Sabermetric Glossary: OBP, SLG, OPS

by Ryan Rigato | Guest Writer |

On-Base percentage, or OBP, is a statistic used to measure how often a player reaches base safely divided by his number of plate appearances. It is an important statistic for determining how well rounded a batter is at the plate. It is commonly referred to as the second statistic in a “triple slash line” (BA/OBP/SLG). The exact formula for OBP is

H + BB + HBP / AB + BB + HBP + SF

The league average OBP for each position last season:

Slugging Percentage, which is referred to as SLG, is a statistic used to measure the power of a hitter. It is calculated by simply dividing the total bases by number of at-bats (TB / AB). Slugging percentage is used to determine the amount of power each batter shows at the plate. Slugging percentage is often seen as the third item in a “triple slash line” (BA/OBP/SLG). League average for slugging percentage, based on position, is shown below:

This formula is a quick and easy way to combine both OBP and SLG into a number that shows how well rounded a batter is at the plate (OBP+SLG). It is usually best to compare this number to league averages at each position for the best results. The league average for OPS last year is shown below: