Select the first letter of the word from the list above to jump to appropriate section
of the glossary. If the term you are looking for starts with a digit or symbol, choose the
'#' link.

- A
- Assist, Attendance
- AB
- At-bat
- AD
- Automatic double, sometimes called a Ground Rule Double.
- Assist
- A throw or deflection of the ball from one player to another that either results in a
putout or would have resulted in a putout if an error had not occurred.
- At-bat
- An appearance by a player in the batter's box. Appearances where the batter walks,
sacrifices, is hit by a pitch, or is interfered with by the catcher do not count as
official at-bats.
- Automatic Double
- A two-base hit awarded by the umpire because a ball lands in fair
territory and then bounces over the fence or into the stands.
- Average
- A statistic which describes some facet of a player's performance. Examples are
batting average, slugging average, earned run average, and fielding average. Refer
to the statistics page for the proper formulae to calculate
these statistics.
- AVG
- Average
-

- B
- Bunt
- BA
- Batting average
- Balk
- An illegal act by the pitcher with at least one runner on base. All runners are
entitled to advance one base.
- Base on Balls
- An award of first base to a batter who has received four pitches outside the strike zone
without swinging at them. All forced runners advance one base. Also called a
"walk."
- Batter-runner
- A term identifying the offensive player between the completion of the player's turn at
bat and the end of the play where the player became a runner.
- Batting Average
- The statistic obtained by dividing a player's number of hits by the player's number of
official at-bats. Refer to the statistics page for
the proper formula to calculate this statistic.
- BB
- Base on Balls
- BF
- Batters Faced
- BK
- Balk
- BL
- Bats Left
- BP
- Batting Practice
- BS
- Blown Save
- Bunt
- The act of tapping the ball gently into the infield with a loosely held bat.
-

- C
- Catcher
- Catcher's Earned Run Average
- A team's total earned run average with a particular catcher.
- Caught Stealing
- Tagged out while attempting to steal a base.
- CERA
- Catcher's Earned Run Average
- CF
- Center Field
- CG
- Complete Game
- Complete Game
- A statistic credited to a pitcher who pitches an entire game without relief.
A game that has not been postponed, called, or delayed in some other manner.
- CS
- Caught Stealing
-

- D
- Defense, Double
- Designated Hitter
- A hitter listed in the starting lineup who is assigned to hit for the starting pitcher
and all relief pitchers in the game.
- Disabled List
- A list of players who have been temporarily removed from the active roster so that they
may recover from injury or illness. Roster substitutions are allowed for players
placed on the disabled list.
- Double
- A hit which allows the batter reaches second base safely.
- Double Play
- A play which results in two offensive players being put out, provided that no error is
committed between putouts.
- Doubleheader
- Two games played on the same day by the same two teams.
- DP
- Double Play
- DH
- Designate Hitter, Doubleheader
- DL
- Disabled List
-

- E
- Error
- Earned Run
- A run that is charged to the pitcher and is scored without the aid of an error, passed
ball, obstruction, or catcher's interference.
- Earned Run Average
- The average numbers of earned runs scored on a pitcher for a full nine-inning game.
Refer to the statistics page for the proper formula
to calculate this statistic.
- ER
- Earned Run
- ERA
- Earned Run Average
- Error
- A mistake made by the defensive team which aids the offensive team.
-

- F
- Fly, Flyout
- FC
- Fielder's Choice
- Fielder's Choice
- The act of defensive player who, after fielding a ground ball, attempts to put out a
preceding player rather than the batter-runner. The term may also be applied when a
player manages to steal a base because of the indifference of the defensive team.
- Fielding Percentage
- A statistic which represents a player's fielding ability. Refer to the statistics page for the proper formula to calculate this
statistic.
- Fly, Fly Ball
- A ball that is hit into the air rather than on the ground.
- Fly Out
- An out which results from a fly ball being caught before it hits the ground.
- FO
- Foul Out, Force Out
- Force Out
- An out which resulted from the defensive player touching the base in a force play.
- Force Play
- A play in which a baserunner must try to advance to the next base because a batter
becomes a runner.
- Foul Out
- An out caused by a fly ball being caught in foul territory.
- Foul Territory
- The territory outside the area enclosed by the lines running from home plate to the
left-field and right-field foul poles.
- FP
- Fielding Percentage
-

