Number Don't lie, what the most important softball stat on offense?

TheSoftballZone

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I always felt getting on base was the most important stat. I didn't really care how you got on base.

If I had to pick another stat, it would be batting average with runners in scoring position.
 

AnotherSoftballDad

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I always felt getting on base was the most important stat. I didn't really care how you got on base.

If I had to pick another stat, it would be batting average with runners in scoring position.
I am a big fan of OPS. It combines them all and gives you a glimpse of their overall offense output.
 

IRdad09

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Agreed. It has to be on base percentage. Get on by any means necessary. Then you can make things happen!
 

PaulP

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Statistical analysis of baseball indicates batting average slightly tops on-base percentage. I think slugging/hrs and then doubleplays are importent in some formulas for predicting wins.
 

daboss

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Comparing the importance of numbers in fastpitch to baseball in my opinion does have a few differences. Mainly due to the difference in the distance between bases and frankly the difference in pitching distance and a mound versus no mound. I always preach on base percentage in fastpitch.

I noticed many of us agree. Sure are a lot of smart people in this forum............
 

24GahannaLadyLions7

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On-base percentage doesn't include Reached on Error.... with the speed of the game of Fastpitch including the slapping aspect, "getting on-base" differs way different than "on-base percentage" comparing our thinking of us old baseball guys to the new age softball game IMO

besides the slapping aspect, a hard ground ball that is bodied up by a fielder is more than likely going to a reached on error with 60 foot bases compared to 90 foot bases where a baseball fielder still may have time to make the play, especially left side of the infield
 

Passion4theGame

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On-base percentage doesn't include Reached on Error.... with the speed of the game of Fastpitch including the slapping aspect, "getting on-base" differs way different than "on-base percentage" comparing our thinking of us old baseball guys to the new age softball game IMO

besides the slapping aspect, a hard ground ball that is bodied up by a fielder is more than likely going to a reached on error with 60 foot bases compared to 90 foot bases where a baseball fielder still may have time to make the play, especially left side of the infield


Matt you are correct. I guess I could of re-worded my post a little better. I agree with your post 100%. Get on base. Bottom line. Hard hit ground ball bobbled, over throw, whatever the case may be. Just get on base! Lol.
Good things happen when all the Athletes have the mentality of just get on base. Doesn’t matter how I just need to do my part and get there.

It’s contagious. Like the Covid-19. Lol
 

Passion4theGame

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When I set my line up I often set it by OBP. Some cases if I have an Athlete struggling with confidence I will move her to the top somewhere to let her know I believe in her so she has to believe. That tends to work a lot with these girls. Confidence level is way different than coaching 12 cocky boys. Lol

Now I also look at tech by error and all that too. Normally take a high OBPS and put them in the 3-4 Hole. Same thing 6-7 hole.

if I have say 3 athletes close to same getting on base then I normally do the line up based on speed aggressiveness on bases, softball IQ.

I am by no means a wizard of the game but I have a deep love and passion for this game and always looking for ways to improve. Will take any advise and try it minimum of 2-3 times.
 

Passion4theGame

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Matt you May remember this back when our ‘04 daughters played 9u. I was probably the first one in the area using wrist bands at that age. I started using them because the girls just couldn’t remember signs and speaking to a young lady that was playing college ball at the time suggested wristbands. Tried it a few times it worked and never went back.


one of the first tournaments we played I had coaches making fun of us and yelling out “Omaha” check “check” “audible” “blue 42”! It was madness.

now I look and almost every team uses wristbands 9u through 18u and a lot of colleges.

sorry got side tracked. Lol. Just saying I will try any suggestions at least a few times.
 

Xrayaries

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My DD hit .385 last summer and fall. It's probably her lowest BA she has ever had. I don't agree with some of the errors the scorekeeper gave the other team. My DD ROE 17 times. I personally would have scored half of those hits. In TB the score keepers make tons of mistakes. Sometimes you have to take the stats very lightly when you see someone with 17 ROE in only 90ABs. Not a slap hitter.
 

PaulP

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Likely depends on the level of play. The less likely the pitcher will give up a BB, the more I want a batter with a higher BA. And if you don’t put the ball in play, you can’t get on base by an error.

But in the end, the team with more RBIs will win. I wouldn’t want to count on RBIs by BBs to win games.
 

PaulP

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Girls that hit the ball hard reach base by error more often. If scorekeeper has a bias or is bad, then unfortunately stats become meaningless.
 

24GahannaLadyLions7

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Said this multiple times... I don't care about BA ---- when I look at stats I use

PA divided by
hits
ROE
hbp
walks
sacs
FC (i give batters the benefit of the doubt with bad baserunning giving them FC, so there is a bit of an error in my equation, because obviously no 6-4 FC benefits the team.

other two I look at BARISP, K/BB Ratio
 

JoeA1010

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We use OPS (or OBS, same thing) on-base plus slugging, including reaching by error to account for slappers and hitters who put the ball in play more often. We'll give more weight to the OBP than the slugging because that's what studies have shown. But if you don't consider slugging, then singles count the same as home runs, which would make no sense. OPS is probably the most advanced stat that we have access to. We have no way to determine metrics that track the paths of batted balls and what would normally happen on those hits. MLB of course tracks every pitch and its result and they can determine the odds of a particular result for each pitch, thus allowing a line drive in the gap that is caught to count for a lot more than a bloop single.
 

Stedman00

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i wish that a number of these fabulous high school coaches would actually track and use stats available to them. I've seen players sitting benches with on base percentages over .600, batting averages approaching .400 and strike outs in the single digits for the season. All because coach is either clueless, lazy or playing favorites.

Example, runners on base hitter #1 comes up and strikes out looking on 3 pitches. Versus Hitter #2 that comes up and ends up striking out on pitch 12. Both are k's and did not advance or score runners. But one at bat is obviously better than the other.

And let's not even get into the questionable stats that are 'official'. I've personally watched games and tracked what was turned in, multiple instances of incorrect information. For example, routine grounder to 3B, played by 3b, who throws a beautiful worm burner to 1b (takes 2 bounces), and 1b cannot field cleanly or in time to get runner. charged as error to 1b. Throw in the dirt is error on thrower, every time. Every time i see this type of ineptitude, favoritism or just outright lies, i accept more and more the statement from college coaches "I don't care about high school stats".
 
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DanMaz

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OBP is my vote too. - this is how i always start lineups. i want the lead off to have the highest OBP and then things open up right off the bat and as often as possible. drop a power hitter a few batters later but i need base runners to create great opportunity. its usually the slappers and speedy athletes that have the highest.
 

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