On-Base Plus Slugging: A Comprehensive Guide to OPS in Baseball

Introduction

On-base plus slugging (OPS) is a statistic in baseball that measures a player's overall offensive contribution. It is calculated by adding the player's on-base percentage (OBP) to their slugging percentage (SLG).

OPS is a valuable metric because it provides a more comprehensive measure of a player's hitting ability than either OBP or SLG alone. A player with a high OPS is someone who gets on base consistently and also has the power to hit for extra bases.

Calculating OPS

OPS is calculated using the following formula:

OPS = OBP + SLG

OBP is calculated by dividing the number of times a player gets on base (via hits, walks, and hit by pitches) by the number of times they come to bat.

SLG is calculated by dividing the total number of bases a player accumulates by the number of at-bats.

Interpreting OPS

OPS is a scale from 0.000 to 1.000. A player with an OPS of 1.000 would be getting on base and slugging at a perfect rate.

Generally speaking, an OPS of .800 or higher is considered to be excellent, while an OPS of .700 or higher is considered to be very good. An OPS of .600 or higher is considered to be average, while an OPS of .500 or lower is considered to be below average.

Factors that Affect OPS

There are a number of factors that can affect a player's OPS, including:

• Batting average: A player's batting average is the number of hits they get per at-bat. A player with a high batting average is more likely to get on base, which will boost their OPS.
• On-base percentage: A player's on-base percentage is the number of times they get on base per at-bat. A player with a high on-base percentage is more likely to reach base via walks or hit by pitches, which will also boost their OPS.
• Slugging percentage: A player's slugging percentage is the number of total bases they accumulate per at-bat. A player with a high slugging percentage is more likely to hit for extra bases, which will boost their OPS.
• Home runs: Home runs are worth more bases than any other type of hit, so they can have a significant impact on a player's OPS. A player with a lot of home runs will typically have a higher OPS than a player with fewer home runs.
• Walks: Walks are not considered hits, but they do count towards a player's OBP. A player who draws a lot of walks will typically have a higher OPS than a player who does not walk as much.

Historical OPS Leaders

The all-time OPS leader is Barry Bonds, who had an OPS of 1.441 during his career. Other players with high OPS include Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Hank Aaron, and Mike Trout.

Current OPS Leaders

The current OPS leader in Major League Baseball is Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees, who has an OPS of 1.049 this season. Other players with high OPS this season include Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels, Bryce Harper of the Philadelphia Phillies, and Freddie Freeman of the Atlanta Braves.

Table 1: OPS Leaders by Year

Table 2: OPS Leaders of All Time

Table 3: OPS Leaders by Position

Effective Strategies for Improving OPS

There are a number of things that players can do to improve their OPS, including:

• Working on their batting average: A player who can improve their batting average will be more likely to get on base, which will boost their OPS.
• Drawing more walks: A player who can draw more walks will increase their on-base percentage, which will also boost their OPS.
• Hitting for more power: A player who can hit for more power will increase their slugging percentage, which will boost their OPS.
• Hitting home runs: Home runs are worth more bases than any other type of hit, so hitting more home runs will significantly boost a player's OPS.

FAQs

Q: What is a good OPS?

A: Generally speaking, an OPS of .800 or higher is considered to be excellent, while an OPS of .700 or higher is considered to be very good. An OPS of .600 or higher is considered to be average, while an OPS of .500 or lower is considered to be below average.

Q: Who is the all-time OPS leader?

A: Barry Bonds is the all-time OPS leader with an OPS of 1.441.

Q: Who is the current OPS leader?

A: Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees is the current OPS leader with an OPS of 1.049.

Q: What is the best way to improve my OPS?

A: There are a number of things that players can do to improve their OPS, including working on their batting average, drawing more walks, hitting for more power, and hitting home runs.

Q: How can I track my OPS?

A: You can track your OPS by using a baseball statistics website or app.

**Q: What is the difference between OPS and OPS+