If you have a runner on base, what would you rather have? A guy that can't make contact, or a guy that can advance a runner? I'm not saying that guy will move him over every time, but he will move him more making contact, right? As I mentioned above, with a runner at 1st and less than 2 out, a BIP out is worse than a K on average in that situation. Teams have scored more runs in that situation after a K than a BIP out. NO DP chance. Since those results are based on the aggregate, specific player matchups and situations certainly move the relative cost of a K and BIP out around. A guy with a high contact ratio who hit's a lot of fly balls would be better than a guy who just K's, for example. Still, the numbers clearly show that "just making contact" is not as nearly valuable as many think.