Scoring position
Encyclopedia
In the sport of baseball
, a baserunner is said to be in scoring position when he is on second or third base
. The distinction between being on first base and second or third base is that a runner on first can usually only score if the batter hits an extra base hit
, while a runner on second or third can score on a single
. This is also known as "ducks on the pond". Runners left in scoring position refers to the number of runners on second or third base at the end of an inning and is an inverse measure of a team's offensive efficiency.
Many of baseball's "small ball"
or "one run" tactics center around attempts to move a runner on first base into scoring position. Such tactics were dominant in the 1890s and the Dead Ball Era
, when extra base hits were relatively rare.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, a baserunner is said to be in scoring position when he is on second or third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
. The distinction between being on first base and second or third base is that a runner on first can usually only score if the batter hits an extra base hit
Extra base hit
In baseball, an extra base hit , also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire another base runner...
, while a runner on second or third can score on a single
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
. This is also known as "ducks on the pond". Runners left in scoring position refers to the number of runners on second or third base at the end of an inning and is an inverse measure of a team's offensive efficiency.
Many of baseball's "small ball"
Small Ball
In the sport of baseball, small-ball is an informal and colloquial term for an offensive strategy in which the batting team emphasizes placing runners on base and then advancing them into position to score a run in a deliberate, methodical way...
or "one run" tactics center around attempts to move a runner on first base into scoring position. Such tactics were dominant in the 1890s and the Dead Ball Era
Dead-ball era
The dead-ball era is a baseball term used to describe the period between 1900 and the emergence of Babe Ruth as a power hitter in 1919. In 1919, Ruth hit a then league record 29 home runs, a spectacular feat at that time.This era was characterized by low-scoring games and a lack of home runs...
, when extra base hits were relatively rare.