Reading Baseball Abbreviations: Fielding

As an avid baseball fan, I watch baseball all the time. I pretty much understand all the scoring rules and all of the abbreviations. However, a lot of people don't understand the abbreviations. The purpose of this article is to teach you how to understand the abbreviations associated with fielding in baseball.

A-This abbreviation stands for "assists." Any ball that is thrown or deflected by a fielder that results in a putout is credited as an assist to the fielder that assisted in the out.

CS-Caught Stealing. This records any throw from the catcher that results in the runner that was trying to steal the base being called out.

E-Errors. This records the number of plays that should have been easily fielded by the fielder but were not. This also includes a throw that should have resulted in a runner being out, but was a wild throw. It is judged to be an error by the official scorers.

DER-Defensive Efficiency Rating. Hits against a team minus home runs divided by the total number of balls put into play by the opposing team minus home runs. Then, subtract what you get from 1. This gives you the DER of a team.

DP-Double Plays. Fielders are credited with a double play if they participate in a play in which 2 runners are called out.

FPCT-Fielding Percentage. To get a player's fielding percentage, add total putouts and assists of the fielder and divide this by total putouts, assists, and errors.

G-Games Played. This is the number of games that the player appeared in.

INN-Innings Played. This number records the number of innings that the player appeared in. A player gets credited with one-third of an inning for every out recorded.

OFA-Outfield Assists. A player gets an outfield assist if they are an outfielder that helped to throw or deflect a ball to get a putout.

PB-Passed Balls. A catcher gets a passed ball when a pitch is thrown that should have been handled easily but gets past.

PO-Putouts. A fielder gets credited with a putout when he does one of several things. First, he can catch a line drive or a fly ball that gets the batter out. Also, he could catch a ball thrown to him to get a base runner out. Finally, he can tag a batter that is off the bag to get the runner out.

RF-Range Factor. To obtain a players range factor, you have to add the total number of putouts and assists made by the fielder. Then, you have to multiply that total by nine and divide that number by the total number of innings that the player has played.

SB-Stolen Bases. A stolen base is recorded on a catcher when a player legally steals a base and the catcher fails to throw the runner out.

TC-Total Chances. The total chances stat is obtained when you add a players total assists, putouts, and errors charged or credited to the fielder.

TP-Triple Plays. The players are credited with a triple play if they participate in a play in which 3 outs are recorded in the same play.