At bat

Not to be confused with Plate appearance.

In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance. A batter starts with an at bat every time he faces a pitcher; however, the batter gets "no time at bat" in the following circumstances:

He receives a base on balls (BB).^[1]
He is hit by a pitch (HBP).
He hits a sacrifice fly or a sacrifice hit (also known as sacrifice bunt).
He is awarded first base due to interference or obstruction, usually by the catcher.
The inning ends while he is still at bat (due to the third out being made by a runner caught stealing, for example). In this case, the batter will come to bat again in the next inning, though he now has no balls or strikes on him.
He is replaced by another hitter before his at bat is completed (unless he is replaced with two strikes and his replacement strikes out).

Section 10.02.a.1 of the official rules of Major League Baseball defines an at bat as: "Number of times batted, except that no time at bat shall be charged when a player: (1) hits a sacrifice bunt or sacrifice fly; (2) is awarded first base on four called balls; (3) is hit by a pitched ball; or (4) is awarded first base because of interference or obstruction..."^[2]

1 Examples
2 At bat as a phrase
3 References
4 See also

Examples

An at bat is counted when:

The batter reaches first base on a hit
The batter reaches first base on an error
The batter is called out for any reason other than as part of a sacrifice
There is a fielder's choice

At bat as a phrase

"At bat", "up", "up at bat", and "at the plate" are all phrases describing a batter who is facing the pitcher. Note that just because a player is described as being "at bat" in this sense, he will not necessarily be given an at bat in his statistics; the phrase actually signifies a plate appearance (assuming it is eventually completed). This ambiguous terminology is usually clarified by context. To refer explicitly to the technical meaning of "at bat" described above, the term "official at bat" is sometimes used.

References

^ In 1887, Major League Baseball counted bases on balls as hits. The result was high batting averages, including some near .500, and the experiment was abandoned the following season.
^ "Rule 10.01: The Rules of Scoring" (PDF). Official Baseball Rules. Commissioner of Baseball, Major League Baseball. http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/downloads/y2008/official_rules/10_the_official_scorer.pdf. Retrieved 2010-03-25.

Baseball concepts

Field	Backstop • Baseball diamond • Batter's box • Batter's eye • Bullpen • Dugout • Foul territory • Foul pole • Infield • On-deck circle • Outfield • Strike zone • Warning track

Equipment	Bat • Ball • Glove (defense) • Batting glove • Batting helmet • Cap • Doughnut • Stirrups • Uniform • Uniform number • Shin guard • Protective cup • Batting cage • Pitching machine

Game process	Innings • Extra innings • Out • Seventh-inning stretch • Batting order • Run • On-deck

Batting	At bat • Plate appearance • Hit and run • Sacrifice bunt • Sacrifice fly • Slap bunt • Baltimore chop • Bunt • Foul ball • Foul tip • Ground rule double • Hit • Infield hit • Hit by pitch • Strikeout • Single • Double • Triple • Home run • Inside-the-park home run • Checked swing • Walk-off home run • Lefty-righty switch • Double switch • Line drive • Batting count • Sweet spot • Pull hitter • Hitting for the cycle

Pitching	Balk • Beanball • Breaking ball • Brushback pitch • Changeup • Curveball • Fastball • Full count • Knuckleball • Passed ball • Pitch count • Pitchout • Shutout • Slider • Strikeout • Striking out the side • Wild pitch • Time of pitch • No-hitter • Perfect game

Baserunning	Balk • Bases loaded • Caught stealing • Left on base • Scoring position • Small ball • Squeeze play • Stolen base • Walk • Contact play

Fielding	Double play • Force play • Hidden ball trick • In-between hop • Triple play • Unassisted triple play • Pickoff • Wheel play • Catch • Fourth out • Rundown • Tag out • Tag up • Appeal play • Assist • Infield shift • Wall climb • Fielder's choice • Defensive indifference

Miscellaneous	In flight • Infield fly rule • Bench-clearing brawl • Pepper • Safe • Uncaught third strike • Interference • Golden sombrero • Ground rules • Instant replay • Baseball jargon • Slump • Bench jockey • Dead ball

At bat

Contents

Examples

At bat as a phrase

References

See also