Are walks undervalued

[imref]

Here's a really interesting article arguing that 500 walks should equal 325 singles, and then looking at what that trade would do to HOF chances for a number of players:

http://joeposnanski.si.com/2011/01/19/trading-500-for-325/

John Olerud has HOF stats if you make the 500 for 325 swap.  I'm assuming Josh Willingham & Adam Dunn have pretty good improvements as well.

[Lintyfresh85]

Don't show that to Ladson or Dusty Baker.

Dunn only serves to clog the bases.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Fun read.  I don't have the time now, but it would be cool to compare what Dunn did last year - swing more, drop his OBP, raise his average - and see if the trade off of hits for walks was worth it.  I think wOBA already does this because it uses weighted values for the outcomes of plate appearances.  It probably incorporates the "A walk is 65% of a hit."*  

I took a quick look at Dunn last year v year before.  Sure enough - average up a lot, ISO and SLG up, walk rate down a lot, Ks up slightly - wOBA drops.

* Imagine a bunch of sabermetric bench chatter, guys clapping their hands, saying that.

[blue911]

 Do we now say "A walk's as good as 65% of a hit"?

[imref]

Do we now say "A walk's as good as 65% of a hit"?

sounds like the basis for a Geico commercial.

Is a walk really 65% as good as a hit?

Then watch a player walk 65% of the way to first base and get tagged out.

[blue911]

sounds like the basis for a Geico commercial.

Is a walk really 65% as good as a hit?

Then watch a player walk 65% of the way to first base and get tagged out.

What happens if our .5 scout sees a guy get his .65 hit?

[welch]

Eddie Yost, Washington's perpetual leadoff hitter, 1614 BB against 920 SO over 18 seasons. Led the AL in walks six times; led AL in OP% twice; OPS consistently above .800 and 18 year average OPS of .765. Most of it in a home ballpark that had a left-field foul line at 350 feet and longer.