Cutter pitch explained A cutter pitch is a version of a fastball that is intended to break right before the pitch reaches home plate. It is also referred to as a “cut fastball.” The reason pitchers throw a cutter is to fool hitters into thinking they are seeing a regular fastball, then at the last … Read more
Mendoza Line explained The Mendoza Line in baseball refers to a .200 batting average, considered by almost all standards to be well below average for a major league hitter. The name “Mendoza Line” was named after Mario Mendoza, who played shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Seattle Mariners, and the Texas Rangers between 1974-1982. The … Read more
The hold explained A hold in baseball is a statistic awarded to relief pitchers who enter a game when their team is winning by 3 runs or less and maintain that lead while recording at least one out. Those two factors must be in place for an official hold to be awarded: the relief pitcher … Read more
Quality start explained A quality start in baseball is a statistic assigned to starting pitchers that pitch six full innings and allow three earned runs or less. It is called a quality start because starting pitchers are expected to prevent runs and get opposing hitters out. So, the statistic of a quality start measures a … Read more
Batting average explained The batting average is an offensive statistic in baseball that gauges hitters’ success in reaching base safely on base hits. The batting average is popular with baseball fans. Still, players and coaches often ignore it because the formula does not include many aspects of the game-walks, total bases, extra-base hits, etc. What … Read more
Left on base explained LOB, or left on base, is a statistic that refers to how many runners are stranded on the base paths at the end of an inning. For batters, LOB indicates the number of runners left on base after the hitter makes an out. For pitchers, LOB describes the number of runners … Read more
The walk-off explained A walk-off in baseball happens when the home team scores the go-ahead run in the bottom of the ninth or extra innings to end the game. The batter who drives home the game-winning run with a hit or walk is only required to touch first base since the game is over once … Read more
Mound visits remaining MVR is a baseball term that stands for Mound Visits Remaining. Mound visits are when a coach walks out to the mound to talk to his pitcher. Each visit is counted by the umpire since there is a limit. Mound visits can play an important part in the momentum of a game. … Read more
The batting order A good batting order is determined by the talent on your team and is often the difference between winning and losing. Before constructing their batting lineups, coaches must know their players’ strengths and weaknesses. However, the best hitters on a team follow each other in the batting order to increase the odds … Read more
On-base plus slugging On-base plus slugging, or OPS is a baseball statistic that combines on-base percentage (OBP) and slugging percentage. OPS is a popular stat used more often than the batting average by major league players and teams to determine how well a hitter performs at the plate. The OPS reveals how a hitter contributes … Read more
