Fangraphs: Players Overrated by On Base Percentage

[Can_of_corn]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/instagraphs/players-overrated-by-on-base-percentage/

The article describes how OBP must be devalued when discussing players that score at significantly less then league average when they are on base.

Ortiz's number (14%) is almost shockingly low, as he's only scoring once every seven times he gets on base.

[ledzepp8]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/instagraphs/players-overrated-by-on-base-percentage/

The article describes how OBP must be devalued when discussing players that score at significantly less then league average when they are on base.

Not that I want to defend Ortiz, but why do they automatically conclude that his scoring less is all do to his inability to go more than station to station? Why not factor the hitters after him? The author even discounts Yunel Escobar being on the list because of the rest of his team but doesn't do the same for Ortiz...

[Can_of_corn]

Not that I want to defend Ortiz, but why do they automatically conclude that his scoring less is all do to his inability to go more than station to station? Why not factor the hitters after him? The author even discounts Yunel Escobar being on the list because of the rest of his team but doesn't do the same for Ortiz...

I am sure that is also a factor.

[MurphDogg]

Not that I want to defend Ortiz, but why do they automatically conclude that his scoring less is all do to his inability to go more than station to station? Why not factor the hitters after him? The author even discounts Yunel Escobar being on the list because of the rest of his team but doesn't do the same for Ortiz...

Exactly, certainly it is true that OBP is not the be all, end all, but the relationship betweem OBP and runs has more to do with the hitters that come up after you than it does with your speed.

[ledzepp8]

Exactly, certainly it is true that OBP is not the be all, end all, but the relationship betweem OBP and runs has more to do with the hitters that come up after you than it does with your speed.

Exactly. Getting a lot of RBIs doesn't automatically mean you're a good hitter. And not scoring as many runs doesn't automatically mean you're high OBP is overvalued.

[MurphDogg]

Exactly. Getting a lot of RBIs doesn't automatically mean you're a good hitter. And not scoring as many runs doesn't automatically mean you're high OBP is overvalued.

These high OBP, low run scorers also happen to hit lower in their team's lineup, not sure how that went unmentioned.