Q&A for How to Calculate a Batting Average

It's simply a tradition since the early days of baseball. It wouldn't have to be that way; it just is.

No. It does not count as an official time at bat and has no effect on a batting average.

Add 3 to your son's total hits, add 4 to your son's total at-bats, and divide the new totals to find the new batting average. It is not possible to calculate the change without knowing the total hits and at-bats.

If the batter reaches first base because of an error by a fielder, it counts as an at-bat but not a hit. It lowers the batter's batting average just as if he'd been thrown out.

Hits do not directly score points (or "runs"). Points are scored only when a runner crosses home plate, which could occur even without a hit.

Not if he's thrown out at first. If he makes it safely to first, he's credited with a hit even if he continues to run and is thrown out at second, third, or home.

An extra base hit has the same effect on a batting average as a single does. Each is considered one hit.

A fielder's choice counts as an at-bat but not a hit. This means a fielder's choice will lower the batter's batting average.

It doesn't matter, since both are counted as a hit. Singles, doubles, triples, and home runs all count the same in figuring batting averages.

The HBP (like a walk) is not counted as an official time at bat.

3-for-8 is .375.

A sacrifice occurs when a batter bunts a pitch in such a way that he is thrown out at first base while one or more teammates advance on the bases. A "sacrifice fly" occurs when a batter hits a fly ball deep enough into the outfield that one or more teammates on base can tag up and advance to the next base after the fly ball has been caught by an outfielder.

Each league makes its own rules. In Major League ball, a player must make at least 502 plate appearances in a season (including walks) to qualify for the title.

Baseball bats are often made of ash wood. At times, maple and hickory wood have also been used.

A Major League player must make at least 502 plate appearances in a season in order to qualify for a batting title.

The player who recorded the highest Major League batting average in history was Napoléon Lajoie, who hit .426 in the year 1901.

No. In order to be credited with a hit, a batter must reach first base safely. If there should be other runners on base at the time, the batter must reach first base before any other runner is put out, or the batter will not be credited with a hit.

No. Statistically it's as if he had not even come to the plate (except that he is credited with a walk).

Yes. If he makes it safely to third, he's credited with a triple. If he is thrown out at third, he's credited with a double.

Without more information, you can't calculate the new average. To find the average at any time, divide the number of hits by the total number of official at-bats. (Official at-bats do not count at-bats that resulted in walks, sacrifice bunts, or sacrifice flies.)

That player's batting average would be .998.

Here's how to calculate on-base percentage: First add hits + walks + hit by pitch. Next add at-bats + walks + hit by pitch + sacrifice flies. Finally divide the first total by the second total. That's the OBP.

No. All that matters is whether or not you get a hit. The number of pitches made to you doesn't matter.

Not a lot. You just determine the total number of official at-bats and the total number of hits, then divide the second number by the first.

If a fielder's choice results in an out, it's as if the batter made the out, and their batting average suffers. If the fielder's choice does not result in an out, it's as if the batter did not come to bat at all, and their batting average is not affected.

The batting average is 0, because the batter did not get a hit. The walks are not official at-bats, so the batter went 0-for-1.

No points are deducted for outs. There are never any points deducted in baseball.

If there's no throw, there's no Fielder's Choice. An official scorer would probably charge an error to the player who should have covered the base.

It's a sacrifice only if you intentionally give yourself up for an out at first base, allowing a run to score at the same time. The most common example is a sacrifice bunt.

Home runs.