Baseball Glossary › Runners in Scoring Position
Runners in Scoring Position (RISP)
RISP stands for runners in scoring position. A runner is in scoring position when he is on second base or third base, because from there he can usually score on a single. A stat with RISP, such as batting average with RISP, covers only the at-bats that come with a runner on second and/or third.
What to Know
A runner on first usually needs an extra-base hit to score, which is why first base is not counted as scoring position. Moving a runner from first to second, with a stolen base or a bunt, is often described as putting him in scoring position.
Batting average with RISP is ordinary batting average measured only in those situations. It is a common broadcast stat, but it covers far fewer at-bats than a full season line, so it swings a lot from month to month.
RISP and left on base are two sides of the same story: RISP describes the chance to drive runners in, and LOB counts the runners who were stranded when the inning or at-bat ended without them scoring.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does RISP mean in baseball?
RISP means runners in scoring position. A runner on second base or third base is in scoring position, because from either base he can usually score on a single to the outfield.
What is scoring position in baseball?
Scoring position is second base or third base. A runner there is close enough to score on most singles, while a runner on first usually needs an extra-base hit or several hits to come around.
Is first base scoring position?
No. Only second and third base count as scoring position. A runner on first generally cannot score on a single, which is why teams try to steal or bunt him to second.
What is batting average with RISP?
It is a hitter's batting average counting only the at-bats taken with at least one runner on second or third base. It shows how a batter has hit in run-scoring chances, though the sample is small.
How do you calculate batting average with runners in scoring position?
Divide the hitter's hits by his at-bats, counting only at-bats that came with a runner on second and/or third. Walks and sacrifice flies are not at-bats, just as in regular batting average.
Is a runner on third in scoring position with two outs?
Yes. Scoring position depends only on the base, not the number of outs. A runner on second or third is in scoring position whether there are zero, one or two outs.
Related Terms
Sources
- Wikipedia: Scoring position
- MLB.com Glossary: Stolen Base (SB)
- MLB.com Glossary: Batting Average (AVG)
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