What is a Sacrifice Fly?
A sacrifice fly, also known as a sacrifice fly ball or a sac fly, is a statistic in baseball scored as an outfield fly ball that enables a runner on base to score a run. A sacrifice fly is credited to the batter, but is not counted as an at-bat.
History of Sacrifice Fly
The sacrifice fly was first tracked by the National League in 1954, and the American League began tracking it in 1958. Before 1954, the sacrifice fly was not recorded as a statistic.
Rules for Scoring a Sacrifice Fly
According to Major League Baseball rule 10.08(d), a sacrifice fly is credited when a fly ball is hit to the outfield and the runner on base tags up and scores a run. The batter is credited with a sacrifice fly and the run is scored, but it does not count as an at-bat. In order to be credited with a sacrifice fly, the ball must be hit deep enough to enable the runner to tag up and score. If a ball is hit shallow to the outfield and the runner does not tag up, the batter is not credited with a sacrifice fly.
Why is a Sacrifice Fly not an At-Bat?
A sacrifice fly is not counted as an at-bat because it does not involve the typical exchange between a batter and a pitcher. The batter is not attempting to hit the ball and the pitcher is not attempting to get the batter out. The batter is simply trying to get a fly ball deep enough in the outfield to allow the runner to tag up and score. Therefore, a sacrifice fly is not considered an at-bat.
Benefits of Sacrifice Fly
Sacrifice flies are beneficial to a baseball team because they give the team a chance to score runs without having to rely on a base hit. A sacrifice fly also allows a runner who was on third base to tag up and score, often giving teams a better chance of scoring a run than if the runner had stayed on third base.
Strategy Behind Sacrifice Fly
Sacrifice flies are part of a team’s strategy and can often be used as a way to score runs without having to rely on a base hit. Sacrifice flies are often used when a team is trailing and needs to score a run without having to get a base hit. Sacrificing a fly can also be used as a way to get a runner in scoring position or to advance a runner already in scoring position.
Sacrifice Fly in the Record Books
The record for most sacrifice flies in a single season is held by Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox who had 22 sacrifice flies in 1957. The record for most sacrifice flies in a single game is held by several players who each had three sacrifice flies in a game.
Sacrifice Fly vs. Sacrifice Bunt
A sacrifice fly is different from a sacrifice bunt. A sacrifice bunt involves a batter bunting the ball and sacrificing an out in order to advance a runner. A sacrifice fly involves a batter hitting a fly ball and sacrificing an at-bat in order to advance a runner.
Sacrifice Fly vs. Sacrifice Hit
A sacrifice fly is also different from a sacrifice hit. A sacrifice hit involves a batter hitting the ball and sacrificing an at-bat in order to advance a runner. A sacrifice fly involves a batter hitting a fly ball and sacrificing an at-bat in order to advance a runner.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a sacrifice fly is a statistic in baseball where a batter hits a fly ball deep enough for a runner to tag up and score. A sacrifice fly is credited to the batter, but does not count as an at-bat. Sacrifice flies are beneficial to a team because they give the team a chance to score runs without having to rely on a base hit. Sacrifice flies are different from sacrifice bunts and sacrifice hits in that a sacrifice fly involves a batter hitting a fly ball and sacrificing an at-bat in order to advance a runner.