Slugging percentage is a statistic used in baseball to measure a player's ability to hit for power. It is calculated by dividing the total number of bases a player has earned by the total number of at-bats.
To calculate slugging percentage, you first count the number of singles, doubles, triples, and home runs a player has hit during a given period of time, such as a season or a game. Each single counts as one base, each double as two bases, each triple as three bases, and each home run as four bases. You then add up the total number of bases the player has earned from these hits.
Next, you divide the total number of bases by the total number of at-bats to get the slugging percentage. At-bats include all plate appearances except for walks, hit-by-pitches, sacrifices, and catcher's interference.
For example, if a player has 100 at-bats and has hit 20 singles, 10 doubles, 5 triples, and 5 home runs, their total number of bases would be (20 x 1) + (10 x 2) + (5 x 3) + (5 x 4) = 75. Dividing 75 by 100 at-bats gives a slugging percentage of .750.
Slugging percentage provides a measure of a player's overall hitting ability, as it takes into account not only the number of hits, but also the quality of those hits. Players with higher slugging percentages are generally considered to be more effective at hitting for power and driving in runs.
