A Statistical Impact Question

[MFS62]

Discussion in the LoDuca thread got me thinking.

Does walk value decline as a batter moves lower in the order?

Is the walk component of OBP that critical for a batter who will hit sixth or seventh in the order (as LoDuca is expected to do)?
Those are still, in my mind, more like RBI spots, where batting average may be more important.

I have never really dug into the OBP stat as much as many of y'all might have. So I'd like to see your analyses.


Later