Yes, there are some stats that address situational performance in a more comprehensive fashion.
My favorite is WPA or Win Probability Added. Simply put, the batter is credited with the difference in his team's Win Probability before and after his PA. Those Win Probabilities are determined based on standardized tables or historical data.
In the cases you state, both the "guy that gets on to keep team in it", like the "guy that drives him in" would garner a good amount of WPA.
However, the "meaningless HR", down or up by 8 in the 9th, doesn't earn you much WPA.
The "blown save" can cost a closer a good amount of WPA.
Other things... a leadoff walk in the ninth of a tied game, for example...lots of WPA. Sac Bunts...usually don't help WPA much (since they usually don't increase Win Probabilty much...even when successful).
The guys at fangraphs.com have been tracking WPA for a while now and the leaderboard reads like a who's who for players.
Guys who make few outs and "turn games around" (slugging) will accumulate a lot of WPA.
No surprise that Lance Berkman is the current ML leader. Pat Burrell is second.
A strikeout is pretty much another out for WPA...although advancing a runner with an out CAN help (or at least be LESS negative).
GIDPs...usually very bad.
The always controversial Adam Dunn leads the REDS hitters in 2008 in WPA currently with 1.47.
Corey Patterson is last with -1.64.
http://www.fangraphs.com/winss.aspx?...ds&season=2008
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deadhorse