Are you a new parent who is looking for other ways to spend time with your kid aside from the usual console, PC, or video games? Are you interested in the basics of baseball but don’t know where to start? If yes, then you’ve come to the right place.
Understanding baseball stats is truly important if you want to understand the game of baseball. Here are some of the things you need to understand about baseball stats that will make watching baseball games much easier.
What Are Baseball Statistics
Baseball statistics, commonly referred to as stats are measurements that evaluate the performance of players and teams. They are used to track performance over time and illustrate success or failure.
Stats are essential tools on the baseball field and are used to define who wins and who losses. Common stats include:
- batting average
- on-base percentage
- runs
- hits
- RBIs
- home runs
- strikeouts
- saves
- errors
Additionally, stats can be used to rank teams in standings or compare players within different positions, such as a pitcher versus a hitter. Stats provide detailed and accurate information about a player’s performance, and by combining all available data, analysts use stats to construct team and individual rankings.
Batting Terminologies
Understanding baseball stats is incredibly important to know the sport and gives fans a sense of how their team is performing. Different batting terminologies can be a bit confusing, so here is a guide to understanding them.
At Bats (AB)
At bats (AB) is an important statistic for a batter’s performance in baseball. It is an important tool for evaluating a player in a nutshell. Every time a batter steps up to the plate and swings the bat, it is recorded as an at-bat, regardless of the outcome (strike, out, hit, etc.).
Over time, At bats accumulate to give a picture of how often the batter steps to the plate. This statistic is sometimes combined with other batting stats (hits, walks, and strikeouts) to give a better understanding of the batter’s performance.
Run (R) and Runs Batted In (RBI)
Run R and Runs Batted In RBI are two terms that describe different but related statistics in baseball. Run R is simply the number of runs scored by a particular player. Runs batted in (RBI) is the total number of runs driven in by the player.
RBIs are calculated by adding the number of times the player successfully hits the ball and the number of times he drives in a run due to reaching based on an error or fielder’s choice.
Hits (H)
Hits refer to a batted ball resulting in the batter being safe on base, such as a single, double, triple, home run, or infield hit. A hit is usually credited when a ball lands in fair territory and then is touched by a fielder and not caught or when the batter successfully reaches base due to the fielder’s inability to make a play. The stats for hits per game give an account of how many times the batters on a team have gotten on base with some sort of hit.
Base on Balls (BB)
BB is when the pitcher is too far from the batter’s comfort zone and is unable to get three strikes on the batter in one at-bat. The batter is then awarded a walk or base on balls and advances to first. BB gives the pitcher a small disadvantage allowing the batter to get on base without any earned runs and without him being forced out.
Strikeouts (K)
Strikeouts are an important statistic as it indicates how often a batter is unable to make contact with the ball. High strikeout numbers often indicate that a batter is not very good at making contact with the ball and is not able to put the ball in play.
Batting Statistics
Baseball stats batting terminologies are a valuable tool for understanding the game of baseball. The numbers can often reveal a lot about a player’s performance and progress. Some of the most common batting stats include batting average (BA), on-base percentage (OBP), slugging percentage (SLG), and on-base plus slugging (OPS).
Batting Average (AVG or BA)
Batting average, or AVG or BA, is the ratio of a batter’s hits to the number of times they were at bat (Hits/At-Bats). Since it shows a player’s ability to get a hit off of a certain pitcher or in a certain situation, it is used to measure a player’s offensive performance.
Batting Average can range anywhere from 0 (zero hits in a certain number of at-bats) to 1 (all hits in all at-bats), though a Major League average currently stands at .260.
On-Base Percentage (OBP)
OBP measures a player’s ability to get on base with hits walks, and hit-by-pitches—it does not factor in sacrifice flies and bunts. OBP is an important tool to determine how often a batter is giving their team an opportunity to score a run by getting on base. Generally, the higher the number, the better the batter’s performance.
Slugging Percentage (SLG)
Slugging percentage (SLG) is a measure of a hitter’s power and can help determine a player’s overall effectiveness in the batter’s box. SLG is figured by adding total bases (1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple, and 4 for a home run) and dividing it by at-bats. A higher SLG means the player utilizes their power better in comparison to other batters, as it is a measure of how many total bases a player can generate per at-bat attempt.
On-Base Plus Slugging (OPS)
On-base Plus Slugging (OPS) is a statistic that attempts to combine players’ on-base percentage and their slugging percentage into one figure. OPS is a useful tool for understanding how well a player reaches base while also assessing how powerful they are in terms of the number of extra-base hits they have. OPS takes into account the number of singles, doubles, triples, home runs, and walks the player gets during a game.
Understanding Baseball Stats
Understanding baseball stats can be daunting, but there are resources to make it easier. A deeper understanding of the stats and how they work can open up a whole new world of understanding as to why the outcomes occurred.
Take the time and effort to explore the knowledge, and you’ll be ready to take on anything baseball related. So don’t wait—explore the world of baseball stats now!
For more helpful guides, check out the rest of our website.