Like FPS, you might be wondering what is a PO in baseball? Because baseball is a sport that works with short forms and gestures, and PO is a part of that.
As the once-great player Ted Williams said in baseball, you can succeed three out of ten times and still be a legend. The other seven times, a batter fails due to a PO otherwise known as putout.
Table of Contents
What does PO mean in Baseball?
As I said above, PO means putout in baseball. Its meaning in baseball, on the other hand, is slightly longer.
According to MLB.com, a putout in baseball is
A fielder is given credit with a putout when he is the fielder. He physically records the act of completing an out.
The methods of getting a putout can differ for different players on the field at the time. Also, recall that there is a difference between putout and assist in baseball.
For a better idea of how to get a PO in baseball, we will inform you of the common ways up next.
Common Ways to get Put Out in Baseball:
In this section, we will discuss the common ways in which a fielder, including pitchers and catchers, can get the credit for PO in baseball.
In my research on the topic of a putout, I was able to find six of the most common ways of getting it. These seven ways are:
Force Play
In the first place, we have the forceout, which most commonly involves infield ground balls, thus making it the most common putout scenario. Also, this putout method requires multiple fielding players, which gives its unique characteristics. Force play can happen by the base for a forceout or tagging.
For example, we have a ground ball going towards the shortstop. The ball is picked by the fielder who throws is the first base to out the batter. So in this example, the one to get the PO credit is the fielder.
Here are some of MLB’s greatest forceouts in the last season:
Ground Ball outs PO issue:
In most ground ball PO events, the one to get the credit will be the fielder that tags outs the baserunner or batter. The one to catch the ground ball and throws it doesn’t get the PO in baseball.
Tag Play
In the second place, we have the tag play or tagout in the list of common putout in baseball. Like forceout, a tagout PO is credited to the one that outs the batter or runner. The difference is that the out happens when a fielder tags the batter running and not the base they are running to.
Additionally, for tagout, a batted ball isn’t necessary. While not common but a fielder can tag out a player during base stealing or pick off attempts. In both cases, the one that tags out the runner will get the PO credit.
Fly Ball
Thirdly I will be talking about the fly ball or flyout putout in baseball. Obviously, a flyout will involve a fly ball. But, moreover, with a flyout PO, outfielders are mostly involved.
By fly ball, I mean any ball caught in the air, but those infield pop ups can also be included.
For example, if a batter were to hit a fly ball in the foul zone, a fielder can catch the batter will be outed. Furthermore, the fielder that caught the fly ball will get the credit.
Strikeout
As a catcher myself, this is usually how I got put out credit when I played baseball. A third strikeout is basically the catcher’s last strike caught(it can also be a tag).
In the case of the catcher, for example, when I am playing baseball and I tag a player out, then can throw the ball to the first base to out the first base. So, in that case, I won’t get the second putout.
What is SO mean in Baseball?
It is possible that you came across the stat SO in baseball if you are a proper baseball fan. Remember that SO isn’t the same as PO in baseball. In fact, SO in baseball means strikeout and it is mainly rewarded to relive or starting pitcher when the batter misses the ball when he’s at-bat either at final strike or third strike.
Interference Play
Second, to last, we have the rarest of putout in a baseball game called the interference play. There are four types in terms of interference play, but only two of them credit putout in baseball.
The first one that credits PO in baseball is offensive interference. Simply put, in offensive interference, a batting team or runner blocks a player from making a play. The one that blocks will be called out, while the delayed one will get a PO point.
The second type of interference play that gives putout is fan interference. This type of interference play occurs when a fan reaches over and touches a ball either in the air or on the ground.
If the umpire decides that was interference due to fans, then the batter will be called out. The player that was trying to catch the ball will get a PO.
Appeal Play
Finally, we have the sixth most common putout scenario in baseball, called appeal play or appeal out. In the scenario, defensive players calls for a rule violation.
If based on appeal, a player can catch a ball and tagout a player, then that player would get a putout.
Putout Records in Baseball
In baseball, every stat or play has some kind of a record to them. Some players set some wicked records from stats like WHIP, ERA, and FPS to plays such as cycles. Therefore putout isn’t any different. These records are in all leagues such as the national league.
