AVG vs OBP vs SLG vs OPS?

Question

Four pretty standard numbers used to talk about players' performance. On which do you put the most value, and why?

Answer 1

From those 4, I choose OPS. It's a far better indicator of overall offensive skills than are any of the others. It combines the ability to drive in runs with the ability to keep rallies going, and it is long-sequence offence (long rallies), combined with defence, that wins games.

BA doesn't indicate anything more than the ability to get on base by a hit. But what type of hit? A "banjo" hitter could have a high average, but a very low secondary average (a measure of power, speed and strike zone judgement).

OBP indicates strike zone judgement, but nothing else. SLG indicates power, but nothing else.

I prefer runs created, but you didn't offer that choice.

Answer 2

2

Answer 3

If I can have only one number, I'd take OPS, though I wouldn't be very happy about it. Baseball has so very many different stats because each can tell us different things.

OPS itself doesn't measure anything; it is a simple addition of two ratios that have different denominators, so the final number is meaningless by itself. When we have enough of them we can resolve a continuum and separate the weak from the average from the good from the studly. It also suffers from what all second-order (calculated) stats do: sacrificing information for the sake of convenience. Example: a batter hits .350 -- well, okay, but is that 7 for 20, which may merely be luck, or 70 for 200, which is beginning to show a real skill? Can't tell without more information.

OPS is the handiest roll-up-all-the-offense stat out there, and that we can get it so quickly speaks of its popularity, which tends to be borne of its utility. OPS says a lot on a broad scale but leaves out many details. Sometimes that's enough, and it surely has quickness in its favor.

Answer 4

They measure different things:

Batting average (AVG) essentially measures who's good at hitting the ball. It's good for determining who's best at the mechanics of hitting, but it doesn't say anything about the batter's ability to recognize pitches.

On Base Percentage (OBP) is essentially batting average with walks added in. It measures a player's ability to make it to first base, whether by hit or otherwise. I'd count it a bit abouve AVG, simple because it takes into account more factors.

Slugging percentage (SLG) is an average of how many bases a player gets when he has an official at-bat. Very good for determining power, but has the same limitations as AVG.

OPS is SLG plus OBP. I consider this to be a fairly stupid statistic, in that it adds together two stats that measure different things. In my mind, it's the hitting equivalent of adding together a pitcher's strikeouts and earned runs and claiming that is the best measure of pitching ability.

Answer 5

As a fantasy league manager, batting average is the only one of these usually used, so I would have to go with that. Although...I am in league that measures hitters strikeout to walk ratio, so on base percentage is important. If I was a manager of a real team, it would have to be OPS or AVG. How clutch a hitter is, is more important, but these statistics don't really measure how a guy does in pressure situations.

Answer 6

Depends on your needs. I like SLG. Extra bases means RBIs .baby

Answer 7

i think each has there own importance i think i put the most on obp because if ur somebody who gets on base alot your probably socring alot and u probably have a high average as well.