Let the debate continue--Greatest Season Performance

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Posted By: Glenn

I'm with Chad here. If you just go by the numbers it's not even a contest.

Bonds 2000-2004 AVERAGED a markedly better OBP (.535)* than Hornsby had in his greatest season (.507 in 1924).

He also averaged a markedly better slugging percentage (.782)* than Hornsby had in his best season (.756 in 1925).

Either as a team statistic is a better predictor of run production than is team batting average, and the sum of the two (i.e., OPS) is better still. There are better possible measures of a hitter's prowess, but none as parsimonious as OPS. Bonds and his flaxseed oil had the best five year run.

Interestingly,

Bonds: 615 runs
Hornsby: 615 runs

Bonds also had more stolen bases.

(For the other statisticians, these are unweighted averages, but the weighted ones do not differ by more than .003)

[edited to add a necessary comma]