Keeping track of scores can be a great way to stay involved in the game of baseball. This skill is also useful if you join a baseball team as it allows you to better monitor the stats, trends, and performance of the team's players. While scoring on a baseball card may seem difficult at first, the process is actually quite simple.
Step
Step 1. Prepare a scorecard
Most high-end baseball stadiums sell these cards, either individually or together with some kind of program. If you're in doubt about the availability of a scorecard at the stadium you're visiting, you can look it up online and print it to take with you to the game.
Step 2. Fill in the scorecard with the situations required in the match
These situations include, but are not limited to: teams competing, roster, referees, pitch, start time and coach.
Step 3. Write down the uniform number, name, and position number in the slot, with one player per 2-3 slots (or one per “big square”)
For position numbers, see the “Player Information” table below.
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If someone serves as a hitter (Designated Hitter), write DH in the first slot and the name of the player in the second slot.
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If needed, write the substitutes at the bottom of the scorecard, with one player for each slot. This step is only necessary if you have trouble remembering the names of the team's reserve players. You don't need to write down the position because you haven't played in the game.
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Step 4. Monitor balls and strikes on the grid
Balls are recorded in three-square lines, and Strikes are recorded in two-square lines.
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You can write ticks, lines, X's, numbers, or whatever you want. Some people use a line and an X to tell if the bat's swing misses or hits the ball, while others use a number to indicate the order in which the type of throw is given. This is useful because it allows the reader to see a player's progress at bat.
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If the foul ball is hit with two strikes, simply put a dot (or a number, depending on preference) across the strike line. Continue as needed.
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Step 5. Record the results at bat using abbreviations and marks on small diamonds
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If the bat is out (out), write the result in capital letters above the diamond and make sure to note the number of innings (such as 1, 2, or 3) in the lower right corner of the box. See "How to Cast a Player" in the table below for the standard abbreviations.
Mark a Baseball Scorecard Step 5 Bullet1 - For double play and triple play (a team manages to take out 2-3 players at once), be sure to note the outs in the order they occurred in the small box in the lower right corner.
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When the bat reaches first base, draw a straight line on the small diamond indicating the bat's path. On the side of the last line, write one of these abbreviations in lower case next to it.
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Put an asterisk (*) or exclamation point (!) when the fielder (player in a defensive position) makes for an awesome game.
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Some people like to draw the path of the ball to make it more accurate. Usually, the path is drawn by drawing a line from the home plate to the ball's landing point, with a solid line if the ball is in the air or a dotted line if the ball is rolling on the ground.
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If the runner scores during the game after the ball has been played, record how many RBIs (Runs Batted In, aka the number of batsman plays that resulted in a score) the batsman got in the allotted space. If not, write it under the diamond.
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Track a runner's progress using a set of abbreviations and similar lines that indicate the runner's progress and how it happened (i.e., if the runner made it to third base from first on singles, draw a line from first to second, and second to third base, then write 1B in the upper left corner).
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When a runner scores, shadow the diamond for easier understanding.
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Step 6. At the end of the inning, mark the statistics that are important in the box below the column
- If the team's players hit in order, simply give the innings a few columns and rewrite the numbers in order.
- You can track the number of throws in an inning by writing the number to the left of the inning number. You can track the total number of throws by writing it to the right of the inning number.
Step 7. Write down the names, uniform numbers, and positions of the incoming substitutes below the outgoing players, and draw a vertical line between the innings where the substitutions occur
In addition, fill in the inning box in the box on the right.
- If there is a pitcher change, draw a horizontal line between the old pitcher's last hit and the new pitcher's first hit. Also, write down the pitcher's name in the box at the bottom.
- If a player changes positions, draw a dotted vertical line between the innings the change occurred.
Step 8. At the end of the game, please summarize the batting statistics and throw statistics in the given space to produce a good summary of the match
Method 1 of 1: Scorecard Abbreviation
Player Information
| Position | Number |
| pitcher | 1 |
| catcher | 2 |
| First Baseman | 3 |
| Second Baseman | 4 |
| Third Baseman | 5 |
| Shortstop | 6 |
| Left Fielder | 7 |
| Middle Fielder | 8 |
| Right Fielder | 9 |
| Designated Hitters | DH |
How to Remove Player
| Results | Abbreviation | Sample Results | Abbreviation Example |
| Strikeout swinging (strike due to swinging) | K | Swing and miss | K |
| Strikeout looking (strike for not swinging) | K upside down | Called third strike | K upside down |
| Groundout (out because the ball is rolling) | The number of the player defending the field followed by the number of the player who caught the ball | Shortstop catches the ball and throws it at First Baseman | 6-3 |
| Flyout (out because the ball is flying) | Number of players who caught the ball | Middle Fielder catches the ball | 8 |
| Lineout (out due to a caught drive punch) | L followed by the number of the player who caught the ball | Second Baseman catches the ball | L4 |
| Unassisted Play (defender creates outs without assistance) | Number of players playing the game followed by the letter U | The pitcher catches the ball and touches it to the runner (or base) | 1U |
| Catching Foul Ball | F followed by the number of the player who caught the ball | Third Baseman catches the ball in foul area | F5 |
| Sacrifice Fly (out because the ball flew, but there was a partner who managed to advance 1-3 bases) | SF followed by the number of the player who caught the ball | Left Fielder catches the ball | SF7 |
| Sacrifice Bunt (out because the hitter intentionally "bounces" the ball so his partner can advance to the next base) | SB is followed by the number of the player issued followed by the number of the player who caught the ball. | Catcher picks up and throws ball to First Baseman | SB2-3 |
| Double Play (the defending team gets two outs in one game): | |||
| For runners: | The number of the player who got the ball followed by the number of the player who caught it | Shortstop getting and throwing the ball to Second Baseman | 6-4 |
| For hitters: | Same as runner, but add the player who catches the ball followed by DP | Shortstop gets and throws the ball to Second Baseman then to First Baseman | 6-4-3 DP |
Monitoring Punch
| Results | Abbreviation | Sample Results | Abbreviation Example |
| Single (hitter reaches first base) | 1B | ||
| Double ((the hitter reaches second base) | 2B | ||
| Triple (hitter makes it to third base) | 3B | ||
| Home Run (the ball has been hit off the field) | HR | ||
| Hit By Pitch | HP or HBP | ||
| Walk (the bat is intentionally left to first base) | BB | ||
| Error (player made a mistake) | E is followed by the number of the player who made the mistake | Shortstop drops the ball and throws it | E6 |
| Fielder's Choice | FC | When the runner is at first base, the batter hits the grounder to the Second Baseman which only throws the runner out (the fielder decides not to try to get the bat out). | FC |
| Dropped Third Strike | K |
Monitoring Baserunning
| Results | Abbreviation | Sample Results | Abbreviation Example |
| Stolen Base (runner successfully advances to the next base without the aid of a bat) | SB | ||
| Caught Stealing (runner fails to steal base) | CS | Issued catcher when trying to steal base | CS |
| Picked Off | PIK | Got picked off by the pitcher | PIK |
Tips
- Not all scorecards include a place to monitor balls and strikes.
- Practice filling out scorecards when watching a game on television so you'll get used to doing it in live matches.
