighted Dominance Factors by level:
| Top 25 AAA Weighted Dominance Factors for 2008 | |||||||||
| Player | DF | Age | IP | Org | BB% | K% | GB% | RD% | AgeMod |
| 1. Brett Cecil | 75.5 | 21.9 | 30.2 | TOR |
11.9 | 23.0 | 69.0 | 60.8 | 14.7 |
| 2. Carlos Carrasco | 73.6 | 21.2 | 36.7 | PHI | 8.0 | 28.2 | 47.0 | 54.0 | 19.6 |
| 3. Sean Gallagher | 68.7 | 22.5 | 29.0 | CHC | 7.7 | 25.6 | 56.0 | 58.2 | 10.5 |
| 4. Jonathan Niese | 65.8 | 21.6 | 39.2 | NYM | 8.4 | 19.2 | 53.0 | 49.0 | 16.8 |
| 5. Max Scherzer | 65.0 | 23.9 | 53.0 | ARI | 10.0 | 36.1 | 53.0 | 64.3 | 0.7 |
| 6. Jaime Garcia | 64.9 | 21.9 | 71.0 | STL | 8.4 | 19.0 | 55.0 | 50.2 | 14.7 |
| 7. Tommy Hunter | 60.8 | 21.9 | 53.0 | TEX | 4.1 | 12.8 | 52.0 | 46.1 | 14.7 |
| 8. Vincent Mazzaro | 59.7 | 21.7 | 33.2 | OAK | 5.6 | 16.8 | 45.0 | 43.6 | 16.1 |
| 9. David Huff | 59.3 | 23.8 | 80.0 | CLE | 4.6 | 25.1 | 52.0 | 57.9 | 1.4 |
| 10. Homer Bailey | 57.5 | 22.1 | 111.1 | CIN | 9.6 | 20.0 | 47.0 | 44.2 | 13.3 |
| 11. Michael Bowden | 56.9 | 21.8 | 40.0 | BOS | 3.1 | 18.0 | 37.0 | 41.5 | 15.4 |
| 12. Carlos Rosa | 56.0 | 23.7 | 50.2 | KC | 5.9 | 21.6 | 53.0 | 53.9 | 2.1 |
| 13. Aaron Laffey | 55.9 | 23.2 | 61.2 | CLE | 6.6 | 17.3 | 55.0 | 50.3 | 5.6 |
| 14. Collin Balester | 55.2 | 22.0 | 78.2 | WAS | 6.9 | 19.3 | 40.0 | 41.2 | 14.0 |
| 15. Shairon Martis | 55.0 | 21.2 | 41.2 | WAS | 9.3 | 23.1 | 30.0 | 35.4 | 19.6 |
| 16. Wade Davis | 54.8 | 22.8 | 53.0 | TB | 10.9 | 24.9 | 45.0 | 46.4 | 8.4 |
| 17. Jeff Samardzija | 53.8 | 23.4 | 37.1 | CHC | 10.5 | 26.3 | 47.0 | 49.6 | 4.2 |
| 18. Nick Adenhart | 53.8 | 21.8 | 145.1 | LAA | 11.5 | 16.8 | 46.0 | 38.4 | 15.4 |
| 19. Clayton Richard | 53.6 | 24.8 | 44.0 | CHW | 2.4 | 19.8 | 58.0 | 59.2 | -5.6 |
| 20. Daryl Thompson | 53.2 | 22.6 | 45.2 | CIN | 5.0 | 18.2 | 42.0 | 43.4 | 9.8 |
| 21. JoJo Reyes | 53.0 | 23.6 | 39.0 | ATL | 9.8 | 23.3 | 51.0 | 50.2 | 2.8 |
| 22. Ian Kennedy | 52.6 | 23.5 | 69.0 | NYY | 6.1 | 25.7 | 41.0 | 49.1 | 3.5 |
| 23. Eric Hurley | 52.0 | 22.7 | 74.2 | TEX | 8.6 | 21.3 | 42.0 | 42.9 | 9.1 |
| 24. Charlie Morton | 52.0 | 24.6 | 79.0 | ATL | 8.7 | 23.1 | 58.0 | 56.2 | -4.2 |
| 25. Gio Gonzalez | 51.4 | 22.7 | 123.0 | OAK | 11.6 | 24.4 | 41.0 | 42.3 | 9.1 |
| * only pitchers with 25.0+ minor league innings this season are eligible for this list | |||||||||
| ** RD% is raw dominance percentage (K% + GB% - BB%) | |||||||||
| *** Age-Level Standard for AAA is 24.0 | |||||||||
| **** Org is the organization that the pitcher played for at this time | |
