StaTuesday: Brewers' Villar stealing bases at prolific rate

By foxsports
Published

Jonathan Villar has become arguably the most dangerous runner in the major leagues this season, leading all of baseball with 26 steals -- five more than any other player and six ahead of the nearest National Leaguer.

He's also on pace to record one of the most prolific baserunning seasons in Brewers franchise history.

Villar has attempted 35 stolen bases this season while accruing 316 plate appearances. That means he's attempted a steal in approximately 11.1 percent of his plate appearances (note: he has not served as a pinch runner yet this season).

That ratio of stolen base attempts to plate appearances would rank fourth in Brewers history over a full season among the franchise's stolen base leaders (this is not a perfect ratio as it doesn't account for steals accrued during pinch-running appearances).

Villar is on pace for approximately 682 plate appearances this season if he continues to play at the rate he has. That also means he is on pace for about 76 steals attempts this season if he continues to attempt steals in 11 percent of his plate appearances

Given his current steals success rate of 74.3 percent, Villar is on pace to steal about 56 bases this season, which would rank third in Brewers franchise history (note: which includes the Seattle Pilots) in a single season.

Villar may have to increase his stolen base percentage, however, if he wishes to join the Brewers' single-season top five. His 74.3 success rate ranks 58th in team history, far behind Podsednik, Listach, Molitor and Segura's percentages in their best seasons.

Regardless, Villar has been the biggest reason why the Brewers lead the majors in stolen bases with 65. The 25-year-old leads baseball individually with 26 stolen bases, five more than Rajai Davis of the Indians. He could become the first Brewers player to lead the majors in stolen bases since Podsednik in 2004.

No Milwaukee Brewers player (note: not including the Pilots) has led baseball in stolen bases before or since.

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