I disagree with you on this one. I think strikeouts do matter.
You can't move a runner over a base on a strikeout. But you can by flying out or grounding out.
You can't get an RBI on a strikeout. But you can with a flyball or ground out.
Also, putting the ball in play gives you a shot at getting on base via an error. That doesn't happen nearly as often on strikeouts.
I said they are way overrated, not that they don't matter. I agree there are specific situations where they matter, but some people act is if when there's for example 2 outs and nobody on that a strike out is a huge deal compared to a fly out or something, and it's not. Yes there's a chance of an error and a batted ball anywhere gives you a
chance of getting on base, but it's ultimately not a huge difference over a strikeout because even with a batted ball your odds aren't great of getting on base.
Not to mention if you're striking out you're probably swinging for power which means there's a big payoff to risking a strikeout.
As I said, I'm not saying strikeouts don't matter but there are a lot of situations where an out is an out and just counting raw strikeout numbers doesn't account for that. Meanwhile if it's a tradeoff for getting a lot of extra base hits it's probably worth it in most situations.
It's like the 3 point shot in basketball. Yes, you're likely to shoot a lower percentage of three pointers, but if you're shooting the three above say 35%, the tradeoff for more points is probably worth it in the long run.
I'd take a team full of high strikeout, high homer hitters over a team of low strike out singles hitters all day, assuming similar OBPs.
Ultimately I'm saying the strikeout numbers on a guy with a high OPS doesn't matter as much because he's generating a lot of production regardless. And yes, there are certainly specific situations where you want to put the ball in play but just looking at a guy's raw strikeout numbers doesn't tell you a whole lot regarding that. So strikeouts are overrated for a hitter.