For those unfamiliar with baseball, OPS stands for On-base Plus Slugging. It is an advanced statistic used to measure a player’s offensive performance. The acronym OPS is derived from the two primary components that make up the calculation, On-base Percentage (OBP) and Slugging Percentage (SLG). In this article, we will look at how to calculate OPS in baseball.
What is OPS?
OPS is a statistic used to measure the performance of a baseball player’s offensive ability. It is calculated by summing a player’s on-base percentage and their slugging percentage. The higher the OPS, the higher the player’s offensive productivity.
On-base Percentage (OBP)
OBP is a measure of how often a player gets on base by either a hit, a walk or a hit-by-pitch. It is calculated by dividing the number of times a player is on base (H+BB+HBP) by their total number of plate appearances (AB + BB + HBP + SF + SH).
Slugging Percentage (SLG)
SLG is a measure of the total number of bases a player has accumulated. It is calculated by dividing the total number of bases (1B + 2 x 2B + 3 x 3B + 4 x HR) by the total number of at-bats (AB).
Calculating OPS
OPS is calculated by summing the on-base percentage and the slugging percentage. To calculate OPS, simply add the OBP and SLG and divide by two.
OPS = (OBP + SLG) / 2
For example, if a player has an OBP of .350 and a SLG of .450, their OPS would be .400.
Why OPS is Important
OPS is one of the most important baseball statistics because it reflects a player’s ability to get on base and hit for power. It is a single number that can be used to compare players across different positions. OPS is also a better measure of offensive performance than batting average, as it takes into account a player’s ability to get on base and hit for power.
Conclusion
OPS is an important statistic used to measure a player’s offensive performance in baseball. It is calculated by summing a player’s on-base percentage and their slugging percentage. The higher the OPS, the higher the player’s offensive productivity. OPS is a single number that can be used to compare players across different positions and is a better measure of offensive performance than batting average.