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| Top 25 AA Weighted Dominance Factors for 2008 | |||||||||
| Player | DF | Age | IP | Org | BB% | K% | GB% | RD% | AgeMod |
| 1. Brett Anderson | 78.9 | 20.4 | 31.0 | OAK | 7.2 | 30.4 | 57.0 | 64.2 | 14.7 |
| 2. Trevor Cahill | 70.8 | 20.3 | 37.0 | OAK | 12.6 | 21.9 | 64.0 | 55.4 | 15.4 |
| 3. Clayton Kershaw | 66.5 | 20.2 | 61.1 | LAD | 7.9 | 24.5 | 47.0 | 50.4 | 16.1 |
| 4. Brett Cecil | 66.5 | 21.9 | 77.2 | TOR | 7.1 | 26.9 | 59.0 | 62.3 | 4.2 |
| 5. Jaime Garcia | 66.1 | 21.9 | 35.0 | STL | 11.0 | 28.3 | 62.0 | 61.9 | 4.2 |
| 6. Derek Holland | 63.2 | 21.7 | 26.0 | TEX | 6.4 | 30.9 | 46.0 | 57.6 | 5.6 |
| 7. Chris Tillman | 61.0 | 20.1 | 135.2 | BAL | 11.2 | 26.6 | 40.0 | 44.2 | 16.8 |
| 8. Neftali Feliz | 60.0 | 20.1 | 45.1 | TEX | 12.4 | 25.4 | 42.0 | 43.2 | 16.8 |
| 9. Jeremy Hellickson | 60.0 | 21.2 | 75.1 | TB | 4.9 | 25.6 | 42.0 | 50.9 | 9.1 |
| 10. Justin Masterson | 57.2 | 23.2 | 38.1 | FLA | 9.5 | 21.9 | 69.0 | 62.1 | -4.9 |
| 11. Jon Niese | 56.8 | 21.6 | 124.1 | NYM | 8.4 | 21.5 | 52.0 | 50.5 | 6.3 |
| 12. Vincent Mazzaro | 56.7 | 21.7 | 137.1 | OAK | 6.5 | 18.7 | 54.0 | 51.1 | 5.6 |
| 13. Aaron Poreda | 55.7 | 21.7 | 87.2 | CHW | 6.2 | 20.3 | 50.0 | 50.1 | 5.6 |
| 14. Carlos Carrasco | 55.4 | 21.2 | 114.2 | PHI | 9.3 | 22.5 | 46.0 | 46.3 | 9.1 |
| 15. Jess Todd | 55.1 | 22.1 | 103.0 | STL | 5.9 | 20.0 | 53.0 | 52.3 | 2.8 |
| 16. Michael Bowden | 55.0 | 21.8 | 104.1 | BOS | 6.0 | 25.1 | 43.0 | 50.1 | 4.9 |
| 17. David Price | 54.5 | 22.8 | 50.0 | TB | 6.6 | 20.7 | 59.0 | 56.6 | -2.1 |
| 18. Chris Volstad | 53.4 | 21.7 | 91.0 | FLA | 7.8 | 14.6 | 57.0 | 47.8 | 5.6 |
| 19. Tommy Hanson | 52.2 | 21.8 | 98.0 | ATL | 10.0 | 27.8 | 41.0 | 47.3 | 4.9 |
| 20. Jordan Zimmerman | 52.0 | 22.1 | 106.2 | WAS | 8.9 | 23.5 | 48.0 | 49.2 | 2.8 |
| 21. Carlos Rosa | 51.6 | 23.7 | 45.0 | KC | 4.2 | 25.3 | 54.0 | 60.0 | -8.4 |
| 22. James Simmons | 51.0 | 21.7 | 136.0 | OAK | 5.6 | 20.8 | 42.0 | 45.4 | 5.6 |
| 23. Ryan Tucker | 50.8 | 21.5 | 70.0 | FLA | 9.4 | 21.5 | 44.0 | 43.8 | 7.0 |
| 24. Clayton Mortensen | 49.1 | 23.2 | 59.2 | STL | 8.5 | 18.6 | 61.0 | 54.0 | -4.9 |
| 25. Kris Medlen | 49.0 | 22.7 | 33.1 | ATL | 5.5 | 24.2 | 44.0 | 50.4 | -1.4 |
| * only pitchers with 25.0+ minor league innings this season are eligible for this list | |||||||||
| ** RD% is raw dominance percentage (K% + GB% - BB%) | |||||||||
| *** Age-Level Standard for AA is 22.5 | |||||||||
| **** Org is the organization that the pitcher played for at this time | |
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| Top 25 A+ Weighted Dominance Factors for 2008 | |||||||||
