There is a finite number of outs that a team can make in one game, and it is almost always 27 (or 3 outs/inning × 9 innings/game). A player consumes these outs to create runs, and at the simplest level, runs and outs are the only truly meaningful stats in baseball. Outs are calculated by simply taking at-bats and subtracting hits, then adding in various outs that don't count toward at-bats: sacrifice hits, sacrifice flies, caught stealing, and grounded into double-play. Runs may be estimated by one of many run-approximation methods: Bill James' runs created, Pete Palmer's linear weights, BaseRuns, etc. Baseball Prospectus author Keith Woolner uses Clay Davenport's Equivalent Runs in the calculation of VORP. Armed with runs and outs (for the player and that player's league), one can finally calculate VORP.