What's More Important, OBP, or SLG?

[Dry1313]

After having a completely assinine argument with the feeble minded Dam8610, I've come to the conclusion it must be OBP. A simple way for me to prove this comes in the Top 15 in AL SLG: Gary Matthews Jr., Justin Morneau, and Michael Cuddyer. Anyone consider these guys elite hitters? No. Now, I'll post the Top 15 in AL OBP and you tell me who isn't a good hitter:

1. Hafner
2. Mauer
3. Giambi
4. Youkilis
5. Nixon
6. Ramirez
7. Jeter
8. Thome
9. Posada
10. Ichiro
11. Nick Swisher
12. A-Rod
13. Dye
14. Konerko
15. C. Blake

I guess you could make a case that Blake and Youkilis aren't great hitters. But, both are having outstanding years, so how can you say that OBP is the more prevalent. Even though Billy Beane's "Money Ball" doesn't always come through, I think Beane has got it right here. Undoubtedly, OBP is more important.

[MarinersFan87]

This thread is pointless. They're completely different stats that are both necessary in a lineup, but at different places. One is only better than the other when you are talking about a leadoff hitter or a cleanup hitter.

[McKain]

A statistician friend of mine did a little math and determined that OBP is better in terms of its correlation to runs scored.

But like MF87 said, they are both necessary.

[Dry1313]

Well, let's boil it down. Say you're determining an All-Star. Two Guys play the OF. One is better in OBP, and the other is better in SLG. They are pretty much comparable otherwise. Who's gets your vote? For me it's the OBP guy. I know they both have value, but SLG is flawed. A guy who hits 20 2B's and strikes out 130 times sucks. But to get on base 40% of the time, you have to be good. Idk, it's just my preference.

[MarinersFan87]

Well, let's boil it down. Say you're determining an All-Star. Two Guys play the OF. One is better in OBP, and the other is better in SLG. They are pretty much comparable otherwise. Who's gets your vote? For me it's the OBP guy. I know they both have value, but SLG is flawed. A guy who hits 20 2B's and strikes out 130 times sucks. But to get on base 40% of the time, you have to be good. Idk, it's just my preference.

Isn't that what OPS is for? To balance the two out? I'll take the guy with the higher OPS.

[HollywoodLeo]

I say OBP just because the Padres' best hitter is an OBP machine.

[Kingdom]

sacrifice bunts are more important

[rockin500]

OBP is probably more important, though you need slugging. Ideally, you would have a balance of the two, but you need to get on base to get other guys slug em in.

[Dry1313]

Exactly.

[Kingdom]

Just as with any stat, they can be misleading. There are players out there that have fine OBP's, but aside from that player's team's biased fan base, he's not really worth a lot.

At least not as much as he's made out to be by some individuals.

[realmofotalk]

OBP is more important. Look at how many World Series rings it got the Oakland Athletics.

Like MFer says, OPS is there for a reason.

[Dam8610]

Like MFer says, OPS is there for a reason.

Exactly. Despite Dry's attempt to mislead everyone here, I wasn't trying to discount OBP, or say that SLG was the most important stat. The REAL argument we had was over whether or not Jermaine Dye is an All Star at this point. He says no (because he's 12th in OBP), I say yes (because he's 12th in OBP, 2nd in SLG, 5th in OPS, has 20 HRs, and a .300+ BA). Who's right?

[MarinersFan87]

Dye is an All-Star because of his OPS.

[Zito75]

OBP is more important in my opinion. It shows how good of a hitter and how good of an eye you have at the plate.

[Giants666]

This is a pointless thread............both are important in there own way...............but this is what we have the OPS for.