1. This Board Rocks has been split into two separate forums.

    The Preps Forum section was moved here to stand on its own. All member accounts are the same here as they were at ThisBoardRocks.

    The rest of ThisBoardRocks is located at: CarolinaPanthersForum.com

    Welcome to the new Preps Forum!

    Dismiss Notice

Quality At Bats (QAB)

Discussion in 'Baseball' started by PlayLaughLive, Nov 14, 2008.

  1. PlayLaughLive

    PlayLaughLive Play the Game

    Posts:
    267
    Likes Received:
    0
    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2008
    Been reading a lot about the concept of the "Quality At Bat" lately.

    What is a quality at bat you might ask?
    Here is how one manager defined Quality At Bats using examples from recent reading:
    "A.B. 1 worked deep Into the count, hit a sharp line drive to the shortstop (quality at-bat).
    A.B. 2 swung at an off-speed pitch out of the strike zone, which dropped into short right field for a single (non-quality at-bat).
    A.B. 3 fell behind in count, 0-2, worked count full, walked (quality at-bat).
    A.B. 4 worked count to 3-1, did not chase off-speed pitch out of strike zone, lined what would have been a double to gap off belt-high fastball but outfielder made diving catch (quality at-bat).
    In the above example, the player wound up with a .333 batting average for the day, but a .750 average in quality at-bats! Coaches should try to make quality at-bat hitters out of every player in the battling order."

    So, I was trying to come up with some definition for a Quality-At-Bat like we have for other plate appearances, and thought I would get the TBR folks thoughts...thought it would make an interesting discussion.
    Here is what I have so far:

    Definition of Quality At Bats
    (easier ones):
    1. Any Base on Balls
    2. Any extra base hit
    3. Any successful sacrifice
    4. Any "hit and run" that successfully advances the runner
    (tougher ones now...)
    5. Any "hit by pitch"
    6. Any hard hit line drive (whether caught or not)
    7. Any bunt for a single (not an error)
    (Ones I really need opinions on...)
    8. Any at bat with eight or more pitches taken
    9. Any sharply hit ground ball (whether an out or not)...
    (Ones that maybe should not count in QAB analysis?)
    10. Catcher interference
     
  2. Dalai Velama

    Dalai Velama Full Access Member

    Posts:
    59
    Likes Received:
    0
    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2008
    quality ABs

    Another determining factor is the situation during the course of a game. (aka---runner on second with no outs. "GET HIM OVER"

    Many situations like this...
     
  3. PlayLaughLive

    PlayLaughLive Play the Game

    Posts:
    267
    Likes Received:
    0
    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2008
    Good point

    Dalai

    Good point - I will add it to the list...
     
  4. Coach 27

    Coach 27 Full Access Member

    Posts:
    1,834
    Likes Received:
    0
    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2006
    Quality AB

    The situation can dictate if the ab was a quality ab or not. If you have a runner on third and no outs and you pull an outside pitch to the leftside not allowing the runner to score thats not a quality ab. But in the same situation if you hit a ground ball up the middle or to the right side that would be a quality ab.

    A routine fly ball with a man on 3rd and less than 2 outs would be a qab. But with 2 outs in the same situation that would not be. It has alot to do with the situation and the hitter understanding the situation and then properly executing.

    There are many situations where you can have a qab and not a productive ab at the same time. You can smoke a line drive to the SS and get out. Its a qab because you hit it hard but not a productive ab because you did not advance a runner , drive anyone in , or reach base.

    At the same time you can have a productive ab that is not a qab. You can try and pull an outside pitch and bloop one in rf for a hit. Its productive but not a quality ab.

    What you want to do is teach players just to have a quality at bat everytime they go up to the plate. Know the situation and then execute in that situation. A ground ball to the right side with a runner on second base with no outs is a quality ab. You do not have to get a hit to have a quality ab.
     
  5. Braves

    Braves Watauga Pioneers #6

    Posts:
    14,703
    Likes Received:
    0
    Joined:
    Jan 7, 2003
    Excellent
     
  6. baseball411

    baseball411 Full Access Member

    Posts:
    75
    Likes Received:
    0
    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2008
    Some other things to think about:

    -Big Papi comes up with 2 outs. The other team puts the shift on. He bunts for an easy hit down the third baseline. Is this a quality at bat?

    -Bottom of the last inning, 2 outs. Your team is down 1. You strike out on a 8 or 9 pitch AB. Is this a quality AB? Maybe this depends on the pitches you fuled off. If you missed a couple of FB over the plate when the count was 3-0 & 3-1 maybe it is not. Running up the pitcher's pitch count at this point does not mean a lot to your team (unless you are in an extended series against the same team). I'd like to say yes to this one, but as Coach said before, it depends on the situation.

    -As for the sharply hit GB, Coach hit it on the head.

    -What about an intentional base on balls? Sometimes the situation dictates the other team walk the batter no matter who is hitting. Is this automatically a QAB, or should it be thrown out?
     
  7. aguyyouknow

    aguyyouknow Yogi Fan

    Posts:
    752
    Likes Received:
    0
    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2006
    Location:
    charlotte
    Quality vs. Productive

    It's just my two cents worth but are we interchanging the terms quality at bat and productive at bat? A "productive" at bat increases the teams chances of scoring a run. A quality at bat may or may not.
     
  8. neckball

    neckball Full Access Member

    Age:
    70
    Posts:
    123
    Likes Received:
    0
    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2003
    Location:
    Charlotte
    When I was working with 13-14 yr olds, we would expand on this thought to include putting the ball in play with 2 strikes regardless of the outcome.
     
  9. TheOriole

    TheOriole Full Access Member

    Age:
    61
    Posts:
    988
    Likes Received:
    0
    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2005
    Location:
    Charlotte, NC
    very good....

    astute quality vs productive! How 'bout this perspective...whether you frightened the pitcher or he frightened you? In other words were you in charge or dominant at the plate or was it the pitcher? :jumprope:
     
  10. PlayLaughLive

    PlayLaughLive Play the Game

    Posts:
    267
    Likes Received:
    0
    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2008
    Great Post

    I like the scared vs. dominant - hard to decide where to put that in the stats sheet though !!

    :earmuffs::earmuffs::earmuffs::earmuffs:
     

Share This Page