- G
- Game
- Game
- A contest between two teams which usually consists of 8 1/2 or 9 innings.
- Games Finished
- The number of games finished by a relief pitcher.
- Games Started
- The number of games started by a particular pitcher.
- GDP/GIDP
- Ground into Double Play
- GF
- Games Finished
- Grand Slam
- A home run hit while base loaded.
- GRD
- Ground Rule Double.
- Ground Rule Double
- A two-base hit awarded by an umpire because the batter hit into a
special situation defined in the ground rules.
- GS
- Games Started, Grand Slam
- GWRBI
- Game Winning Run Batted In
-

- H
- Hit, Hold
- HB
- Hit Batter
- HBP
- Hit by Pitch, Hit by Pitcher
- Hit
- A ball batted into fair territory which allows the batter to reach base safely without
the aid of an error.
- Hit Batter
- A batter hit by a pitch.
- Hit by Pitch/Pitcher
- Struck by a pitched ball while within the batter's box.
- Home Run
- A base hit where the batter is able to touch all three bases and return to home before
being put out.
- HP
- Hit by Pitch
- HR
- Home Run
-

- I
- Interference
- IF
- Infield, Infielder, Infield Fly
- Infield
- The area on the playing field contained within the four baselines.
- Infield Fly
- A fair fly ball, hit with less than two outs, which can be caught by an infielder
without extraordinary effort, when first and second or first, second, and third bases are
occupied. Line drives and attempted bunts do not count.
- Infield Fly Rule
- A rule which declares the batter out because, in the judgement of the umpire, a fair fly
ball hit within the infield can be caught by an infielder facing the infield when at least
first and second bases are occupied and there is less than two out. For this
purpose, an outfielder that is stationed in or near the infield is also considered an
infielder. The umpire signals that the rule is in effect by calling "infield
fly" and raising a clenched fist overhead. The ball does not have to be caught.
The batter is out but the ball is still live and all baserunners may try to advance
at their own peril. The rule was instituted so that an infielder does not
deliberately drop the ball so that a double-play can be set up.
- Infielder
- A fielder who occupies a position within the infield.
- Inning
- A segment of the game where each team has one turn at-bat and one turn in the field.
- Innings Pitched
- The number of innings within which a specific pitcher has pitched. Every out is
considered a third of an inning.
- Intentional Walk
- A base on balls because the pitcher deliberately threw the fourth ball outside the
strike zone.
- Interference
- An act by a fielder which hinders a players attempt to hit a pitch or an act by a member
of the team at bat that impedes a fielder attempting to make a play.
- IP
- Innings Pitched
- IW
- Intentional Walk
-

- Judgment Call
- A ruling by an umpire for a situation not specifically covered by the
rules.
-

- K
- Strikeout

- Strikeout, called
- KC
- Strikeout, called
- KS
- Strikeout, swinging
-

- L
- Line Drive, Loss, Losing Pitcher
- Left on Base
- The number of runners on base at the time a third out in a half-inning is made.
- LHB
- Left-handed Batter
- LHP
- Left-handed Pitcher
- Line Drive
- A batted ball that has a trajectory that closely parallels and then moves toward the
ground.
- LO
- Left On
- LOB
- Left on Base
- Losing Pitcher
- The pitcher who is responsible for giving up the run that allows the opposing team to
win the game.
- Loss
- A defeat. The statistic credited to a losing pitcher.
- LP
- Losing Pitcher
-

- (empty)
-

- NP
- Number of Pitches

- O
- Ovation
- OBA
- On-Base Average
- OBP
- On-Base Percentage
- obs
- Obstruction
- Obstruction
- The act of impeding a runner by a fielder that is not in possession of the ball.
- OF
- Outfield, Outfielder
- Official Scorer
- The person who is responsible for observing, recording, and ruling on the
plays in a game according
to the official rules. The official scorer must decide scoring
issues, such as whether or not a batted ball is a hit or an error.
- On-Base Average
- The percentage of batters that reach base against a specific. Sometimes used to
refer to "on-base percentage."
- On-Base Percentage
- A statistic that represents a batter's ability to get on base. See the statistics page for the formula.
- OS
- Official Scorer
-

- PA
- Plate Appearance
- Passed Ball
- A pitched ball that gets by the catcher and allows one or more runners to advance.
If it occurs on a third strike, the batter may attempt to get to first base.
The catcher is not charged with an error. If there are no runners on base, the
catcher cannot be charged with it.
- PB
- Passed Ball
- PH
- Pinch Hitter
- Pitch
- The throw to the batter.
- Plate Appearance
- A player's appearance in the batter's box. It includes all appearances in the
batter's box, not just those which result in an official at-bats.
- PO
- Putout
- Putout
- The retirement of a batter or runner by a member of the defense.
-

