More Important: Batting Avg. or OBP?

[BearKats30]

Which one is it and why?

[Bulldog92]

Which one is it and why?

I would say OBP just because you need baserunners to score runs.

[CATS80]

OBP

OBP helps the team to get runners in position to score

and batting average is to me more of a personal thing

Good post Bearcat

[hdbasketballstar]

Yeah i would have to agree. OBP is probably more important, but if you have a high batting average, you OBP should be high anyway lol.

[BearKats30]

Why is OBP never looked at or talked about?

[Silsbee92]

I think the Red Sox made it famous...  Very few people talked about until then.

Never was a Red Sox fan.

8)

[shs85]

I would say OBP over BA!!!

[Guest Orangeboy]

OBP

OBP helps the team to get runners in position to score

and batting average is to me more of a personal thing

With OBP you are finding a way to help your team win.

[bullets13]

this is a tricky question.  if you get on base on a fielder's choice, then you really haven't done anything but traded baserunners and made an out.  however, if you've walked, reached on an error, or have had a hit, then you have gained a baserunner and maybe a run.  your OBP is very important, but your batting average is going to reflect your hits, which will have always resulted in a positive for your team, where your OBP occasionally reflects something that may have actually been a negative for your team.  short story long, i think that both of these stats are important, and it's tough to rank one over the other.

[rhino1877]

OBP over BA!

[cardinal81o7]

if you're not on base...your team cant score runs and win

[Ty Cobb]

On base percentage is more important than batting avg.  Avg is base hits only.  On base can be by walk, error, fielders choice, etc... You have to be on base to give your team a chance to win.

[bleacher_bum]

The reason Average is looked at more than OBP, is because it is based mainly on player performance.  OBP is (or at least can be) a measure of deficiency in the other team. I.E., walks errors etc...

I believe this is the main reason avg is more talked about in the sport.

Even though I personally think OBP IS a good measure of player performance. IMO

[Txfootball07]

I think each has a place of significance.  For the one and two places in the order I think a good OBP is more important.  For three four and five hitters I think batting average is more important, actually BA isnt more important - the point here is you want kids here that will drive the ball with runners on.  I think they are both important but play different roles.

Just my humble opinion.

[soonerbeintexas]

I like to measure a player's contribution to the team by looking at OPS...on base + slugging percentage.

A guy with a high slugging percentage has batting average figured in, as well as his ability to drive the ball via double, triple, or homer. See Barry Bonds, Albert Pujols, Lance Berkman, etc.

[MIF04]

No sport has a bigger facsination with numbers and stats than does baseball.  The lore of baseball is cloaked with numbers and stats, etc...OBP and OPS are relatively new stats that come out of the 'Money Ball' era that is known as performance scouting.  They are valuable in determing a player's productivity in some sense.

On the other hand, the 'old reliable' (batting average) still tells you who your better hitters are (although I recognize the argument about OPS).  With 2 outs and the tying run on 2nd, do you want a guy up at the plate who gets a lot of walks or a guy who gets a lot of hits?  Overlooked in the debate is another 'old' number -- RBIs.  Who scores the most runners, etc.?

Just food for thought...

[cardinal81o7]

i saw a special on espn about the newest stat which the pros consider the most important which is OPS it combines on base percentage, avg, and slugging

[bleacher_bum]

??? ???

[bleacher_bum]

just kidding cardinal, soonerbeintexas mentioned this also...

[cardinal81o7]

dang i didnt even see that lol