On-Base Percentage
(Top 50 Career Catchers)

The most important isolated (one-dimensional) offensive statistic is the On-Base Percentage (OBP). It measures the probability that the batter will not be another step toward the end of the inning. Anything that increases the offense's chances of making an out is bad; anything that decreases it is good. On-Base Percentage is actually on-base per thousand. (eg. A batter who gets on base four out of ten times has an OBP of .400. OBP is computed as [(Hits + Walks + Hit By Pitch) divided by (At-Bats + Walks + Hit By Pitch + Sacrifice Flies)]. An extra point of on-base percentage is worth three times an extra point of slugging percentage (SLG), computed as [Total Bases divided by At-Bats]. A team's winning percentage is most closely correlated to OBP and SLG. Thus, OBP is the best measure of a catcher's contribution to his team's success. The following list identifies the TOP 50 CAREER CATCHERS (3,000 At-Bats minimum). Click to so see the Top 50 OBP Seasons by a Catcher

LastName NickName H BB HBP AB SF OBP
COCHRANE MICKEY 1652 857 29 5169 0 0.4192
SCHANG WALLY 1506 849 107 5307 0 0.3931
PIAZZA MIKE 1641 563 21 5116 34 0.3880
TENACE GENE 1060 984 91 4390 39 0.3879
BRESNAHAN ROGER 1252 714 67 4481 0 0.3864
KENDALL JASON 1035 345 133 3445 29 0.3828
DICKEY BILL 1969 678 31 6300 0 0.3821
FERRELL RICK 1692 931 10 6028 0 0.3778
GRADY MIKE 881 311 73 3000 0 0.3738
HARTNETT GABBY 1912 703 35 6432 0 0.3696
STANLEY MIKE 1138 652 48 4222 52 0.3695
DAVIS SPUD 1312 386 22 4255 0 0.3689
TETTLETON MICKEY 1132 949 30 4698 47 0.3688
TORRE JOE 2342 779 85 7874 50 0.3648
RUEL MUDDY 1242 606 29 4514 0 0.3645
BURGESS SMOKY 1318 477 13 4471 39 0.3616
CAMPANELLA ROY 1161 533 30 4205 18 0.3602
O'FARRELL BOB 1120 547 11 4101 0 0.3602
LOMBARDI ERNIE 1792 430 46 5855 0 0.3582
FERGUSON JOE 719 562 9 3001 35 0.3576
DAULTON DARREN 891 629 24 3630 41 0.3571
LOLLAR SHERM 1415 671 115 5351 34 0.3567
BAILEY ED 915 545 25 3581 37 0.3546
PORTER DARRELL 1369 905 45 5539 63 0.3539
EWING BUCK 1625 392 9 5363 0 0.3515
BATTEY EARL 969 421 28 3586 30 0.3488
O'NEILL STEVE 1259 592 43 4795 0 0.3488
WYNEGAR BUTCH 1102 626 17 4330 36 0.3484
HOGAN SHANTY 939 220 38 3180 0 0.3482
SIMMONS TED 2472 855 39 8680 100 0.3479
BERRA YOGI 2150 704 52 7555 44 0.3478
CLEMENTS JACK 1226 339 61 4283 0 0.3472
SEMINICK ANDY 953 582 40 3921 1 0.3466
MUNSON THURMAN 1558 438 42 5344 58 0.3465
SCIOSCIA MIKE 1131 567 22 4373 37 0.3441
MASI PHIL 917 410 10 3468 0 0.3439
HAYES FRANKIE 1164 564 13 4493 0 0.3434
SEVEREID HANK 1245 331 19 4312 0 0.3421
PEITZ HEINIE 1117 409 34 4121 0 0.3418
RODRIGUEZ IVAN 1723 304 39 5656 47 0.3417
BENCH JOHNNY 2048 891 19 7658 90 0.3416
TEBBETTS BIRDIE 1000 389 12 3704 0 0.3413
FISK CARLTON 2356 849 143 8756 79 0.3407
MCGUIRE DEACON 1748 515 84 6290 0 0.3407
BENNETT CHARLIE 978 478 11 3821 0 0.3404
SCHALK RAY 1345 638 59 5306 0 0.3402
HASSEY RON 914 385 21 3440 38 0.3399
FREEHAN BILL 1591 626 114 6073 48 0.3397
HALLER TOM 1011 477 35 3935 37 0.3397
ZIMMER CHIEF 1224 390 91 4546 0 0.3392



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