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Baseball Fans Riddle

DAP

New member
A while back, a friend from Belgium came to visit. Francois wanted to know how the game of baseball was played and asked if I would teach him.

Now I played ball as a kid ALL THE TIME. Didn't realize 2 things. 1. Just how much about baseball I know ..and 2. Just how much ABOUT baseball there IS to know.

Took 4 days and 4 complete games on TV.

Anyway, here's the question:

The maximum number of pitches a single batter can face in one official at bat. This does NOT include foul balls for reasons that should be obvious.

Good luck ...

and the answer is NOT 6 Doc. That's my only hint for now.



:a1:
 

bczoom

Super Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
ddrane2115 said:
7 if I am thinking right, which is never in reality
I'm going with a # a lot higher than that but won't mention it yet.
 

johnday

The Crazy Scot, #3
SUPER Site Supporter
I can't be the only one!! As much as I want to know, don't say yet, let it go for a bit yet!!:confused:
 

johnday

The Crazy Scot, #3
SUPER Site Supporter
This is terrible. He's faced 5 pitches, and fouls ofcourse can't be counted, and that includes foul tips, right?:yum::eek::confused:

I just know you guys are laughing!!!:thumb:
 

waybomb

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
The player on base takes off for second base before the next pitch............
 

bczoom

Super Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
The catcher signals that the runner is stealing...



BTW. When we're all done with this, the answer most are thinking of IS NOT CORRECT!!!!
 

johnday

The Crazy Scot, #3
SUPER Site Supporter
...so pitcher throws to catcher, who throws to second, but runner beats the throw, that makes 6. Batter isn't walked? This appears to be one of those things that is pretty rare. I'm not familar with this rule, but supposing it is, pitcher throws to catcher, runner is heading for third. Runner beats the ball again, that makes 7. Now, and I can't imagine this happening, pitcher throws, it turns into a wild pitch, catcher misses, guy on third comes home, that's 8 now.:4_11_9:
 

waybomb

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
There were already 2 outs.....

Count 3 & 2

Pitcher throws the base runner out.......
 

Gatorboy

Active member
If the runner steals, the pitch that was thrown is either a ball or strike. The runner being safe or out makes no difference.

Now, if the count is 2-2 and the next pitch is a ball, and there are TWO outs and the runner gets thrown out stealing ... the batter begins the NEXT inning with a 0-0 count. So it appears that 5 from previous inning plus 6 from the next inning gives a total of 11 pitches.
 

bczoom

Super Moderator
Staff member
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OK, for everyone that said 11...

DAP said:
The maximum number of pitches a single batter can face in one official at bat. This does NOT include foul balls for reasons that should be obvious.
Since he said "official at bat".

Here's how I recall/remember it...
If a runner is caught stealing for the third out, the player at the plate (batter) is not counted in the score book as an at bat for the player (which is why he starts the next inning). The batter will lead off the next inning with a new count. It is a separate at bat, not a continuation from the previous inning.

If the word "official" was removed from "in one official at bat", the answer is 11.
Since "official" was included, the answer is in fact 6.

I re-read it after I too thought it was 11 as I missed the official part.
 

bczoom

Super Moderator
Staff member
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johnday said:
Fred, please splain, i'm real dense and have no socially redeemable qualities.:pat:
What does that have to do with baseball? :confused: :pat: :yum:
 

johnday

The Crazy Scot, #3
SUPER Site Supporter
Gatorboy said:
I thought my job of explaining was pretty clear. But go for it Fred.
Okay got it, didn't catch your post GB. Kept thinking of the bottom of the ninth, and what rule I could be missing. Good one though!!:pat:
 

waybomb

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
You did good. And once again, I was typing while somebody else was replying.


Count 3-2
2 outs
Guy on base
Before the last pitch of the inning, the runner takes off
gets tagged out
last pitch never thrown.
But 3 outs
Batter is not done, so the next inning, he comes to the plate clean
goes 3-2 again, then either walks, is out (strikes, foul catch, fly-out, etc), gets on base, or homers.

(3+2)+(3+2)+1=11
 

waybomb

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
bczoom said:
OK, for everyone that said 11...


Since he said "official at bat".

Here's how I recall/remember it...
If a runner is caught stealing for the third out, the player at the plate (batter) is not counted in the score book as an at bat for the player (which is why he starts the next inning). The batter will lead off the next inning with a new count. It is a separate at bat, not a continuation from the previous inning.

If the word "official" was removed from "in one official at bat", the answer is 11.
Since "official" was included, the answer is in fact 6.

I re-read it after I too thought it was 11 as I missed the official part.


Hmm
So 11 isn't the answer? Bummer. Here I thought I was real slick in figuring it out.
 

johnday

The Crazy Scot, #3
SUPER Site Supporter
bczoom said:
What does that have to do with baseball? :confused: :pat: :yum:

Sometimes I have to self flaggelate when I embarras myself, anyone have a spare chain?:pat::tiphat::beer:
 

bczoom

Super Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
waybomb said:
Hmm
So 11 isn't the answer? Bummer. Here I thought I was real slick in figuring it out.
We all did... In my first reply, although I didn't say the # (didn't want to ruin for others), I too was thinking 11. After I thought about it more and re-read the original post to confirm, sure enough, he said "official", so all of us with 11 are incorrect.
 

Gatorboy

Active member
bczoom said:
If the word "official" was removed from "in one official at bat", the answer is 11.
Since "official" was included, the answer is in fact 6.

Good catch. There is a difference between "at-bat" and "official at-bat"

6.04
A batter has legally completed his time at bat when he is put out or becomes a runner.

The term "official" is reserved for calculating statistics.
 
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