Quiz Question: When is a 700 OPS better than a 800 OPS?

by Jeff Zimmerman on Jun 23, 2009 6:35 PM EDT

I was catching up on the issues of By the Numbers and read the following quote in the the November 2008 issue:

"An OPS of .800 will always generate more runs than an OPS of .700, given the same amount of playing time."

I know the above statement is not always true, but do you? I want to give out a prize and decided that I the first person to prove that it is false, using math, will get to choose the first team I will study in depth with my new disabled list database. I know it is not much, but that is all I can really offer. Hopefully there will be more of these to come in the future.

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Jason Kendall, 2002, 706 OPS, 4.5 Runs/27 Outs
Pedro Feliz, 2003, 793 OPS, 4.2 Runs/27 Outs

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by jessef on Jun 23, 2009 7:00 PM EDT reply actions

Nice, though Kendall is short

I was kinda expecting a made up line, but real players will do.

Am I guess you want the Mets?

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by Jeff Zimmerman on Jun 23, 2009 7:18 PM EDT up reply actions

blue jays, actually

though the mets would be acceptable. really interested in seeing how their seemingly limitless pitcher injuries rank up there.

"The NY Mets are my favorite squadron" -- Apu Nahasapeemapetilon

by jessef on Jun 23, 2009 7:33 PM EDT up reply actions

I know the above statement is always not true

“always not true” or “not always true” – those word arrangements matter, especially from a math standpoint…

by cephyn on Jun 23, 2009 7:09 PM EDT reply actions

Thanks -corrected

Jeff Zimmerman - Protecting the world from RBI's and Wins from my mom's guest house.

by Jeff Zimmerman on Jun 23, 2009 7:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Is all else equal?

Same run environment, same parks, etc?

by Dan Turkenkopf on Jun 23, 2009 7:19 PM EDT reply actions

Yes

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by Jeff Zimmerman on Jun 23, 2009 7:22 PM EDT up reply actions

Start with a player who has a walk/PA rate of .7 and a batting average of .000, so an OBP of .700 and an SLG of .000, so an OPS of .700.

Now take a player with a batting average of .400, 0 walks and an ISO of .000, so a SLG of .400 and an OPS of .800.

In a 5 RPG environment, a single is worth 0.488 runs and a walk is worth 0.327 runs, for a difference of .161.

In 10 PA:

7 * .327 = 2.289

4 * .488 = 1.952

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by cwyers on Jun 23, 2009 7:39 PM EDT reply actions

That was the method I used, but not as extreme. Somthing to the following line is what I got

OBA/350 SLG/350

OBA/200 SLG/600

Jeff Zimmerman - Protecting the world from RBI's and Wins from my mom's guest house.

by Jeff Zimmerman on Jun 23, 2009 7:55 PM EDT up reply actions

was basically what i tried to use with Kendall and Feliz

figured real-life examples would have more clout, especially guys we have all actually seen play.

feliz’s obp was a little higher than i wanted but he was just someone i happened to think of off the top of my head.

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by jessef on Jun 23, 2009 7:56 PM EDT up reply actions

So, the basic answer is...

When ((OBP700-SLG700)/3) – ((OBP800-SLG800)/3) > OPS800 – OPS100?

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by bdalebs on Jun 23, 2009 8:41 PM EDT reply actions

IDK why the numbers are blue.

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by bdalebs on Jun 23, 2009 8:41 PM EDT up reply actions

Yay SBN auto format.

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by WalrusMan on Jun 24, 2009 2:35 AM EDT up reply actions

None of them even lead to anything.

And the last OPS should be OPS700

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by bdalebs on Jun 24, 2009 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions

Wouldn't just be something related to wOBA

I mean a .500 OBP and .200 SLG would generate more runs than .300 OBP and .500 SLG right?

I’m not good at this kind of stuff. :D

by TheFunkle on Jun 24, 2009 12:52 AM EDT reply actions

That's what I kinda used to come up with my overly-simplified equation.

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by bdalebs on Jun 24, 2009 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions

Wily Mo Pena

.300 OBP .500 SLG
vs. some guy with .350 of both

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by harendaman365 on Jun 24, 2009 10:48 AM EDT reply actions