Stats Summary: Points Per Start

MLS has a ridiculous schedule because they don’t respect the designated international breaks. As a result, we have teams who have played a different number of games. Now we have to try to compare players from teams who haven’t played the same number of games. The way to do this is to normalize it so we have directly comparable data.

In the past, we’ve advocated for using points per 90 minutes played. However, I don’t believe that is the best measure as it inflates players who are often substituted in or out of games. A player who plays 60 minutes and scores 4 points has a PP90 of 6. Compare that to a player who plays 90 minutes and scores 4 points who has a PP90 of 4. They both play just one game so our PP90 metric doesn’t make sense to use. Points per game doesn’t make sense either. If a player plays 2 games but plays 90 minutes in one game and just 1 minute in the other, the points per game will be lower than we would expect that player to actually produce.

The solution is points per start. It ignores those games where a player subs in for just 1 minutes. It accounts for games where a player is subbed out and doesn’t skew the measure higher. The table below shows points per start and also bonus points per start. The sample size is obviously small, which is problematic. However, as the season progresses, this PPS metric becomes more valuable. You can find a spreadsheet of this data (and more detailed bonus point data) weekly here.

Player	Position	Team	Starts	Total Points	PPS	Total BP	BP/Start
Godoy	MID	SJ	3	35	11.7	15	5
Crognale	DEF	CLB	1	11	11	4	4
Urruti	FWD	DAL	2	22	11	3	1.5
Martínez	FWD	ATL	3	32	10.7	2	0.7
Kappelhof	DEF	CHI	2	20	10	8	4
MacMath	GKP	COL	1	10	10	2	2
Larin	FWD	ORL	2	20	10	1	0.5
Valeri	MID	POR	4	40	10	6	1.5
Guzmán	MID	POR	2	20	10	9	4.5
Almiron	MID	ATL	3	29	9.7	7	2.3
Adi	FWD	POR	4	37	9.3	4	1
Gonzalez	GKP	DAL	1	9	9	2	2
Villa	FWD	NYC	3	27	9	8	2.7
Maund	DEF	RSL	1	9	9	3	3
Bono	GKP	TOR	1	9	9	2	2
Ousted	GKP	VAN	1	9	9	1	1
Melia	GKP	SKC	3	26	8.7	3	1
Spector	DEF	ORL	2	17	8.5	6	3
Quioto	FWD	HOU	3	25	8.3	4	1.3
Medranda	DEF	SKC	3	25	8.3	4	1.3
Asad	MID	ATL	3	24	8	6	2
Sjoberg	DEF	COL	2	16	8	7	3.5
Guillen	DEF	DAL	1	8	8	2	2
