Are There Discrepancies in OBP when comparing the Majors to the Minors...???

[Alex]

I believe that the averag OBP in the minors is 15-20 points lower than in the Majors.

I just think that if you walk too much as a minor league player, no one can tell how good a hitter you are, so perhaps most players would rather get a hit than a walk.

[Hawaii007]

I think it is a matter of development and maturity. A very good example is Sammy Sosa. he was a whiffer and a half before his career year and he started being patient.

[Alex]

My purpose in this topic is try and understand if it's practical to compare a minor-leauger's OBP to what is done in the majors.

[*TR]

Minor league OBP has been a good indicator for positive major league performance and bodes well for the players ability to adapt to major league pitching. It is all about gettting a good pitch to hit.

Currently two players, Shea Hillenbrand and Alphonso Soriano, are making a mockery of minor league OBP as an indicator of performance.

I believe that Hillenbrand & Soriano are aberations and most players that struggle at the major league level do so because they don't so practice the self-discipline, i.e. patience, to get a good pitch to hit. Hillenbrand and Soriano seem to be able to hit any pitch. They are both, especially Soriano, exceptional 'bad' ball hitters. Most hitters are not and major league pitchers will dominate players who chase pitches they can't handle.

[Alex]

The non-power guys who take to many walks in the minors may be looked at as not having a major league bat at all. Isn't it possible that there is a prejudice about taking too many pitches and trying to walk when in the minors?

Plus, I could see umps calling the close balls as strikes just to keep the game moving along. They get paid the same whether they are in their ump clothes for 2 hours or 3 hours, and when it's 90-100 degrees out....

[Hawaii007]

Hmm...ok how about answering it this way...
A good OBP in the minors is an excellent indicator of OBP in the majors. However, a low OBP is not an indicator on how good a "hitter" the person will become.

[*TR]

Well put 007.

[Alex]

Sure that is a good point. However, if in fact OBP in the minors is on average .20-25 points lower than in the majors.

And if .340-350 is considered the low end of OBP respectability in the majors...

then that means that a player could have an OBP as low as .315 in the minors and still be acceptable once they reach the majors.

Which means quoting OBP from the minors as a reason NOT to promote someone may not be a valid measuring stick if it is being directly compared to the major league OBP average.

[Hawaii007]

Right, but I think that depends on the team philosophy. If you have been following, the A's have made it a point to force their minor leaguers to learn the strike zone and develop high OBPs before they get promoted. This translated for a couple years to leading the league in walks. That would mean of course players like Hillebrand and Soriano wouldn't have made it in the A's organization.
Personally, I like forcing the minor league players to work walks because a hitter can go into slumps, and not get hits, but if he is already in tune to taking walks, he will always get on base. This is like Thome, he struggles getting hits, but he still takes walks during that time.

[Alex]

Has anyone ever noticed if OBP is a certain amount higher versus Batting average in the Majors compared to the Minors.

It sure would help understand how close a player may be to being a reasonable Major Leaguer.