Strikeout

Then Cincinnati Reds outfielder Adam Dunn strikes out swinging to Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz (not pictured). Smoltz recorded 10 strikeouts in this start, three against Dunn.

In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike out (denoted by SO or K^[1]) occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters. Pitchers want to throw as many strikeouts as possible, while batters attempt to minimize striking out themselves. While strikeouts are associated with dominance on the part of the pitcher, it is recognized that the style of swing that generates home runs also leaves the batter somewhat susceptible to striking out. Some of the greatest home run hitters of all time — such as Reggie Jackson and Sammy Sosa — were notorious for striking out.

Rules

The Texas Longhorns softball team gets a strikeout against Penn State to end the game, February 15, 2008.

A pitcher receives credit for (and a batter is charged with) a strikeout on any third strike, but a batter is out only if any of the following is true:

1. the third strike is pitched and caught in flight by the catcher (including foul tips);
2. on any third strike, if a baserunner is on first and there are fewer than two outs;
3. the third strike is bunted foul and is not caught by a fielder

If the third strike is not caught and there are two outs, or fewer than two outs and no baserunner on first, the batter becomes a runner (except in a foul bunt situation). Thus, it is possible for a batter to strike out, but still reach base safely if the catcher fails or is unable to catch the third strike cleanly and cannot tag out the batter or force him out at first base (in Japan this is called furinige (振り逃げ^?), i.e. swing and escape). In MLB, Major League Baseball, it is known as a uncaught third strike. As a result, pitchers have occasionally been able to record four strikeouts in one half-inning.

In baseball scorekeeping, a swinging strikeout is recorded as a K, or a K-S. A strikeout looking (where the batter does not swing at a pitch that the umpire then calls strike three) is sometimes scored with a backwards K.

The use of "K" for a strikeout was invented by Henry Chadwick, a newspaper journalist who is widely credited as the originator of the box score and the baseball scorecard. Both the box score and scorecard persist largely unchanged to this day, as the game itself is largely unchanged except for the number of balls and strikes allowed to the pitcher and batter. The letter "S" was used to coin "sacrifice" so Chadwick decided to use "K", with "K" being the last letter in "struck." Chadwick also invented many other baseball scoring abbreviations, such as using numbers to designate player positions (progressing from the batter, pitcher [1] and catcher [2], through the infield, with the shortstop counted after the basemen, at number 6, to the right fielder [9]).^[2]

That Chadwick first established the convention of using the "K" abbreviation is well-founded, with reliable and authentic primary materials surviving (see citation above). Those unaware of Chadwick's contributions have speculated that "K" was derived from the 19th century pitcher Matt Kilroy's last name. If not for the evidence supporting Chadwick's earlier use of "K", this speculation would be reasonable: Kilroy did much to raise the prominence of the strikeout, setting an all-time record of 513 strikeouts in 1886, only two years after overhand pitching was permitted. Kilroy's record, however, is forever confined to its era: the pitcher's mound during his record-setting season was only 50 feet (15 m) from the batter; it was moved to its current distance of 60'6" in 1893. The modern record (1901-) is 383 strikeouts, held by Nolan Ryan, one better than Sandy Koufax's 382.

Although some people use "K" to record pitchers' strikeouts, "SO" is the official abbreviation used by Major League Baseball^[3].

In addition, "K" is still commonly used by fans and enthusiasts for purposes other than official record-keeping. In one baseball ritual, fans at the ballpark who are seated in view of the batter (and the television cameras) attach a succession of small "K" signs to the nearest railing, one added for every strikeout notched by the home team's pitcher. As is traditional for those who keep a record of the game on paper, the "K" is placed backwards in cases where the batter strikes out looking. Virtually every televised display of a major league game in which a pitcher registers a high number of strikeouts (7 or 8) will include a shot of a fan's strikeout display, and if the pitcher continues to strike out batters, the display often will be shown following every strikeout. In the event that a known "strikeout pitcher" is on the mound, the strikeout display will be televised from the beginning.

History

Three balls being struck at and missed and the last one caught, is a hand-out; if not caught is considered fair, and the striker bound to run. This is essentially the same rule in use today, with the addition of the called strike (1858) and the provision that the batter is automatically out if there are fewer than two out and a runner on first. In 1880, the rules were changed to specify that a third strike had to be caught on the fly. In 1887, the number of strikes for an out was changed to four, but promptly changed back to three the next season.

Jargon and slang

A swinging strikeout is often called a whiff and a batter who is struck out by a fastball is often said to have been blown away. A batter who strikes out on a swung third strike is said to have fanned (as in a fanning motion), whereas if he takes a called third strike it is called a punchout (describing the plate umpire's punching motion on a called third strike), but sometimes these descriptive words are used generally as synonyms for strikeouts, irrespective if they were calling or looking (e.g. Beckett's punched out nine batters tonight or Ryan Howard's been fanned six times in this series). On a called third strike, it is said that the batter was caught looking or that he looked at a strike. Typically, a called third strike can be somewhat more embarrassing for a batter, as it shows that he was either fooled by the pitcher, or even worse, had a moment of hesitation. For example, Carlos Beltran was caught looking at strike 3 to end the 2006 NLCS, and the season, for the New York Mets. Sports commentators have also been known to refer to it as browsing if the batter did not move his bat at all.

