Count (baseball)

Not to be confused with pitch count.

A baseball scoreboard with numerals showing the count (center of the bottom row) as no balls and one strike ("oh and one")

In baseball and softball, the count refers to the number of balls and strikes the batter has. If the count reaches three strikes, the batter strikes out; if the count reaches four balls, the batter earns a base on balls (a "walk").

Usage

The count is usually announced as a pair of numbers, for example, 3–1 (pronounced as "three and one"), the number of balls followed by the number of strikes. Zero is almost always pronounced as "oh". The count is often used as adjective—an individual pitch may be referred to by the count prior to its delivery; for example, a pitch thrown with a count of three balls and one strike is a "three-one pitch" or a "three-and-one pitch".

A count of 0–0 is rarely stated; the count is typically not mentioned until at least one pitch has been thrown. A count of 1–1 or 2–2 may be described as even. A count of 3–2 is full, which is discussed below.

The home plate umpire signals the count with the number of balls on his left hand, and the number of strikes on his right hand. (As a result, it reads backwards when viewed from the pitcher's point of view.) Individual umpires vary in how frequently they give this signal; it is often done as a reminder when there has been a slight delay between pitches, such as due to the batter stepping out of the batter's box. It can also be a signal to the scoreboard operator that an incorrect count is being shown on the board. Some umpires may also give the count verbally, although usually only the batter and catcher can hear it.

Significance

An important part of baseball statistics is measuring which counts are most likely to produce favorable outcomes for the pitcher or the hitter. Counts of 3–1 and 2–0 are considered advantageous to hitters ("hitters' counts"), because the pitcher—faced with the possibility of walking the batter—is more likely to throw a ball in the strike zone, particularly a fastball. Counts with two strikes (except 3–2) are considered advantageous to pitchers ("pitchers' counts"). An 0–2 count is very favorable to a pitcher. In such a count, the pitcher has the freedom to throw one (or sometimes two) pitches out of the strike zone intentionally, in an attempt to get the batter to "chase" the pitch (swing at it), and strike out.

A 3–0 count tends to yield fewer hittable pitches, perhaps because the umpire is reluctant to call four straight balls and may tolerate a fourth pitch that barely misses the strike zone. Batters often "take" (do not swing at) a 3–0 pitch, since the pitcher has missed the strike zone three straight times already, and a fourth would earn the batter a walk. This is a sound strategy because the batter is more likely to eventually reach base even if the count becomes 3–1 than he is if he puts the ball in play on 3–0. In some situations, it is also advantageous to take on 2–0 and 3–1.

Full count

The Green Monster at Fenway Park with light bulbs showing the count as three balls and one strike ("three and one")

A 3–2 count is called a full count and the ensuing pitch is called a "payoff pitch", since a mistake by either the pitcher or the batter ends the plate appearance. The payoff pitch is not necessarily the final pitch in the plate appearance, as a batter may maintain two strikes indefinitely by hitting foul balls.

The full count term may derive from older scoreboards, which had spaces (rather than numerals) to denote up to three balls and up to two strikes. Many scoreboards still use light bulbs for this purpose; thus a 3–2 count means that all the bulbs are lit. The alternate term full house (more commonly used in softball) is inspired by the full house hand in poker, consisting of three of a kind and a pair.

With two outs and a full count, any baserunners who might be forced out start to run toward the next base at the moment the pitcher begins to deliver the pitch. This is because either the batter will walk (awarding such runners the next base), strike out to end the inning, foul off the pitch (allowing runners to return to their original bases), or put the ball into play.