On Base Precentage VS Batting Average

I am obviously not a scout -- but I just finished reading Moneyball, which covers this topic thoroughly. I see the logic in considering OBP before BA, but I think OBP is most useful in comparing two kids that might look "similar". In my opinion, scouts that watch HS kids don't particularly care about either -- they are looking at projectability, up-side, make-up, etc. -- from a traditional viewpoint. Some pro teams are using OBP, along with other statistical formulas that are considered somewhat "new", to judge production.

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In my opinion, scouts that watch HS kids don't particularly care about either -- they are looking at projectability, up-side, make-up, etc. -- from a traditional viewpoint.

PD...you're exactly right on that. Scouts could care less (to a certain extent) about stats. They are looking at where a kid will be 5 years down the road not how many wins they have or how many hits they have.........IMHO, of course.

OP and PD- I agree with you, but I would have to think impressive stats would give a kid some advantage. Maybe that advantage is just one more look, but if a kid has dominating numbers... I'd like to think (in my non-corrupted mind) that it has some advantage.

Dtiger.........I think you make a valid point. I think that Matthew Sulentic is a perfect example of your opinion. He shot up the draft board by the numbers he put up as a senior this year. I bet at the beginning of the year, he wasn't projected as a 3rd round pick out of HS. I could also be very wrong about that though.

OP- I'm going to go off topic (carefully) and say I'm glad you have something about Bob Feller. I met him when I was 11 in Iowa. He willingly sat and talked baseball with me for a good 15-20 minutes. I truly think my pitching style has a lot to what he told me. In general, "Your the pitcher, they can't hit you unless you let them." Back on topic, I'd agree... with the precaution that we don't know the full story... about Matt. Also when coaches talk work ethic, dedication, that helps "projectability" to a degree.

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Originally posted by Old Pitcher:
Dtiger.........I think you make a valid point. I think that Matthew Sulentic is a perfect example of your opinion. He shot up the draft board by the numbers he put up as a senior this year. I bet at the beginning of the year, he wasn't projected as a 3rd round pick out of HS. I could also be very wrong about that though.

I can positively say that Mr. Sulentic was getting tons of attention the summer before his Senior year. We will never know for sure how much of an impact his senior season had, but my guess is he would have been drafted fairly close to where he was drafted regardless of his senior year.

And D-Tiger brings up a very important point. There is no doubt in my mind, and I can say this with 100% assurance.......

Nobody worked or works harder than Matt Sulentic........Nobody!

Ken -- how much did his work ethic factor into his draft position?

I still believe his senior year hitting over 600 made him a 3rd round pick. If he played in a 5A school he may have gone higher.

His work ethic was unreal but to the defense of all the kids reading this....he paid for MUCHO lessons daily (ie..CEO daddy). Some of us are not CEO's and could not afford the prices being charged today. However; Matt wanted it and went out and did it himself.

I hope we watch him on TV one day.

Train- I agree that some kids do not have the same resources, but it doesn't seem to stop some of the foreign players. A kid as dedicated as Matt was (speaking on second hand knowledge) would've saved money and bought a bucket of baseballs, a tee, and a soff toss net if those were the only things he could afford.