Like the other popular games, baseball also has plenty of abbreviations, gestures, and codes. These abbreviations are widely used on various news articles, fantasy sports, and in the live commentary of any ongoing patch.
Even if you are following any fan page on social media, you can also find a vivid use of these abbreviations. For a beginner, these abbreviations are very confusing, and PO is one of them.
Do you know what does PO mean in baseball?
Well PO in baseball has a couple of meanings, ‘Put out’ and ‘pitcher only’. These two are the very common abbreviations of PO. When a put-out is given to a folder, he has made the opposite team’s runner out by stepping on a base and catching the flying ball.
Make it simple: one team player throws the ball, and another player catches the ball and makes the hitter out. The abbreviation PO also stands for ‘Pitcher only’; it describes the pitcher that only plays in a specific position.
What does PO mean in Baseball?
In the universe of baseball, the term ‘pitcher only’ is very widely called PO. It means that the pitcher of a team can’t play at any other position; he can only play as a pitcher.
In small-level baseball tournaments, especially inter-school tournaments, we can see many pitchers of various teams also play in other positions. Eventually, a good pitcher is a good hitter in many cases. But you have to face better competition when you level up your game.
Then you need to focus on any one place. Pitchers need to be very accurate in pitching, and their practice drills are also completely different from the rest of the team. Their practices are also very focused on pitching. Only a few athletes continue to be pitchers and hitters, both after school level.
But, choosing one is a better option because you can put the entire focus on it and can make it better.
“PO’ is also used to indicate ‘put out. It is a process of making the opposite team’s player out. To understand the process, we need to categorize it in three different ways. The first one is to catch a flying ball. Then reaching or touching a base to make the hitter out. The next one is to tag a runner with the ball.
Most put-outs calls are bagged by the first baseman who first catches throws off of infield ground balls. So put-out is not a very specific skill. Those who have great catching capability have higher chances of bagging more put-outs.
What is a put-out in baseball?
Put-out is an act of making the opposite team’s hitter out. There are many ways by which a fielder can bag a putout. It may be by tagging a runner, catching the third strike, stepping on the base for a force out, or catching a ball from the opposite team’s player’s bat.
When one fielder is close to a runner, and the hitter calls out for interference, then the fielder can also book a put-out. A catcher can easily bag a putout by catching a batted ball and making the hitter out. Players who record putouts by catching ground-ball outs tend to have the highest numbers of putouts.
An unassisted putout is credited to a fielder who steps on a base or tags a runner after receiving a ground ball. After that, if he throws the ball to another player to make the runner out, he will get both a putout and an assist.
What is the difference between a put-out and an assist in baseball?
When a player throws a ball to another team member and that member makes the runner or the striker out, the 1st thrower bags an assist. On the other hand, the player who catches the throw and makes the tag or the force-out bags they put out.
If any player misses any catch in a match, if he throws the dropped ball to another player, then there is a chance of getting an assist.
Why is a PO Important in Baseball?
Po is very important in any baseball match. This is one such move that can instantly change the game’s result, and it is a complex gaming move. A put-out can be one of the highlight moments of any crucial match, and it has the power to determine a team’s fate.
With the help of a putout, a player can get a detailed analysis or report of the hitter’s movements.
After finalizing the report, the scorer can evaluate the team’s plate appearances. He can prove this one movement is akin to all the moves the team has made throughout the match. When a PO is given, a player gets out, the runners are left on base, and the overall run gets affected. A PO helps a baseball match to flow fluidly.
So in a baseball match, put-out is one of the main points of attraction and one of the play’s most important movements.
Who Gets the Putout (PO) Credit?
PO is a very important and complex movement in a baseball match. The fielder, first baseman, and catcher are those players who, most of the time, bag putouts.
Fielder
The main duty of the fielders is to defend the base and prevent the opposing team’s batter from taking off from the batting position. So very effortlessly, a fielder can record an out.
The folders wear gloves on their non-dominant hand, which helps them catch the ball, and with the other hand, they can easily throw the ball. The fielders can very frequently bag an accurate PO.
First Baseman
The first baseman, commonly indicated by ‘1B’, is the second person who can easily bag a PO. The first baseman fields in the 1st base and is responsible for fielding and handling the nearest areas of the 1st base. This is the nearest fielding position to the baserunners.
Catcher
The catchers are the third type of player who can bag a PO. If any catcher catches the batted ball before it hits the ground, he gets the putout credit.
What is a PO position in baseball?
In a baseball match, 9 members of the opposite team are in the fielding position when one team is in batting position. Each of the fielding positions is crucial, and their role is different. To tally the score easily, each of the fielding positions is indicated by different numbers.
Using abbreviations is always quite awkward, so this numbering process was stated.
The PO or the pitcher’s position is denoted by P (1). PO is a very crucial position in any baseball match. There is a separate pitcher’s mound on which the pitcher stands, and the PO is the player who starts each match by throwing the ball.
When Does a Player Become a Pitcher Only (PO)?
Depending upon the coach’s decision, a player can grab Pitcher Only’s position. So this is entirely the coach’s call; he decides whether the player is good enough to serve the PO’s position or not. But many people have doubts about the pitcher’s role in the game. Now, let’s clarify it.
Suppose a player is finalized for the pitcher’s position. That doesn’t mean he can’t take any different role in baseball. Depending upon the scenario, the coaches change the gaming strategies. In many matches, we can see a common fielder is chosen for the PO’s position. But most coaches try to keep a fixed player for the PO’s position.
The players have to go through more tough practice drills, which are different from the other players on the team. In a team, the pitcher’s role can decide the match’s future. So, these drills make them more accurate, and they can throw a ball with great speed.
So, PO is a hectic position in a team, and the most active and best player is the best choice for this position.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is a PO in high school baseball?
PO in high school baseball indicates the ‘pitchers only’. But in the high school baseball match, the rules are not so strict, and players can play multiple positions in different matches. But, after high school, a player has to decide on only one position in which he is good.
What position gets the most putouts in major league baseball?
The first baseman gets the most putouts in major baseball leagues. Putouts are recorded when he catches ground ball throws. Then the catchers are in the second position on the list.
What does PO mean in baseball FanDuel?
FanDuel is more than the other fantasy baseball contests. It is far more exciting and the users are in love with it. PO in baseball means pitchers only. But the FanDuel users used to call it a portable opener.
Conclusion
In this article, we have tried to describe all the possible implications of the abbreviation ‘PO’ related to baseball.
The meaning of PO changes with the situation. Either it will be put out or pitchers only. Both of these are very crucial parts of a baseball match. Hope all of your doubts regarding PO have been resolved after reading this article.
