Count (baseball)

When baseball and softball denotes the number of counts the number of balls ( ball ) and hits ( strikes ,), which currently has a batsman when he is in the game's turn. It is usually announced as a pair of numbers, e.g. B. 3-1 (pronounced "three and one", or alternatively "a three-one counter"), the first number being the number of balls ( i.e. balls thrown by the batter ) and the second being the number of strikes .

The referee at home plate signals the count of the number of balls with his left hand and the number of strikes with his right hand. (As a result, it reads backwards when viewed from the batsman's point of view.) Each referee differs in the frequency with which they give this signal; it is often used as a reminder when there is a slight delay between throws (e.g. when the batsman steps out of the batter box). It can also be a signal to the display panel operator that an incorrect count is being displayed on the display panel. Some umpires can also do the count orally, although normally only the batter and catcher can hear it.

An important part of baseball statistics is measuring which counts are most likely to produce positive results for the pitcher or batsman. Counts of 3-1 and 2-0 are considered killer numbers because the thrower - with the option of giving the batsman a walk - is more likely to throw a ball into the striking zone, especially a fastball . Somewhat surprising is that a 3-0 count generally results in less hit throws depending on the situation. (Baseball fans assume this is because umpires are reluctant to call four straight balls and therefore "relax" on the fourth throw and treat them as a wider hitting zone.) Often batsmen take a 3-0 pitch (don't swing .) ), as the batsman has already missed the striking zone three times in a row, and a fourth would get the batsman a walk. This is a good strategy because the batsman will be more likely to hit the base even if the number of counts is 3-1 than if he puts the ball into play at 3-0. In some situations it is also beneficial to add 2-0 and 3-1.

Counts with two hits (except 3-2) are called pitcher's counts . A 0-2 count is very beneficial for a thrower because it gives the thrower the freedom to intentionally throw one (or sometimes two) pitches out of the hitting zone in an attempt to get the hitter to chase the pitch (to swing) and hit off.

Full count

A full count (sometimes called a full house , which is the common term in softball) is the common name for a count where the batsman has three balls and two strikes. The term can be derived from older scoreboards that had three fields for balls and two fields for strikes, as this is the maximum number of anyone that can be reached before the end of the at-bat (e.g. during a strikeout , Walk or hit). Many scoreboards still use light bulbs for this purpose, and so a 3-2 count means that all of the light bulbs are fully lit. The alternate or multi-variant term full house is likely to have been influenced by the term poker for a hand of triple character and a pair.

Another strike on the batsman results in a strikeout, while another ball results in a walk. However, a batsman can theoretically maintain the two strikes indefinitely by hitting foul balls, so a full count does not always mean that only five throws have been thrown or that only one more throw is to be thrown.

A full count throw thrown with a full count is often referred to as a "payoff pitch" as it is likely to be a good throw for the bat. With three balls already, the thrower cannot afford to miss the strike zone, which would result in a fourth ball and walk for the batsman.

credentials

• Bickel, J. Eric. 2009. On the decision to take a pitch. Decision Anal. 6 (3) 186-193.