A pitcher is said to strike out the side when he retires all three batters in a half inning by striking them out. A batter that takes the third strike looking, especially on a breaking pitch, such as a slider or a curveball, that appears to be out of the strike zone but drops in before the batter can get the bat off his shoulders, can be said to have been frozen.

In slang, when a batter strikes out three times in a game, he is said to have completed a hat trick. If he strikes out four times, it is known as a golden sombrero. He receives a platinum sombrero if he strikes out 5 times, also known as the Olympic Rings. Striking out six times is a rare occurrence, which in the history of major league play has only been accomplished in extra innings games - Sam Horn is one of the distinguished few to achieve this feat.

Some pitchers who specialize in strikeouts have acquired nicknames including the letter "K". Cincinnati Reds closer Francisco Cordero is known as "Koko", Dwight Gooden was known as "Doctor K" (back-referencing basketball star Julius Erving a.k.a. "Dr. J"). Francisco Rodriguez is known as "K-Rod"^[4]. Roger Clemens has taken the "K" name to an extreme, naming his four sons Koby, Kory, Kacy, and Kody. Hall of Fame strikeout artist Sandy Koufax of the Los Angeles Dodgers coincidentally has a last name starting with "K", and in his call of Koufax's perfect game in 1965, Dodgers announcer Vin Scully included a comment that Koufax's name "will always remind you of strikeouts".

Four strikeouts in an inning

If a third strike is not caught by the catcher (and is not tipped), it is a strikeout, and the at-bat is over. However, with first base open or with two outs, the batter is not out until tagged out or forced out. On a wild pitch or passed ball the batter can often advance to first base safely. If a runner is at first base and there are fewer than two outs, the batter is automatically out, as with the infield fly rule. If there are two outs, another runner may be forced out as with any other ball in play. If the runner reaches first base safely, there is no out, but the pitcher is still credited with a strikeout.

It is thus possible for a pitcher to throw four (or more) strikeouts in an inning. The first major leaguer to be credited with the feat was Jonathan W. Andre of the New York Giants on October 4, 1888. Chuck Finley did it on May 12 and August 15, 1999 with the Anaheim Angels, and then for a third time on April 16, 2000 with the Cleveland Indians. Finley is the only player to pitch four strikeouts in an inning more than once.^[5]

Pete Richert is the only pitcher to strike out four batters in one inning in his Major League debut. In the third inning of an April 12, 1962 game against the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium, the Los Angeles Dodger pitcher struck out Frank Robinson, Gordy Coleman (who reached base on a Johnny Roseboro passed ball), Wally Post and Johnny Edwards. [1]

The feat was once quite rare, occurring only five times before 1956, but it has become less rare in recent years, occurring six times during the 1999 season alone. This increase in frequency may be due somewhat to increased use of the split-finger fastball and forkball, both pitches that end up in the dirt at the plate when effective and often are difficult to handle for catchers. Strikeout specialist pitchers have especially found these pitches to be favorable, as an example Mark Wohlers struck out four men on June 8, 1995 in the midst of the Atlanta Braves championship run that year. In addition, individual strikeouts are more common, and the total number of innings pitched in a season has doubled as well, due to an expanded schedule and more than a dozen extra teams. The combined effects of the higher strikeout rate and expanded schedule would be expected to make the four-strikeout inning about seven times more frequent than it was fifty years ago. Further, the social stigma attached to striking out has faded, and modern batters are less likely to swing desperately for contact with two strikes even though an out in the field would usually result.

With any runners advancing to leave first base open if there are fewer than two outs, the process can repeat, leading to a fifth strikeout (or more) in the inning. A fifth strikeout has not happened in a regulation game in the major leagues, but has occurred three times in the minor leagues, most recently by Garrett Bauer of the Rockford RiverHawks against the Windy City Thunderbolts on July 1 2008.^[6] In the major leagues, knuckleballer Joe Niekro also struck out five men in an inning during a spring exhibition game when Niekro was with the Houston Astros.^[7] The last pitcher to throw four strikeouts in an inning was Milwaukee Brewers starter Manny Parra in St. Louis against the St. Louis Cardinals on June 6, 2010.