Morález	MID	NYC	3	24	8	6	2
Wallace	MID	NYC	3	24	8	5	1.7
Farfan	DEF	POR	1	8	8	1	1
Van Oekel	GKP	RSL	1	8	8	0	0
Morrow	DEF	TOR	3	24	8	3	1
Parker	DEF	VAN	2	16	8	8	4
Long	DEF	NY	4	31	7.8	14	3.5
Watts	DEF	COL	3	23	7.7	10	3.3
Alex	MID	HOU	3	23	7.7	8	2.7
Moor	DEF	TOR	3	23	7.7	8	2.7
O. Kamara	FWD	CLB	4	30	7.5	3	0.8
Sapong	FWD	PHI	2	15	7.5	1	0.5
Gonzalez Pirez	DEF	ATL	3	22	7.3	12	4
Jungwirth	DEF	SJ	3	22	7.3	8	2.7
Besler	DEF	SKC	3	22	7.3	6	2
Opara	DEF	SKC	3	22	7.3	6	2
Altidore	FWD	TOR	3	22	7.3	2	0.7
Zavaleta	DEF	TOR	3	22	7.3	8	2.7
Williams	DEF	CLB	1	7	7	1	1
Harris	DEF	DAL	1	7	7	1	1
Torres	FWD	HOU	3	21	7	2	0.7
Romney	DEF	LA	2	14	7	3	1.5
Molino	MID	MIN	3	21	7	4	1.3
Lade	DEF	NY	1	7	7	0	0
Vytas	DEF	POR	1	7	7	2	2
Asprilla	MID	POR	1	7	7	0	0
Lodeiro	MID	SEA	3	21	7	7	2.3
Wondolowski	FWD	SJ	3	21	7	4	1.3
Lima	DEF	SJ	3	21	7	6	2
Beitashour	DEF	TOR	2	14	7	1	0.5
Dean	DEF	VAN	2	14	7	7	3.5
Garza	DEF	ATL	3	20	6.7	7	2.3
Bernier	MID	MTL	3	20	6.7	6	2
Nguyen	MID	NE	3	20	6.7	2	0.7
Bradley	MID	TOR	3	20	6.7	10	3.3
Alvarez	MID	CHI	2	13	6.5	3	1.5
Meram	MID	CLB	4	26	6.5	7	1.8
Bendik	GKP	ORL	2	13	6.5	2	1
Aja	DEF	ORL	2	13	6.5	4	2
Phillips	DEF	RSL	2	13	6.5	5	2.5
Shipp	MID	SEA	2	13	6.5	4	2
Agudelo	FWD	NE	3	19	6.3	3	1
Fagundez	MID	NE	3	19	6.3	5	1.7
Callens	DEF	NYC	3	19	6.3	8	2.7
Medunjanin	MID	PHI	3	19	6.3	10	3.3
Feilhaber	MID	SKC	3	19	6.3	5	1.7
Zusi	MID	SKC	3	19	6.3	9	3
Mears	DEF	ATL	3	18	6	5	1.7
Alessandrini	MID	LA	3	18	6	7	2.3
Piatti	MID	MTL	3	18	6	4	1.3
Lawrence	DEF	NY	3	18	6	2	0.7
Zizzo	DEF	NY	3	18	6	5	1.7
Adams	MID	NY	1	6	6	3	3
Johnson	GKP	NYC	3	18	6	5	1.7
Wingert	DEF	RSL	3	18	6	4	1.3
Sinovic	DEF	SKC	3	18	6	4	1.3
Irwin	GKP	TOR	2	12	6	3	1.5
Higuaín	MID	CLB	4	23	5.8	7	1.8
Kann	GKP	ATL	3	17	5.7	4	1.3
Parkhurst	DEF	ATL	3	17	5.7	7	2.3
Meira	DEF	CHI	3	17	5.7	8	2.7
Azira	MID	COL	3	17	5.7	11	3.7
Kljestan	MID	NY	3	17	5.7	7	2.3
Dempsey	FWD	SEA	3	17	5.7	2	0.7
dos Santos	FWD	LA	2	11	5.5	3	1.5
Cabrera	DEF	MTL	2	11	5.5	7	3.5
Robles	GKP	NY	4	22	5.5	4	1
Rivas	MID	ORL	2	11	5.5	1	0.5
Olum	MID	POR	4	22	5.5	8	2
Powell	DEF	POR	4	22	5.5	9	2.3
Beckerman	MID	RSL	2	11	5.5	6	3
Horst	DEF	RSL	2	11	5.5	3	1.5
Hyka	MID	SJ	2	11	5.5	2	1
Hurtado	MID	VAN	2	11	5.5	0	0
Villalba	FWD	ATL	3	16	5.3	3	1
Finlay	MID	CLB	3	16	5.3	6	2
Badji	FWD	COL	3	16	5.3	0	0
