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. Baseball is a team sport, in which a fist-sized ball is thrown by a defensive player called a pitcher and hit by an offensive player called a batter with a round, smooth stick called a bat. ... Strike zone boundaries (MLB) Definition In baseball, the strike zone is a conceptual rectangular area over home plate which defines the boundaries through which a pitch must pass in order to count as a strike when the batter does not swing. ... In baseball statistics, an at bat (AB) is used to calculate other data such as batting average. ...

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. Arguing balls and strikes in a Major League game yields an automatic ejection. As with many sports, and perhaps even more so, statistics are very important to baseball. ... Strike zone boundaries (MLB) Definition In baseball, the strike zone is a conceptual rectangular area over home plate which defines the boundaries through which a pitch must pass in order to count as a strike when the batter does not swing. ... The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. ...