Simple stats as cultural metrics

Even when domain experts develop more accurate composite measures (e.g., OPS, WAR), simple, easy‑to‑compute statistics (e.g., batting average) retain communicative, mnemonic, and narrative value for the public and fans. Those simple metrics continue to influence reputations, everyday judgments, and conversation despite being analytically inferior. — This pattern generalizes beyond sports: public discourse often privileges simple, shareable metrics over complex but more informative ones, shaping policy, reputation, and incentives.