Chanot	DEF	NYC	3	16	5.3	6	2
Onyewu	DEF	PHI	3	16	5.3	8	2.7
Blanco	MID	POR	4	21	5.3	7	1.8
Rimando	GKP	RSL	3	16	5.3	2	0.7
Schuler	DEF	RSL	3	16	5.3	3	1
Bernardez	DEF	SJ	3	16	5.3	4	1.3
Hagglund	DEF	TOR	3	16	5.3	2	0.7
Larentowicz	MID	ATL	1	5	5	3	3
Burch	DEF	COL	3	15	5	2	0.7
Hairston	MID	COL	3	15	5	3	1
Miller	DEF	COL	2	10	5	3	1.5
Figueroa	DEF	DAL	3	15	5	7	2.3
Hedges	DEF	DAL	3	15	5	5	1.7
Buescher	MID	DC	1	5	5	0	0
Remick	DEF	HOU	1	5	5	3	3
Elis	FWD	HOU	3	15	5	2	0.7
Kallman	DEF	MIN	2	10	5	3	1.5
Matarrita	DEF	NYC	3	15	5	4	1.3
White	DEF	NYC	2	10	5	1	0.5
Barnes	FWD	ORL	2	10	5	3	1.5
Blake	GKP	PHI	3	15	5	5	1.7
Nagbe	MID	POR	3	15	5	7	2.3
Alonso	MID	SEA	3	15	5	9	3
Osorio	MID	TOR	2	10	5	1	0.5
Waston	DEF	VAN	2	10	5	8	4
Royer	MID	NY	4	19	4.8	5	1.3
Perrinelle	DEF	NY	4	19	4.8	3	0.8
Felipe	MID	NY	4	19	4.8	10	2.5
Gressel	MID	ATL	3	14	4.7	4	1.3
Bava	GKP	CHI	3	14	4.7	4	1.3
Accam	FWD	CHI	3	14	4.7	3	1
DeLeon	MID	DC	3	14	4.7	8	2.7
Ramirez	FWD	MIN	3	14	4.7	0	0
Tierney	DEF	NE	3	14	4.7	2	0.7
Pirlo	MID	NYC	3	14	4.7	7	2.3
Steffen	GKP	CLB	4	18	4.5	6	1.5
Trapp	MID	CLB	4	18	4.5	10	2.5
Ibson	MID	MIN	2	9	4.5	3	1.5
Warner	MID	MIN	4	18	4.5	4	1
Perez Garcia	MID	ORL	2	9	4.5	2	1
Toia	DEF	ORL	2	9	4.5	0	0
Davies	DEF	VAN	2	9	4.5	1	0.5
S Williams	DEF	VAN	2	9	4.5	1	0.5
McCarty	MID	CHI	3	13	4.3	6	2
Harrington	DEF	CHI	3	13	4.3	4	1.3
Raitala	DEF	CLB	3	13	4.3	1	0.3
Hamid	GKP	DC	3	13	4.3	3	1
Ciman	DEF	MTL	3	13	4.3	9	3
Caldwell	MID	NE	3	13	4.3	4	1.3
Rosenberry	DEF	PHI	3	13	4.3	4	1.3
Herbers	FWD	PHI	3	13	4.3	3	1
Fabinho	DEF	PHI	3	13	4.3	5	1.7
Miller	DEF	POR	3	13	4.3	5	1.7
Roldan	MID	SEA	3	13	4.3	7	2.3
Morris	FWD	SEA	3	13	4.3	0	0
Sanchez	MID	SKC	3	13	4.3	5	1.7
Nikolic	FWD	CHI	3	12	4	1	0.3
Vincent	DEF	CHI	3	12	4	5	1.7
Abu	MID	CLB	1	4	4	2	2
Naess	DEF	CLB	4	16	4	5	1.3
Zimmerman	DEF	DAL	2	8	4	4	2
Acosta	MID	DAL	3	12	4	2	0.7
Nyarko	MID	DC	3	12	4	5	1.7
Franklin	DEF	DC	3	12	4	5	1.7
Kemp	DEF	DC	3	12	4	4	1.3
Cabezas	MID	HOU	1	4	4	2	2
Boateng	FWD	LA	2	8	4	0	0
Diop	GKP	LA	2	8	4	3	1.5
Saied	MID	MIN	3	12	4	6	2
Oduro	FWD	MTL	3	12	4	1	0.3
Wright-Phillips	FWD	NY	4	16	4	4	1
Allen	DEF	NYC	1	4	4	2	2
Ring	MID	NYC	3	12	4	6	2
Johnson	MID	ORL	2	8	4	4	2
D Jones	MID	PHI	3	12	4	5	1.7
Pontius	MID	PHI	3	12	4	2	0.7
Gleeson	GKP	POR	4	16	4	4	1
