When you're watching a game and they show average, homers, and RBI, why don't they instead show on-base percentage, or at least add it beside the average (some do, but not all)? It's a much more telling statistic, especially in combination with batting average.

For example, if you were looking only at batting average, you'd think Jeff Francoeur and Adam Dunn were about equally successful (.256 to .255). Showing OBP, however, would show that Dunn is at a healthy .385 to Francoeur's horrible .282.

I'm not asking for runs created, VORP, or any sabermetric stats - just common sense things like OBP or OPS. Is there just too much tradition with those three categories?

Because not enough of "society" that watches games, has a clue what OB% is. Personally, I think it should be a part of the game, and used more often.

But 99% of today's baseball fan base, doesn't understand what makes up OBP. Sad!

(Personally, OPS to me is a made up stat...to just make #'s look bigger. You have OB% and Slugging...you don't need to combine them)

But I think there should be a stat for something like you said (Runs created). No one gives enough credit to players like Jeter, who can draw a 2 out walk, with no one on, and his team ends up scoring runs in that inning. There should be some kind of stat for that. Too many players do little things that never get mentioned.

I agree with you that they should show more OBP & SLG, but I do think one day in the future, you will see those stats talked about more on T.V. Just think how far they have come in the last 10 years. Report It

because people like batting average better

Too much tradition...that's really what it is. Plus, if people are just tuning into the game for the first time, they won't know what OBP means, (obviously they will know what Avg. means).

They want it easier for the fans, is my guess. But I agree with the points you made.

On base percentage (or OBP) is a factor of hits, beans, and walks. Batting average takes into account hits that get you on base legitimately, excluding errors and fielders choice.

The walking is open to debate on whether the batter had a good eye or the pitcher just didn't throw strikes. So it's hard to consider this in your batting average.

If someone crowded the plate and got beaned everytime they went to bat their OBP would be through the roof!

Simply put

Because they hand out a batting title.. not an OBP title..

and most casual fans can derive a batting average.. only the ardent stat freak can tell exactly which stats to use to put together an on base percentage.. i.e a batting average hits devided by at bats.. an OBP doesn't use ABs, it uses plate appearances (walks, ABs, Hit by the pitch and Sac flies) sacrifice bunts are NOT included in OBP

the OBP is a important stat but people seemed more interested in batting averages, home runs, and RBI.