ESPN.com poll

[Mxracer23x]

What is the most overrated stat in baseball?

Batting Average 13%
Home runs 24%
On base Percentage 11%
RBI 9%
Slugging Percentage 44%

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This just shows how media driven the general public really is. slugging percentage is one of the most important stats out of those 5, probably top 2 with OBP. RBIs are least overrated? Give me a break, rbis are dependent on people being on base when your batting.

Id have to say those stats in order are OBP, Slugging %, HR, AVG, RBI

[TheEnglishHombre]

Re: ESPN.com poll

I voted for average, just because, as an A's fan, I get to witness just how important walks and OBP can be. Walks are a significant part of baseball, and having a good eye can be the difference between an average player and a good one. Plus, OBP and Slugging both take average into account, thus making it the least important of the 5 in my book.

[SPTO]

Re: ESPN.com poll

I don't think it's all the media's fault for that result. I think it's just that most people don't really get into the nitty gritty of these stats. Younger people are like that tho so I imagine that SLG % will be a much more respected stat in 20 years.

[GBrushTWood]

Re: ESPN.com poll

Since Americans are so poor at Math, anything that relates to something remotely mathematical is automatically shunned. As soon as a fan sees any concept beyond what is spoon fed to them on Sportscenter or BBTN, they immediately shun it, usually because they don't understand it and aren't willing to understand it.
Baseball fans in general aren't exactly Rhodes-scholar types, so only those with a true desire to understand concepts more beneath the surface are willing to look beyond the 3 triple crown stats. This is actually a really sad statement about people, because slugging really isn't that mathematically complicated. Total bases divided by at bats. Not exactly a quadratic function.

[Stu]

Re: ESPN.com poll

Stolen bases should have been an option.

[mgoblue]

Re: ESPN.com poll

Since Americans are so poor at Math, anything that relates to something remotely mathematical is automatically shunned. As soon as a fan sees any concept beyond what is spoon fed to them on Sportscenter or BBTN, they immediately shun it, usually because they don't understand it and aren't willing to understand it.
Baseball fans in general aren't exactly Rhodes-scholar types, so only those with a true desire to understand concepts more beneath the surface are willing to look beyond the 3 triple crown stats. This is actually a really sad statement about people, because slugging really isn't that mathematically complicated. Total bases divided by at bats. Not exactly a quadratic function.

i wouldn't call baseball fans slow...just not everyone's a roterissie type stat guy. The math isn't hard, just your average fan isn't going to figure all that out themselves, that's always for the hardcore fan. How often do you see someone's "total bases" stat in the paper or something? Not sure i could ever find the right stats to do the formulas anyways.

I do agree though, a lot of fans don't take the time to get into the nuances of the game, but you get that in every sport.

[Vince]

Re: ESPN.com poll

A lot of fans have no clue how to calulate or know the meaning of Slugging percentage...

From the list, it's RBI, IMO.