Alright, alright, alright! (Matthew McCaughahey, 1993). For the next 8-weeks I want to break down some of baseball’s most important, yet confusing statistics. Most people know the standard Batting Average, On Base Percentage, Runs Batted In, Earned Run Average, etc., but there are other, more precise Sabermetric statistics that shows the true value of hitters and pitchers.
These next 8 weeks I will be breaking down, OPS/OPS+, WAR, FIP, wRC+, BABIP, fWAR, WHIP, and finally a Statcast glossary with such measurements as Launch Angle, Exit Velocity, and Spin Rate.
Let’s face it, baseball is a very analytical sport and its statistics can be confusing. Thus, my goal is to simplify important statistics so you can understand and enjoy the game a bit better without a mathematics degree.
This week, we look at OPS/OPS+.
For over a century, batting average has been the stat of choice for determining offensive greatness. It’s engraved on plaques in Cooperstown, stitched into every baseball card from the junk wax era, and still casually tossed around by color commentators as gospel truth.
But while batting average had its day, the game has evolved. And the stat we should be using to measure a hitter’s true value, OPS, is still treated like a bench player waiting for a call-up.
Let’s change that.
What is OPS?
OPS stands for On-Base Plus Slugging, a straightforward name for a deceptively powerful stat. It combines two vital pieces of a hitter’s profile:
- On-Base Percentage (OBP) — how often a player gets on base via hit, walk, or hit-by-pitch.
- Slugging Percentage (SLG) — how many total bases a player averages per at-bat. A double counts more than a single, and a home run is worth the full four.
Add them together and you get OPS, a single number that tells you not only how often a player gets on base, but how hard they hit when they do. In essence, OPS rewards patience and power; the two traits that win ballgames.
OPS = OBP + SLG
It’s a stat rooted in common sense. And yet, it’s rarely used in headline debates. Why? Likely because tradition dies hard in baseball.
But What About OPS+?
If OPS is the base model, OPS+ is the luxury trim.
OPS+ = 100 × (OBP ÷ League OBP + SLG ÷ League SLG – 1) × Park Factor Adjustment
OPS+ takes a player’s OPS and adjusts it for two important variables:
- Ballpark factors — because it’s easier to hit in Colorado than in Oakland.
- League context — because a .900 OPS in 1999 isn’t the same as one in 1968.
It scales to a league-average of 100. So, an OPS+ of 150 means the player was 50% better than league average and an OPS+ of 80 is 20% worse than league average. It’s not just useful its historical context baked into a stat.
This is the stat to really discover the game’s best hitters.
Who Tops the Leaderboards?
Here’s the all-time top ten in each. “NL” = Negro League player (source = baseball-reference.com):
Career OPS:
- Babe Ruth – 1.164
- Ted Williams – 1.116
- Lou Gehrig – 1.080
- Oscar Charleston (NL) =1.063
- Barry Bonds – 1.051
- Jimmie Foxx – 1.038
- Turkey Stearns (NL)- 1.032
- Mule Suttles (NL)- 1.029
- Aaron Judge – 1.024
- Hank Greenberg – 1.016
Career OPS+:
- Babe Ruth – 206
- Ted Williams – 191
- Oscar Charleston (NL) – 184
- Barry Bonds – 182
- Lou Gehrig – 179
- Aaron Judge – 177
- Turkey Stearns (NL) -177
- Rogers Hornsby – 175
- Mickey Mantle – 172
- Mule Suttles (NL) – 172
OPS+ doesn’t just measure production—it immortalizes it. You’ll notice these are names etched into baseball mythology. OPS is how they got there. OPS+ is how we remember them accurately.
Why Batting Average Falls Short
Batting average ignores walks. It treats a single and a home run the same. It rewards hitters for avoiding strikeouts but ignores whether they did anything meaningful at the plate.
OPS doesn’t make that mistake. It values production over appearances. It’s the stat that matches the modern game.
Final Word:
Batting average might still hold sentimental value, but OPS, and by extension OPS+, is the stat that captures what actually wins games. If we’re serious about recognizing true offensive excellence, it’s time we elevate OPS and OPS+ from “advanced stat” to mainstream standard.
The game’s evolved. The numbers should, too.
Next up? WAR. And no, not the one with battles and bayonets. Stay tuned.
This article was first published on Andrew’s Substack: Letters From An Average Guy
