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I used to think a good at bat was when you hit the ball hard. But Rick Down said a good at bat is when you swing at the ball that you wanted to swing at.

It makes sense because if you "get your pitch to hit" then more often than not you'll be driving the ball.

Obviously good plate discipline leads to good at bats, so there are a lot of things in the mix.
I know that there are many times when a hitter will battle at the plate for an extended number of pitches. Fouling off many getting the count deep and then ground out, line out, or fly out.

It would not be uncommon for the player to hear that he "had a good at bat", even though he was not successful. Since baseball, particularly on the offensive side, is a game of "failure", is that how we justify the comment of "that was a good at bat" as the player sits down in the dug out?

Someone came on here a while back and made a comment that the only "good at bat" is a productive "at bat". That got me to thinking and sort of agree.

However, if my son battles for 11 pitches and flys out to the outfield or skies one to the infield, I may still find myself thinking or still saying "that was a good at bat".
Last edited by floridafan
You can have a good AB and not win the battle.I heard a MLB player state one time that it takes something like 7 good AB in the majors to have 3 base hits.


We must remember that a pitcher is trying to get the hitter out and they might be making great pitches as well.So if the hitter is able to foul off a few great pitches trying to get a ball they can drive.They might get it and then drive it deep right at a defensive player.That imo,is a good AB with negative results.
We keep track of good at bats or 'quality at bats' as we call it. This would include:

1) Batter reached base
2) Sac bunt or fly
3) Move a runner from 2nd to 3rd
4) Successful hitting situation (hit and run, pepper w a man on third, bunt and run, ect)
5) 7 or more pitch at bat
6) A hard hit ball
7) Any AB that produces an RBI

We chart these and the players aim for a QAB % of .560. In a game of failure, it seems to help to broaden the ways a player can contribute and have something tangible to look at. In most games, if we achieve .560 as a team then we'll win.

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