Strikeout Records

Pitchers

The top 20 Major League Baseball career strikeout leaders (active players in bold):^[8]

• (since 1901)

through October 4, 2009

1. Nolan Ryan - 5,714
2. Randy Johnson - 4,875
3. Roger Clemens - 4,672
4. Steve Carlton - 4,136
5. Bert Blyleven - 3,701
6. Tom Seaver - 3,640
7. Don Sutton - 3,574
8. Gaylord Perry - 3,534
9. Walter Johnson - 3,509
10. Greg Maddux - 3,371
11. Phil Niekro - 3,342
12. Ferguson Jenkins - 3,192
13. Pedro Martínez - 3,154
14. Bob Gibson - 3,117
15. Curt Schilling - 3,116
16. John Smoltz - 3,084
17. Jim Bunning - 2,855
18. Mickey Lolich - 2,832
19. Mike Mussina - 2,813
20. Cy Young - 2,803

The top 10 Major League Baseball career strikeout-per-nine innings leaders (since 1900):^[9] (through games of October 4, 2009, minimum 1,000 IP)

1. Randy Johnson - 10.61
2. Kerry Wood - 10.38
3. Pedro Martínez - 10.04
4. Nolan Ryan - 9.55
5. Trevor Hoffman - 9.53
6. Sandy Koufax - 9.28
7. Oliver Perez - 9.20
8. Johan Santana - 9.12
9. Jake Peavy - 9.02
10. Sam McDowell - 8.86

The top 5 Major League Baseball single season strikeout-per-nine innings leaders (since 1900): (through games of October 4, 2009, minimum 1.0 IP per team game)

1. Randy Johnson, 2001 - 13.41
2. Pedro Martínez, 1999 - 13.20
3. Kerry Wood, 1998 - 12.58
4. Randy Johnson, 2000 - 12.56
5. Randy Johnson, 1995 - 12.35

The Top 10 Major League Baseball single season strikeout totals (since 1900)^[10]

Active pitchers in top 50 (as of October 4, 2009):

13. Pedro Martinez - 3,154
16. John Smoltz - 3,084
41. Jamie Moyer - 2,342

Progression of major league strikeout record for one nine-inning game, regular season (partial listing):

• 18 - Dupee Shaw, Boston Reds (UA), July 19, 1884^[11]; and by Henry Porter, Milwaukee Brewers (UA), October 3, 1884.^[11][12]

Modern era:

• 18 - Bob Feller, October 2, 1938; matched by Sandy Koufax, August 31, 1959, and again on April 24, 1962; and by Don Wilson, July 14, 1968.
• 19 - Steve Carlton, September 15, 1969; matched by Tom Seaver, April 22, 1970; Nolan Ryan, August 12, 1974; and by David Cone, October 6, 1991.
• 20 - Roger Clemens, April 29, 1986 - matched by Clemens again, September 18, 1996; by Kerry Wood, May 6, 1998; and by Randy Johnson, May 8, 2001 (the first nine innings of an extra-inning game)

• Note: Tom Cheney struck out 21 batters overall, in a 16-inning game, September 12, 1962. He had 13 strikeouts through the first nine innings.

See also List of pitchers who have struck out 18 or more batters in a nine-inning MLB game

Progression of strikeout record for one game, World Series:

• 10 - 1903 (first modern Series), Game 1, Deacon Phillippe
• 11 - 1903, Game 2, Bill Dinneen
• 12 - 1906, Game 3, Ed Walsh
• 13 - 1929, Game 1, Howard Ehmke
• 14 - 1953, Game 3, Carl Erskine
• 15 - 1963, Game 1, Sandy Koufax
• 17 - 1968, Game 1, Bob Gibson

Batters

The top 12 Major League Baseball career strikeout leaders (as of September 4, 2010):

1. Reggie Jackson - 2,597
2. Jim Thome - 2,388
3. Sammy Sosa - 2,306
4. Andrés Galarraga - 2,003
5. José Canseco - 1,942
6. Willie Stargell - 1,936
7. Mike Schmidt - 1,883
8. Fred McGriff - 1,882
9. Tony Perez - 1,867
10. Mike Cameron - 1,842
11. Alex Rodriguez - 1,816
12. Dave Kingman - 1,816

Active batters in the top 52 (as of September 4, 2010):

  2. Jim Thome - 2,388

10. Mike Cameron - 1,842

11. Alex Rodriguez - 1,816

13. Manny Ramírez - 1,789

18. Carlos Delgado - 1,745

20. Jim Edmonds - 1,727

27. Bobby Abreu - 1,631

29. Andruw Jones - 1,608

31. Adam Dunn - 1,601

36. Derek Jeter - 1,554

52. Derrek Lee - 1,493

Single season strikeout records (batters):

References

• Schlossberg, Dan (2007). Baseball Gold: Mining Nuggets from Our National Pastime. Chicago, Illinois: Triumph Books. ISBN 978-1-57243-958-0. 

See also related lists

• Baseball statistics
• List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions
• List of pitchers who have struck out 18 or more batters in a nine-inning baseball game
• Pitchers who have struck out three batters on nine pitches
• Top 100 Major League Baseball strikeout pitchers
• 3,000 strikeout club
• 300 Wins-3000 K's club

External links

• Career Leaders & Records for Strikeouts
• Four Strikeouts in 1 Inning