| Player | DF | Age | IP | Org | BB% | K% | GB% | RD% | AgeMod |
| 1. Trevor Cahill | 70.4 | 20.3 | 87.1 | OAK | 9.0 | 29.9 | 62.0 | 65.5 | 4.9 |
| 2. Brett Anderson | 68.7 | 20.4 | 74.0 | OAK | 5.8 | 25.7 | 62.0 | 64.5 | 4.2 |
| 3. Jhoulys Chacin | 66.4 | 20.4 | 66.1 | COL | 4.5 | 23.5 | 60.0 | 62.2 | 4.2 |
| 4. Rick Porcello | 64.7 | 19.5 | 125.0 | DET | 6.3 | 13.7 | 65.0 | 54.2 | 10.5 |
| 5. Jeremy Hellickson | 58.7 | 21.2 | 76.2 | TB | 1.7 | 28.0 | 47.0 | 60.1 | -1.4 |
| 6. Tim Alderson | 57.6 | 19.6 | 145.1 | SFG | 5.9 | 21.3 | 45.0 | 47.8 | 9.8 |
| 7. Jeremy Jeffress | 56.3 | 20.7 | 72.1 | MIL | 12.4 | 29.9 | 51.0 | 54.2 | 2.1 |
| 8. Alexander Torres | 55.9 | 20.5 | 53.0 | LAA | 12.4 | 26.6 | 53.0 | 52.4 | 3.5 |
| 9. Jordan Zimmerman | 55.8 | 22.0 | 27.1 | WAS | 8.1 | 31.3 | 55.0 | 62.8 | -7.0 |
| 10. Derek Holland | 55.6 | 21.7 | 31.0 | TEX | 4.4 | 32.5 | 45.0 | 60.5 | -4.9 |
| 11. Mark Diapoules | 55.0 | 20.0 | 56.2 | STL | 11.2 | 16.7 | 59.0 | 48.0 | 7.0 |
| 12. Henry Rodriguez | 54.7 | 21.3 | 75.0 | OAK | 12.5 | 32.6 | 51.0 | 56.8 | -2.1 |
| 13. Zach McAllister | 53.6 | 20.5 | 88.2 | NYY | 3.7 | 17.8 | 50.0 | 50.1 | 3.5 |
| 14. Jeanmar Gomez | 53.0 | 19.7 | 138.1 | CLE | 7.6 | 17.7 | 47.0 | 43.9 | 9.1 |
| 15. Tyler Robertson | 52.8 | 20.5 | 82.2 | MN | 8.8 | 20.7 | 52.0 | 49.3 | 3.5 |
| 16. Hector Rondon | 52.1 | 20.3 | 145.0 | CLE | 7.0 | 24.0 | 42.0 | 47.2 | 4.9 |
| 17. Clayton Tanner | 52.1 | 20.5 | 117.0 | SF | 7.7 | 16.7 | 55.0 | 48.6 | 3.5 |
| 18. Alexandre Periard | 52.0 | 21.0 | 112.2 | MIL | 6.2 | 15.7 | 59.0 | 52.0 | 0.0 |
| 19. Luis Marte | 51.5 | 21.8 | 42.0 | DET | 7.2 | 24.7 | 55.0 | 57.1 | -5.6 |
| 20. Bryan Augenstein | 50.9 | 21.9 | 44.0 | ARI | 2.7 | 16.0 | 61.0 | 57.2 | -6.3 |
| 21. Brandon Erbe | 50.6 | 20.5 | 140.2 | BAL | 8.0 | 24.9 | 42.0 | 47.1 | 3.5 |
| 22. Jess Todd | 50.6 | 22.1 | 27.1 | STL | 6.5 | 32.4 | 45.0 | 58.3 | -7.7 |
| 23. Omar Poveda | 49.1 | 20.7 | 90.2 | TEX | 10.3 | 24.9 | 45.0 | 47.0 | 2.1 |
| 24. Kasey Kiker | 48.6 | 20.6 | 121.1 | TEX | 7.0 | 21.1 | 44.0 | 45.8 | 2.8 |
| 25. Edward Cegarra | 48.6 | 19.3 | 106.0 | KC | 4.7 | 13.3 | 39.0 | 36.7 | 11.9 |
| * only pitchers with 25.0+ minor league innings this season are eligible for this list | |||||||||
| ** RD% is raw dominance percentage (K% + GB% - BB%) | |||||||||
| *** Age-Level Standard for A+ is 21.0 | |||||||||
| **** Org is the organization that the pitcher played for at this time | |
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| Top 25 A Weighted Dominance Factors for 2008 | |||||||||
