
This comes up periodically, and I just don't get it. Take, for example, Mark
McGwire. He walked 90 times in 1993. If that's not a potential great example
of what you're talking about then I don't know what is. Now let's look at
what happens when McGwire doesn't walk:
  75% of the time he made an out.
  10% of the time he hit a single.
  5% of the time he hit a double.
  10% of the time he hit a homer.
Now, you're pitching against McGwire. Would you trade 20 walks for 2 homers,
1 double, 2 singles, and 15 outs? I would. Why give him the base when you
can get him out 3 times out of 4?
Then there are guys like Alex Cole, who has a career .363 OBP even
though he's never had a batting average over .300 (he did hit .300 in
227 AB in 1990) or hit a single home run. Yep, that's right, he's
*never* hit a homer in 916 AB's through the end of 1992. Who'd be
afraid to throw a strike to him?

 Mike Jones | AIX High-End Development | mjones@donald.aix.kingston.ibm.com