OPS has a .93 correlation to runs scored (1 is perfect). There are stats that do slightly better, OXS being among them. Expanding on what Al says, these other stats are often less convenient: they're generally less available, harder to compute, or both. And in the case of Runs Created, for instance, Bill James modifies the formula practically every year. That makes OPS the best of the 'mainstream' stats. (OPS probably isn't cracking 'mainstream' for the general public, but they're starting to hear of it now. It would certainly be 'mainstream' for message board audiences.) If we're simply trying to choose between two players and their OPSs are reasonably far apart, I don't see a lot of reason to take a lot of time looking beyond it. If two OPSs are close, then I'd certainly want to break them down into their components. If an OPS were low, I'd generally want to look into things more?the OPS might be low, but either the OBP or SLG portion of a player's performance might be useful somewhere. If I were making out a lineup card, I'd want to break it down, too. I guess what it boils down to is that when a stat ranks as the best or about the best, there isn't a lot of need to discuss its flaws every time its used. Discussion of what makes up that .07 difference between .93 and 1 can generally be confined to threads like this. On the other side of the coin, if I felt I wanted to make a point using stats that generally don't stack up well (batting average or range factor, for instance), I'd certainly want to acknowledge their flaws and make a case for why I'm using them under that narrow circumstance.