| Player | DF | Age | IP | Org | BB% | K% | GB% | RD% | AgeMod |
| 1. Madison Bumgarner | 64.8 | 18.9 | 134.2 | SF | 4.0 | 29.4 | 44.0 | 57.1 | 7.7 |
| 2. Edward Cegarra | 62.1 | 19.3 | 54.0 | KC | 2.4 | 25.0 | 48.0 | 57.2 | 4.9 |
| 3. Jairo Heredia | 61.6 | 18.7 | 102.1 | NYY | 9.5 | 21.0 | 57.0 | 52.5 | 9.1 |
| 4. Dae-Eun Rhee | 60.8 | 19.2 | 40.0 | CHC | 9.9 | 20.5 | 62.0 | 55.2 | 5.6 |
| 5. Neftali Feliz | 60.8 | 20.1 | 82.0 | TEX | 8.6 | 32.7 | 52.0 | 61.5 | -0.7 |
| 6. Jhoulys Chacin | 59.9 | 20.4 | 111.1 | COL | 6.7 | 21.9 | 66.0 | 62.7 | -2.8 |
| 7. Zach McAllister | 58.1 | 20.5 | 62.1 | NYY | 3.2 | 20.9 | 61.0 | 61.6 | -3.5 |
| 8. Phillipe Aumont | 57.9 | 19.4 | 55.2 | SEA | 8.2 | 21.6 | 56.0 | 53.7 | 4.2 |
| 9. Mark Diapoules | 57.1 | 20.0 | 55.2 | STL | 8.9 | 22.1 | 61.0 | 57.1 | 0.0 |
| 10. Trevor Reckling | 56.6 | 19.1 | 152.1 | LAA | 9.2 | 19.9 | 55.0 | 50.3 | 6.3 |
| 11. Michael Pineda | 56.3 | 19.4 | 138.1 | SEA | 6.4 | 23.2 | 49.0 | 52.1 | 4.2 |
| 12. Jordan Walden | 55.8 | 20.6 | 107.1 | LAA | 7.5 | 21.4 | 64.0 | 60.0 | -4.2 |
| 13. Kennil Gomez | 54.6 | 20.2 | 88.0 | TEX | 5.6 | 19.8 | 58.0 | 56.0 | -1.4 |
| 14. Zach Britton | 54.0 | 20.5 | 147.1 | BAL | 8.1 | 18.8 | 65.0 | 57.5 | -3.5 |
| 15. Evan Anundsen | 53.5 | 20.1 | 145.0 | MIL | 6.1 | 16.4 | 61.0 | 54.2 | -0.7 |
| 16. Danny Duffy | 53.1 | 19.5 | 81.2 | KC | 7.7 | 31.4 | 36.0 | 49.6 | 3.5 |
| 17. Kelvin De La Cruz | 52.0 | 20.3 | 88.2 | CLE | 9.4 | 24.6 | 54.0 | 54.1 | -2.1 |
| 18. Richard Castillo | 51.9 | 18.7 | 79.0 | STL | 12.3 | 29.2 | 36.0 | 42.8 | 9.1 |
| 19. Jarrod Parker | 51.9 | 19.5 | 117.2 | ARI | 6.6 | 23.3 | 44.0 | 48.4 | 3.5 |
| 20. Blake Beavan | 51.2 | 19.4 | 121.1 | TEX | 4.2 | 15.2 | 50.0 | 47.0 | 4.2 |
| 21. Juan Ramirez | 51.0 | 19.8 | 124.0 | SEA | 7.2 | 21.5 | 49.0 | 49.6 | 1.4 |
| 22. Kyle Kaminska | 49.5 | 19.7 | 85.1 | FLA | 3.5 | 20.7 | 42.0 | 47.4 | 2.1 |
| 23. Daniel Gutierrez | 49.3 | 21.3 | 90.0 | KC | 6.7 | 27.7 | 52.0 | 58.4 | -9.1 |
| 24. Jeff Locke | 48.4 | 20.6 | 139.2 | ATL | 6.2 | 18.5 | 56.0 | 52.6 | -4.2 |
| 25. Fabio Castillo | 48.0 | 19.3 | 91.1 | TEX | 11.8 | 20.3 | 48.0 | 43.1 | 4.9 |
| * only pitchers with 25.0+ minor league innings this season are eligible for this list | |||||||||
| ** RD% is raw dominance percentage (K% + GB% - BB%) | |||||||||
| *** Age-Level Standard for A is 20.0 | |||||||||
| **** Org is the organization that the pitcher played for at this time | |
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Brett Sullivan can be reached at bsullivan@projectprospect.com.