There’s an increasingly popular statistic called OPS+ which measures a players OPS...

There’s an increasingly popular statistic called OPS+ which measures a players OPS (on-base-plus-slugging percentage) against the league average. All you really need to know is 100 is exactly average — a 100 OPS+ is an average major-league baseball player.

Luis Hernandez came into Friday’s game with an OPS+ of 4.

Tony Peña Jr. came into Friday’s game with an OPS+ of minus-27.

To be perfectly honest with you, I’m not entirely sure how you can even score a negative OPS+. But that’s what we’re dealing with here.

When you depress JoePo, you're really awful

over 2 years ago BHWick 7 comments 1 recs |

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increasingly popular?

is this 2005?

by Freneau on Jul 4, 2009 3:30 AM EDT reply actions

More popular than ever. Now it’s JoPositively JoPopular.

by 2X2L on Jul 4, 2009 9:16 AM EDT up reply actions

at least he doesn't say it's "park-adjusted percentage of league average OPS"

since it’s not

yeah, it’s a flawed statistic. But I have to remind myself when I see columnists using it now that it’s real progress — maybe I’m just more aware, but it seems to be an improvement over even 2 or even 1 year ago.

I'm not a sabermetrician, but I do play one at Driveline Mechanics.

by Matt Klaassen on Jul 4, 2009 9:55 AM EDT up reply actions

He's writing for a mainstream audience

by raefzilla on Jul 4, 2009 7:46 PM EDT up reply actions

how to score a negative OPS+

the formula is (OBP/lgOBP + SLG/lgSLG -1) * 100. A park adjustment is somewhere in there.

So once your OBP and/or SLG get low enogh relative to lgavg, the “-1” comes into play

I'm not a sabermetrician, but I do play one at Driveline Mechanics.

by Matt Klaassen on Jul 4, 2009 9:58 AM EDT reply actions

Worst OPS+, non-pitchers, min. 40 PAs

1. -71 – Skeeter Shelton NYY 1915
2. -55 – Craig Grebeck BOS 2001
3. -37 – Chuck Scrivener DET 1977
4. -36 – Cotton Knaupp CLE 1911
5. -34 – Tony Pena Jr. KCR 2009

Only seven players with negative OPS+ have managed to get 100 PAs in a season:

John Dodge 1912 PHI (-23 in 102 PAs)
Mike Laga 1988 STL (-12 in 102 PAs)
Frank O’Rourke 1912 BSN (-11 in 216 PAs)
Ted Kazanski 1954 PHI (-9 in 110 PAs)
Dave Shean 1919 BOS (-5 in 110 PAs)
Johnnie LeMaster 1985 SFG/CLE/PIT (-4 in 103 PAs)
Brandon Larson 2003 CIN (-2 in 104 PAs)

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jul 6, 2009 10:58 AM EDT reply actions

Ack, totally messed that up

Let’s try again:

Worst OPS+, non pitchers, min. 46 PAs
1. -54 – Tom Nieto MIN 1988
3. -40 – Ed Connolly BOS 1931
3. -37 – Chuck Scrivener DET 1977
4. -37 – Wally Millies PHI 1940
5. -34 – Tony Pena Jr. KCR 2009

Eighteen players with negative OPS+ have managed to get 100 PAs in a season:

Ed Connolly 1931 BOS (-40 in 100 PAs)
John Dodge 1912 PHI (-23 in 102 PAs)
Mike Laga 1988 STL (-12 in 102 PAs)
Ben Egan 1915 CLE (-12 in 132 PAs)
Ace Parker 1937 PHA (-11 in 100 PAs)
Frank O’Rourke 1912 BSN (-11 in 216 PAs)
Pickles Dilhoefe 1917 CHC (-10 in 104 PAs)
Ted Kazanski 1954 PHI (-9 in 110 PAs)
Tom Egan 1974 CAL (-6 in 109 PAs)
Dave Shean 1919 BOS (-5 in 110 PAs)
Johnnie LeMaster 1985 SFG/CLE/PIT (-4 in 103 PAs)
Bill McKechnie 1913 BSN/NYY (-4 in 129 PAs)
Bill Bergen 1911 BRO (-4 in 250 PAs)
Grover Land 1911 CLE (-3 in 112 PAs)
Kevin Cash 2003 TOR (-2 in 117 PAs)
Brandon Larson 2003 CIN (-2 in 104 PAs)
Rich Gedman 1991 STL (-2 in 100 PAs)
Andy Anderson 1949 SLB (-2 in 152 PAs)