During our research of the putout records in baseball, we combed through baseball-reference.com to find you some of the top ones. In baseball players such as first basemen and other position players can get PO.
Career PO Records in Baseball
The top career PO baseball records holders are:
SL | Name | PO |
1 | Jake Beckley (20) | 23767 |
2 | Cap Anson (27) | 22572 |
3 | Ed Konetchy (15) | 21378 |
4 | Eddie Murray (21) | 21265 |
5 | Charlie Grimm (20) | 20722 |
6 | Stuffy McInnis (19) | 20120 |
7 | Mickey Vernon (20) | 19819 |
8 | Jake Daubert (15) | 19634 |
9 | Lou Gehrig (17) | 19525 |
10 | Joe Kuhel (18) | 19386 |
Single Season Putout Records in Baseball
The top season PO records holders are:
SL | Name | PO | Year |
1 | Jiggs Donahue (27) | 1846 | 1907 |
2 | High Pockets Kelly (24) | 1759 | 1920 |
3 | Phil Todt (24) | 1755 | 1926 |
4 | Wally Pipp (33) | 1710 | 1926 |
5 | Jiggs Donahue (26) | 1697 | 1906 |
6 | Candy LaChance (34) | 1691 | 1904 |
7 | Tom Jones (33) | 1687 | 1907 |
8 | Ernie Banks (34) | 1682 | 1965 |
9 | Wally Pipp (29) | 1667 | 1922 |
10 | Lou Gehrig (24) | 1662 | 1927 |
Active Putout Records in Baseball
The current PO records holders are:
SL | Name | PO |
1 | Albert Pujols (21, 41) | 17460 |
2 | Yadier Molina (18, 38) | 14720 |
3 | Joey Votto (15, 37) | 13948 |
4 | Freddie Freeman (12, 31) | 12430 |
5 | Paul Goldschmidt (11, 33) | 12129 |
6 | Eric Hosmer (11, 31) | 11747 |
7 | Anthony Rizzo (11, 31) | 10951 |
8 | Kurt Suzuki (15, 37) | 10528 |
9 | Miguel Cabrera (19, 38) | 10448 |
10 | Carlos Santana (12, 35) |
What is Pitcher Only(PO) in Baseball?
There is another baseball lingo whose short form is PO. This second lingo is pitcher only, but this one is mostly seen in the high school collegiate baseball league.
In simple terms, the pitcher only is basically a designation appointed by the school or college coaches for a player who only pitches. This type of PO isn’t common in major league baseball.
Since a PO is a player that only pitches, that player’s coach will most probably be making the player practice differently.
For example, the players might practice more often away from the rest of the team on skills that others might not utilize. Or the PO players will be using equipment that most other players won’t use to develop themselves differently.
While a pitcher-only player is kept a bit separate from others, the coach still needs to designate someone PO who can still work well with others.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
Do strikeout count as PO in Baseball?
Well, the answer is no. Since a strikeout is rewarded only for pitchers who record an out. But a fielder that catches the ball or runs out a batter or runner is given a putout in baseball.
What is the difference between Putout and Pitcher Only in Baseball?
There is no actual difference between putout and pitcher, only in baseball. Since the baseball lingo is about two completely different things.
A putout(PO) is a baseball play were players out a batter or baserunner in different scenarios. On the other hand, pitcher only players is a designation given by a coach mostly in high school league for a player that will only pitch.
Is there a difference between an assist and a PO in baseball?
Take, for example, a fielder that throws the baseball to the shortstop, who then tags out the baserunner. The shortstop that tagged out the player will get the PO in baseball while the fielder that threw the ball will get an assist.
There is your difference between putout and assist in baseball.
Is Putout important in Baseball?
Simply put, putout helps to showcase the outputs of the players in baseball. In addition, it helps make some of the other more complex parts of baseball a bit clearer for both fans and officials alike.
Conclusion
Finally, I hope you learned what is a PO in baseball? It is often put out, a stat showing how often a player outed a batter or baserunner. Still, sometimes it can be pitcher only, a player that only pitches.
Remember that pitcher only role is mostly seen in high school baseball or college league and not in Major League Baseball.
Like with many other stats in baseball such as WHIP, ERA, RBI, FPS, and DFA a PO in baseball is about helping you understand how good a player might be.
