Count (baseball)

In baseball, the count refers to the number of balls and strikes a batsman has in his current at bat. It is usually announced as a pair of numbers, for instance "3–0", with the first number being the number of balls and the second being the number of strikes. A 3–2 count—that is, one with the maximum number of balls and strikes in a given at bat—is referred to as a full count. A count of 1–1 or 2–2 is called even.

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 hitters counts, because the pitcher is more likely to throw a ball in the strike zone, especially a fastball. Somewhat surprisingly, in general, a 3–0 count tends to yield fewer hittable pitches, depending on the situation. Counts with more strikes than balls always favor the pitcher.