On-Base Percentage (Top 50 Seasons by a Catcher)

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 CATCHER SEASONS (300 At-Bats minimum). Click to so see the Top 50 OBP Career Catchers

LastName	NickName	Year	Team	Lg	H	BB	HBP	AB	SF	OBP
COCHRANE	MICKEY	1933	PHA	AL	138	106	3	429	0	0.4591
COCHRANE	MICKEY	1935	DET	AL	131	96	4	411	0	0.4521
BRESNAHAN	ROGER	1903	NYG	NL	142	61	7	406	0	0.4430
BASSLER	JOHNNY	1924	DET	AL	131	62	3	379	0	0.4414
MEYERS	CHIEF	1912	NYG	NL	133	47	8	371	0	0.4413
O'FARRELL	BOB	1922	CHN	NL	127	79	1	392	0	0.4386
SCHANG	WALLY	1919	BOS	AL	101	71	5	330	0	0.4360
BURGESS	SMOKY	1954	PHI	NL	127	42	0	345	4	0.4322
PIAZZA	MIKE	1997	LAN	NL	201	69	3	556	5	0.4313
SCHANG	WALLY	1921	NYA	AL	134	78	5	424	0	0.4280
DICKEY	BILL	1936	NYA	AL	153	46	3	423	0	0.4280
COCHRANE	MICKEY	1934	DET	AL	140	78	4	437	0	0.4277
DIETZ	DICK	1970	SFN	NL	148	109	3	493	5	0.4262
O'NEILL	STEVE	1921	CLE	AL	108	57	2	335	0	0.4239
COCHRANE	MICKEY	1930	PHA	AL	174	55	1	487	0	0.4236
HARTNETT	GABBY	1937	CHN	NL	126	43	0	356	0	0.4236
O'NEILL	STEVE	1922	CLE	AL	122	73	3	392	0	0.4231
COCHRANE	MICKEY	1931	PHA	AL	160	56	3	459	0	0.4228
BASSLER	JOHNNY	1922	DET	AL	120	62	2	372	0	0.4220
PIAZZA	MIKE	1996	LAN	NL	184	81	1	547	2	0.4216
PHELPS	BABE	1936	BRO	NL	117	27	3	319	0	0.4212
PORTER	DARRELL	1979	KCA	AL	155	121	8	533	13	0.4207
TORRE	JOE	1971	SLN	NL	230	63	4	634	5	0.4207
HARGRAVE	BUBBLES	1923	CIN	NL	126	44	12	378	0	0.4194
BRESNAHAN	ROGER	1906	NYG	NL	114	81	15	405	0	0.4192
TETTLETON	MICKEY	1994	DET	AL	84	97	5	339	3	0.4189
PIAZZA	MIKE	1998	NYN	NL	137	47	2	394	3	0.4170
DICKEY	BILL	1937	NYA	AL	176	73	4	530	0	0.4168
POSADA	JORGE	2000	NYA	AL	145	107	8	505	4	0.4167
HOILES	CHRIS	1993	BAL	AL	130	69	9	419	3	0.4160
TENACE	GENE	1977	SDN	NL	102	125	13	437	4	0.4145
BASSLER	JOHNNY	1923	DET	AL	114	76	0	383	0	0.4139
SCHANG	WALLY	1920	BOS	AL	118	64	7	387	0	0.4127
DICKEY	BILL	1938	NYA	AL	142	75	2	454	0	0.4124
KENDALL	JASON	2000	PIT	NL	185	79	15	579	4	0.4121
COCHRANE	MICKEY	1929	PHA	AL	170	69	2	514	0	0.4120
COCHRANE	MICKEY	1932	PHA	AL	152	100	4	518	0	0.4116
KENDALL	JASON	1998	PIT	NL	175	51	31	535	8	0.4112
RUEL	MUDDY	1925	WAS	AL	122	63	4	393	0	0.4109
BRESNAHAN	ROGER	1905	NYG	NL	100	50	11	331	0	0.4107
COCHRANE	MICKEY	1927	PHA	AL	146	50	2	432	0	0.4091
O'NEILL	STEVE	1920	CLE	AL	157	69	3	489	0	0.4082
BASSLER	JOHNNY	1925	DET	AL	96	74	1	344	0	0.4081
O'FARRELL	BOB	1923	CHN	NL	144	67	1	452	0	0.4077
SIMMONS	TED	1977	SLN	NL	164	79	2	516	4	0.4077
NILSSON	DAVE	1996	MIL	AL	150	57	3	453	3	0.4070
HENLINE	BUTCH	1923	PHI	NL	107	37	9	330	0	0.4069
SCIOSCIA	MIKE	1985	LAN	NL	127	77	5	429	3	0.4066
FERRELL	RICK	1936	BOS	AL	128	65	0	410	0	0.4063
FERRELL	RICK	1932	SLA	AL	138	66	1	438	0	0.4059

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