Editing Fielding Percentage

In [[baseball statistics]], '''fielding percentage''' is a measure of how often a [[fielding (baseball)|fielder]] successfully makes a play.  Fielding percentage is an official [[MLB]] statistic.  Fielding percentage is shown with three decimal places.  
Fielding percentage is calculated using this formula from rule 10.21(d) of the 2009 Official Rules<ref>{{cite-web| url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/downloads/y2008/official_rules/10_the_official_scorer.pdf | year=2009 | month=10 | day=21 }}</ref>:

:<math>Fielding Percentage = \frac{A+PO}{A+PO+E}</math>

where

*''A'' = [[Assist (baseball)|Assists]]
*''PO'' = [[Putout|Putouts]]
*''E'' = [[Error (baseball)|Errors]]

Each position has an annual league champion based on best fielding percentage among qualifiers.  All outfielders are considered to be playing the position OF.  The qualification for all positions except pitcher and catcher is simply playing the position in at least 2/3 of the scheduled games.  If an [[outfielder|outfielder]] plays all three OF positions in the same game, that counts as one game played not three games.  A catcher qualifies if he plays the position on 1/2 of the scheduled games.  A pitcher qualifies if he has pitched at least one inning for every scheduled game BUT if the highest ranking pitcher has less [[total chances |total chances ]] than a non-qualifying pitcher who has the same or higher fielding percentage than the highest ranking qualified pitcher, then that non-qualifying pitcher is the fielding champion.
Fielding percentage championship qualifications are found in rule 10.22(c) of the 2009 Official Rules<ref>{{cite-web| url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/downloads/y2008/official_rules/10_the_official_scorer.pdf | year=2009 | month=10 | day=21 }}</ref>

==History==
The current qualifications were put in the rule book in 1957 <ref name="Macmillan 9th edition">{{cite-book | title=The Baseball Encyclopedia 9th edition | publisher=Macmillan | city=New York | year=1993 }}))</ref>.  For the years 1920-1956 (during which the schedule was 154 games), the qualification wsa 90 games for catchers and 100 games for infielders and outfielders <ref name="Macmillan 9th edition" />.  Prior to 1920 there were no stated qualifications, but traditionally catchers needed to play in 50% of games while infielders and outfielders  needed at least 60%<ref name="Macmillan 9th edition" />.

[[Category:Statistics]]