Chara	MID	POR	4	16	4	5	1.3
Ridgewell	DEF	POR	1	4	4	2	2
Allen	MID	RSL	1	4	4	1	1
Beltran	DEF	RSL	3	12	4	3	1
Rusnak	MID	RSL	3	12	4	3	1
Fisher	DEF	SEA	1	4	4	2	2
Jones	DEF	SEA	3	12	4	2	0.7
Endoh	MID	TOR	1	4	4	2	2
Vázquez	MID	TOR	1	4	4	2	2
Jacobson	MID	VAN	1	4	4	1	1
Laba	MID	VAN	2	8	4	4	2
Mezquida	MID	VAN	1	4	4	1	1
Artur	MID	CLB	3	11	3.7	6	2
Sarvas	MID	DC	3	11	3.7	7	2.3
Deric	GKP	HOU	3	11	3.7	4	1.3
Steres	DEF	LA	3	11	3.7	6	2
Lletget	MID	LA	3	11	3.7	5	1.7
K. Kamara	FWD	NE	3	11	3.7	1	0.3
Davis	MID	NY	3	11	3.7	5	1.7
Harrison	MID	NYC	3	11	3.7	4	1.3
Marquez	DEF	PHI	3	11	3.7	2	0.7
Marshall	DEF	SEA	3	11	3.7	8	2.7
Francis	DEF	SJ	3	11	3.7	2	0.7
Dawkins	MID	SJ	3	11	3.7	4	1.3
Cooper	MID	TOR	3	11	3.7	4	1.3
Carmona	MID	ATL	2	7	3.5	5	2.5
Howard	GKP	COL	2	7	3.5	2	1
Powers	MID	COL	2	7	3.5	3	1.5
Lamah	MID	DAL	2	7	3.5	1	0.5
Jeffrey	MID	DC	2	7	3.5	4	2
Alexander	MID	HOU	2	7	3.5	2	1
Valentin	DEF	POR	2	7	3.5	2	1
Cronin	MID	COL	3	10	3.3	5	1.7
Gruezo	MID	DAL	3	10	3.3	4	1.3
Birnbaum	DEF	DC	3	10	3.3	3	1
Leonardo	DEF	HOU	3	10	3.3	6	2
Machado	DEF	HOU	3	10	3.3	6	2
J. Venegas	MID	MIN	3	10	3.3	2	0.7
Bush	GKP	MTL	3	10	3.3	3	1
Delamea	DEF	NE	3	10	3.3	4	1.3
Movsisyan	FWD	RSL	4	13	3.3	0	0
Bingham	GKP	SJ	3	10	3.3	3	1
Alashe	MID	SJ	3	10	3.3	5	1.7
Fernandes	MID	SKC	3	10	3.3	3	1
Harvey	DEF	VAN	3	10	3.3	1	0.3
Solignac	FWD	CHI	1	3	3	1	1
Juninho	MID	CHI	2	6	3	1	0.5
Afful	DEF	CLB	4	12	3	3	0.8
Maloney	DEF	CLB	1	3	3	2	2
Gashi	FWD	COL	1	3	3	1	1
Cermeño	MID	DAL	1	3	3	1	1
Akindele	FWD	DAL	1	3	3	1	1
Acosta	MID	DC	1	3	3	1	1
Harkes	MID	DC	2	6	3	3	1.5
Rowe	GKP	LA	1	3	3	2	2
Van Damme	DEF	LA	1	3	3	2	2
Jones	MID	LA	2	6	3	3	1.5
K. Venegas	DEF	MIN	1	3	3	3	3
Bernardello	MID	MTL	3	9	3	4	1.3
Mancosu	FWD	MTL	3	9	3	0	0
Duvall	DEF	MTL	3	9	3	5	1.7
Angoua	DEF	NE	3	9	3	5	1.7
Farrell	DEF	NE	3	9	3	5	1.7
Rowe	MID	NE	2	6	3	2	1
Muyl	MID	NY	2	6	3	2	1
Nocerino	MID	ORL	2	6	3	1	0.5
Okugo	DEF	POR	1	3	3	2	2
Lennon	FWD	RSL	2	6	3	2	1
Velazco	FWD	RSL	1	3	3	1	1
Mulholland	MID	RSL	3	9	3	5	1.7
Plata	FWD	RSL	1	3	3	1	1
Torres	DEF	SEA	2	6	3	5	2.5
Espinoza	MID	SKC	3	9	3	2	0.7
McKendry	MID	VAN	1	3	3	1	1
Teibert	MID	VAN	2	6	3	3	1.5
Sam	MID	DC	3	8	2.7	3	1
Joao Pedro	MID	LA	3	8	2.7	3	1
Schuller	MID	MIN	3	8	2.7	4	1.3
Thiesson	DEF	MIN	3	8	2.7	6	2
Oyongo	DEF	MTL	3	8	2.7	3	1
Sunny	MID	RSL	3	8	2.7	3	1
Frei	GKP	SEA	3	8	2.7	2	0.7
de Leeuw	FWD	CHI	2	5	2.5	1	0.5
Grana	DEF	DAL	2	5	2.5	1	0.5
Pomykal	MID	DAL	2	5	2.5	1	0.5
Seitz	GKP	DAL	2	5	2.5	1	0.5
Diallo	DEF	LA	2	5	2.5	2	1
Donadel	MID	MTL	2	5	2.5	1	0.5
Carrasco	MID	ORL	2	5	2.5	0	0
Saucedo	FWD	RSL	2	5	2.5	1	0.5
Schmidt	DEF	RSL	2	5	2.5	3	1.5
Thompson	MID	SJ	2	5	2.5	1	0.5
Techera	MID	VAN	2	5	2.5	0	0
Mensah	DEF	CLB	3	7	2.3	6	2
Clark	MID	HOU	3	7	2.3	1	0.3
Garcia	MID	LA	3	7	2.3	3	1
Bedoya	MID	PHI	3	7	2.3	2	0.7
Svensson	MID	SEA	3	7	2.3	2	0.7
Dwyer	FWD	SKC	3	7	2.3	3	1
Campbell	DEF	CHI	1	2	2	1	1
Francis	DEF	CLB	1	2	2	1	1
K Doyle	FWD	COL	2	4	2	0	0
Hayes	MID	DAL	1	2	2	1	1
Mullins	FWD	DC	2	4	2	0	0
Ortiz	FWD	DC	1	2	2	0	0
Beasley	DEF	HOU	2	4	2	2	1
DeLaGarza	DEF	HOU	3	6	2	2	0.7
Smith	DEF	LA	1	2	2	0	0
McBean	FWD	LA	2	4	2	0	0
Taylor	DEF	MIN	3	6	2	6	2
Demidov	DEF	MIN	3	6	2	7	2.3
Kadrii	MID	MIN	2	4	2	1	0.5
Mallace	MID	MTL	1	2	2	0	0
Cropper	GKP	NE	3	6	2	1	0.3
Kouassi	MID	NE	1	2	2	0	0
Etienne	MID	NY	1	2	2	0	0
Bilyeu	DEF	NY	1	2	2	1	1
Simpson	FWD	PHI	1	2	2	0	0
Zemanski	MID	POR	1	2	2	1	1
Silva	MID	RSL	2	4	2	0	0
Fernández	MID	SEA	1	2	2	0	0
Ricketts	FWD	TOR	1	2	2	0	0
Montero	FWD	VAN	1	2	2	0	0
Richey	GKP	VAN	1	2	2	1	1
Tornaghi	GKP	VAN	1	2	2	0	0
Manneh	FWD	VAN	2	4	2	1	0.5
Colman	FWD	DAL	3	5	1.7	0	0
Calvo	DEF	MIN	3	5	1.7	7	2.3
Ureña	FWD	SJ	3	5	1.7	0	0
Ibarra	MID	MIN	2	3	1.5	0	0
Gulbrandsen	FWD	NY	2	3	1.5	1	0.5
Goossens	MID	CHI	1	1	1	0	0
Williams	DEF	COL	1	1	1	1	1
Burling	DEF	COL	1	1	1	0	0
Calvert	FWD	COL	1	1	1	0	0
Barrios	MID	DAL	2	2	1	0	0
Villarreal	MID	LA	1	1	1	0	0
Danladi	FWD	MIN	1	1	1	0	0
Alvbage	GKP	MIN	2	2	1	2	1
Shuttleworth	GKP	MIN	2	2	1	2	1
Giovinco	FWD	TOR	2	2	1	0	0
Bolaños	MID	VAN	1	1	1	0	0
Nerwinski	DEF	VAN	1	1	1	0	0
Davis	DEF	MIN	2	1	0.5	3	1.5
Shea	MID	VAN	1	0	0	1	1
Camara	DEF	MTL	1	-1	-1	0	0

Just a couple quick notes. Almost all players with a PPS above 7 will regress. Only 10 regular starters managed to average more than 7 PPS last season. Just 19 averaged more than 6 PPS. Make sure you check the “starts” column to see if the player is a regular starter. And before you even ask, no, Godoy’s scoring isn’t sustainable. Expect something closer to between 5 and 6 PPS – which is still useful at his price.