Fielding percentage

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In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player handles a batted or thrown ball properly. It is calculated by the sum of putouts and assists divided by the number of total chances.

While a high fielding percentage is regarded as a sign of defensive skill, it is also possible for a player of lesser defensive skill to have a high fielding percentage, as it does not reflect or take into account a player's defensive range; a slow-footed first baseman, for example, might have a high fielding percentage simply because he rarely drops a thrown ball or makes an errant throw. Likewise, a relatively slow outfielder might have a high fielding percentage even though he doesn't reach many of the fly balls which a faster player would catch. Conversely, a highly skilled fielder might have a comparatively low fielding percentage by virtue of reaching, and potentially missing, a greater number of balls.

In order to qualify for the league lead in fielding percentage, a player must appear at the specific position in at least two-thirds of his team's games (games in the outfield are not separated by position); catchers must appear in at least half their team's games, and pitchers must pitch at least one inning for each of their team's scheduled games (however, a pitcher with fewer innings may qualify if they have more total chances and a higher average). In order to qualify for major league career records for fielding average, a player must appear in 1000 games at the position; pitchers must have at least 1500 innings.