Let's assume you have two batters who are virtually equal in all ratings except contact and eye.

One batter has a high contact number and a low eye number. The other batter has a high eye number and a low contact number.

Would the reasonable usage of these two hitters be to start the batter with the high eye number against a pitcher with a low control number. And start the batter with the high contact number against a pitcher with good control.

My logic is the batter with the good eye will have a higher on base percentage.

All things being equal, it still depends on exactly how high or low and guy's ratings are, but in general a high eye guy will get on base more when facing a pitcher with lousy control.

never thought of that, it's a good question...

some data for that would be nice but it's would be very hard to collect enough for a meaningful sample size

If you've ever played or watched, you know that screaming line drives are sometimes caught. Good defense doesn't affect walks. I think that's your answer.

I think there are two related questions, and I doubt there are any hard and fast answers

1A) All other ratings being equal, does the contact or the eye rating have more impact on OBP?

1B) Can the intereation between the hitter's ratings and the pitcher's ratings have enough effect to change the answer to 1A?

I suppose you go even more macro on the question set and query whether there are a lot of ratings whose "value" gets amplified or diminished due to interestions with the ratings of the opposition

Again, it really depends on a combination of ratings. If a guy has hitting ratings of 100/0/0/0/0 and another guy has ratings of 0/0/0/0/100, I think the second guy will absolutely get on base more when facing a pitcher with low control. Now if you're talking 100/80/80/80/0 vs. 0/80/80/80/100, it's probably a different story. I think if the OP posted his players' ratings it might be a bit easier to analyze.

Quote: Originally Posted By MikeT23 on 6/10/2010If you've ever played or watched, you know that screaming line drives are sometimes caught. Good defense doesn't affect walks. I think that's your answer

But with a man on 2nd or 3rd and 1b open, a ground ball to the right side or a lazy fly ball could score or advance the runner. A walk does not. Not sure which scenario is better.

That wasn't what he asked. Or, at least, that wasn't what I answered.

His final sentence: My logic is the batter with the good eye will have a higher on base percentage

From that I assumed he wanted to know which player would be on base more frequently. Good defense can't rob a player of a walk.

But good control can.

I'd take a guy with 0 contact and 100 eye over a guy with 100 contact and 40 eye.

Quote: Originally posted by jonas1102 on 6/10/2010I'd take a guy with 0 contact and 100 eye over a guy with 100 contact and 40 eye.

I would not.

I've recently been leaning toward contact over BE, but I really don't want either to be lousy, of course.

For many seasons I ran all my teams with complex platooning-- not only L/R but high BE vs. low control, high power vs. low GB/FB. I stopped because it's awfully expensive to find bench guys that complement all my starters' weaknesses. I honestly didn't see any difference in offensive performance after I quit.

So, based on my unscientific experience and observation, I'd say the answer to green's (1B) is, "no," except for traditional R/L platooning.