- QS
- Quality Start
- Quality Start
- The act of a pitcher throwing at least six innings and giving up three or fewer earned
runs.
-

- R
- Run(s)
- RBI
- Run(s) Batted In
- RHB
- Right-Handed Batter
- RHP
- Right-Handed Pitcher
- Run
- A score made by a runner.
- Run Batted In
- A run that is caused by a batter's action at the plate, unless the batter hits into a
double-play.
-

- S
- Sacrifice, Successful Steal of a Base, Save
- SA
- Slugging Average
- sac
- Sacrifice
- Sacrifice
- A sacrifice hit.
- Sacrifice Bunt
- A hit in which a bunted ball results in one or more runners advancing and the batter
being put out at first base.
- Sacrifice Fly
- A fly ball which is caught to retire the batter-runner but allows another player to
score.
- Sacrifice Hit
- A hit which results in one or more runners advancing and the batter being put out at
first base
- Save
- The credit given to a relief pitcher who maintains the lead in a game and allows the
pitcher's team to win.
- SB
- Stolen Base
- Scorecard
- A chart on which the plays of a game are recorded so that the game's
events may be recalled later.
- Scorekeeper
- The official who keeps a record of the score of a game. Do not
confuse with Official Scorer.
- SF
- Sacrifice Fly
- SH
- Sacrifice Hit, Sacrifice Bunt
- ShO
- Shutout
- Shutout
- A game in which the losing team does not score a single run.
- Slugging Average
- The statistic which illustrates a batter's ability to make extra-base hits. Refer to the
statistics page for the formula.
- SO
- Strikeout, Shutout
- SP
- Starting Pitcher
- SS
- Split Squad, Shortstop
- Starting Pitcher
- The first pitcher for each team in a game.
- Stolen Base
- A base that is gained by a runner while a pitcher is in motion and without aid from any
action by the batter or any fielders.
- Strikeout
- An out made by a batter who has been charged with three strikes.
- Strikeout, Called
- A strikeout which occurs when a batter makes no attempt on the third strike.
- Strikeout, Swinging
- A strikeout which occurs when a batter makes an attempt on the third strike and misses.
- SV
- Save
-

- T
- Triple, Amount of time to play game
- TA
- Total Average
- TB
- Total Bases
- TBF
- Total Batters Faced
- TC
- Total Chances
- TL
- Throws Left
- Total Average
- The ratio of a player's number of bases to number of outs. Refer to statistics page for the formula.
- Total Bases
- A batter's total number of bases created by base hits.
- Total Chances
- Total number of play opportunities for a fielder. Calculated by adding putouts,
assists, and errors.
- TP
- Triple Play
- TR
- Throws Right
- Triple
- A base hit in which the batter reaches third base safely.
- Triple Play
- A play where three players are retired as a result of continuous action, provided that
no errors occur between putouts.
-

- U
- Unassisted Putout
- Unassisted Putout
- A putout made by a fielder without an assist.
-

- (empty)

- W
- Walk, Win, Winning Pitcher
- Walk
- An award of first base to a batter who has received four pitches outside the strike zone
without swinging at them. All forced runners advance one base. The same as a
"base on balls."
- Win
- A victory. A statistic credited to the winning pitcher.
- Wild Card
- A team that has been given a play-off spot because it has the best record among the
teams that have not won a division.
- Wild Pitch
- A pitch that is delivered in such a manner that the catcher cannot catch it with
ordinary effort.
- Winning Pitcher
- The player on the winning team who was the pitcher when the winning run is scored.
- WP
- Wild Pitch, Winning Pitcher

- x
- Symbol used in the standings to indicate a team that has clinched the division title.
Also used by a scorer to indicate something extraordinary.
-

- y
- Symbol used in the standings to indicate a team that has earned a playoff spot.
After all division titles are determined, it indicates the wild card team.

- z
- Symbol used in the standings to indicate a team that is mathematically eliminated.

- 1
- Pitcher
- 1B
- First Base, First Baseman, Single
- 2
- Catcher
- 2B
- Second Base, Second Baseman, Double
- 3
- First Baseman
- 3B
- Third Base, Third Baseman, Triple
- 4
- Second Baseman
- 5
- Third Baseman
- 6
- Shortstop
- 7
- Left Fielder
- 8
- Center Fielder
- 9
- Right Fielder