Baseball Trivia

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Calvin'scuz

Calvin'scuz

Puritan Board Freshman
We're just about ready for another MLB season. I AM STOKED!! To start things off, here's a baseball trivia question:

What's the maximum number of pitches a batter can see in one at bat before he either makes an out, gets on base, or hits a foul ball?
 
6 -- including the pitch that causes one of the above actions.

That would be 3 balls and 2 strikes, followed by a pitch in which he will either walk, get hit by the pitch, get a hit, strike out, foul off, or make an out.

Unless I'm forgetting something, of course!
 
The pitcher could also make three improper deliveries to the plate and be called for a balk each time, presuming the batter was up with 3 men on base. For each balk, the runners would be sent forward a base, and 3 runs would score in total. Once the bases are cleared, though, there would be no opportunity for additional balks.

So my guess is nine pitches total with 6 allocated according to Tim's guess. (though I wouldn't have chosen to count his last one, the one during which the batter actually makes an out, gets on base or hits a foul ball)
 
Marrow Man said:
6 -- including the pitch that causes one of the above actions.

That would be 3 balls and 2 strikes, followed by a pitch in which he will either walk, get hit by the pitch, get a hit, strike out, foul off, or make an out.

Unless I'm forgetting something, of course!
Click to expand...

OK...good guess...but not correct. You need to really think outside the box on this one.

For those who are wondering, it's not a trick question. Think holistically.

-----Added 3/30/2009 at 10:06:59 EST-----

toddpedlar said:
(though I wouldn't have chosen to count his last one, the one during which the batter actually makes an out, gets on base or hits a foul ball)
Click to expand...

Interesting...Nope.

Go ahead and count the pitch that the batter makes an out, gets on base, or hits a foul ball.
 
It's a sneaky answer; I was stumped on it once before (quite recently, actually) until someone showed me the error of my ways: if I follow his logic, 11. But I would never have come up with it on my own.

-----Added 3/30/2009 at 10:16:51 EST-----

Now, the puzzle for everyone else (if this is, indeed, the answer Jim is looking for) is to explain how this could happen.
 
Calvin'scuz said:
We're just about ready for another MLB season. I AM STOKED!! To start things off, here's a baseball trivia question:

What's the maximum number of pitches a batter can see in one at bat before he either makes an out, gets on base, or hits a foul ball?
Click to expand...

1 :lol: because he only sees 1 pitch at a time that results in one of those things happening.
 
Prufrock said:
It's a sneaky answer; I was stumped on it once before (quite recently, actually) until someone showed me the error of my ways: if I follow his logic, 11. But I would never have come up with it on my own.

-----Added 3/30/2009 at 10:16:51 EST-----

Now, the puzzle for everyone else (if this is, indeed, the answer Jim is looking for) is to explain how this could happen.
Click to expand...

Excellent my friend. Right you are. 11 is the correct answer.
Now, how does this happen indeed?
 
Prufrock said:
It's a sneaky answer; I was stumped on it once before (quite recently, actually) until someone showed me the error of my ways: if I follow his logic, 11. But I would never have come up with it on my own.

-----Added 3/30/2009 at 10:16:51 EST-----

Now, the puzzle for everyone else (if this is, indeed, the answer Jim is looking for) is to explain how this could happen.
Click to expand...

Well, I'm lost. I don't see how you can manufacture two more pitches... and if you could, why you couldn't then easily explain how it could happen, since it seems to me in order to give a number you've got to explain how. :)
 
Todd,

If I tell you it's the result of a combination of 5 pitches and 6 pitches, does that help?
 
Batter is up with a 3-2 count and 2 outs. Runner on base gets caught stealing or picked off to end the inning. Same batter comes up the next inning and runs the count to 3-2 again. Next pitch is either a Hit Batter, Walk, or Strikeout. Total number of pitches is 11.
 
The pitcher gets 6 warm up pitches, which the batter sees from the on-deck circle. He then sees a maximum of 5 pitches in the batters box (running the count to 3 balls, 2 strikes) before he either walks, gets a hit, strikes out, or fouls the ball off. :detective:

Am I correct? (6 warm up pitches don't really seem like enough) :think:
 
Happy2BHome said:
Batter is up with a 3-2 count and 2 outs. Runner on base gets caught stealing or picked off to end the inning. Same batter comes up the next inning and runs the count to 3-2 again. Next pitch is either a Hit Batter, Walk, or Strikeout. Total number of pitches is 11.
Click to expand...

This would seem to be it... although technically it's not correct because the first at-bat would not be scored as an official at-bat. So the number really would be only six.
 
bradofshaw said:
The pitcher gets 6 warm up pitches, which the batter sees from the on-deck circle. He then sees a maximum of 5 pitches in the batters box (running the count to 3 balls, 2 strikes) before he either walks, gets a hit, strikes out, or fouls the ball off. :detective:

Am I correct? (6 warm up pitches don't really seem like enough) :think:
Click to expand...

Warmup pitches can't be counted though - these were to be actual pitches seen during the at-bat (and anyway the major league limit is 8 between innings, not 5 - or 6)
 
Oh, what happens with the count when one pitcher comes in and replaces another (while facing the same batter)? That may account for the accumulation of the pitch count. So if a batter goes 3-2, then pitcher gets hurt throwing the last pitch, a new one comes in, I'm not sure what the count would be with the new pitcher.
 
Marrow Man said:
Oh, what happens with the count when one pitcher comes in and replaces another (while facing the same batter)? That may account for the accumulation of the pitch count. So if a batter goes 3-2, then pitcher gets hurt throwing the last pitch, a new one comes in, I'm not sure what the count would be with the new pitcher.
Click to expand...

I am pretty sure the pitch count stays the same.
 
Happy2BHome said:
Batter is up with a 3-2 count and 2 outs. Runner on base gets caught stealing or picked off to end the inning. Same batter comes up the next inning and runs the count to 3-2 again. Next pitch is either a Hit Batter, Walk, or Strikeout. Total number of pitches is 11.
Click to expand...

Exactly. Beautiful my friend!!

Now. Here's a new one. How did the NY Mets arrive at their team colors?
 
The blue in the mets uniform represents the brooklyn dodgers and the orange represents the new york giants.
 
Calvin'scuz said:
We're just about ready for another MLB season. I AM STOKED!! To start things off, here's a baseball trivia question:

What's the maximum number of pitches a batter can see in one at bat before he either makes an out, gets on base, or hits a foul ball?
Click to expand...

I think this is a flawed question (even though you apparently have received an answer and an explanation). Why?

Because a batter cannot make an out. He can get out, but to make an out you have to be playing defense not offense. The question is flawed! :)
 
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