What do the numbers before a double or triple play mean?

Question

For example, if they say a team had a "5-4-3 double play," what do the numbers represent?

Answer 1

It tells you what positions the players involved in the double play are and in what order.

5-4-3 would mean that the third baseman caught the grounder, threw it to the second basemen for the first out, who threw it to the first basement to get the second out.

1 - pitcher
2 - catcher
3 - 1B
4 - 2B
5 - 3B
6 - SS
7 - 9 - outfielders (not usually involved in double or triple plays)

Answer 2

The numbers represent players on the field and were devised by Henry Chadwick in the 1800s as part of his baseball scoring system for describing and recording plays. His system is as follows:
1 - P
2 - C
3 - 1B
4 - 2B
5 - 3B
6 - SS
7 - LF
8 - CF
9 - RF
The system displays the battery (pitcher & catcher) first, the infielders (right to left, from catcher's view) and outfielders left to right. The number "10" is added in many youth leagues that use four outfielders. The reason that "SS = 6" does not follow the above patterns is that, unlike today, at the time of Chadwick the shortstop was considered an outfielder (short fielder), instead of an infielder, as he is today. So a 5-4-3 double play would be third (5) to second (4) to first (3).

Answer 3

The numbers before a double or triple play are the numbers of the players who play at each position. an example for this would be: Pitcher: 1, Catcher; 2, 1st base; 3, 2nd base; 4, Shortstop; 5, 3rd base; 6, Left Field; 7, Center Field; 8, and Right Field; 9. So if they say a 5-4-3 double play that means it was hit ti the shortstop who then threw to 2nd who then threw to first to complete the double play. It's all meant for scoring on a score card. And also if you look at a complete score card, every out is recorded with a number.

Answer 4

Double Play Meaning

Answer 5

Those are positions on the field. Heres the list:

1 - pitcher
2 - catcher
3 - first basemen
4 - second basemen
5 - third basemen
6 - shortstop
7 - left field
8 - center field
9 - right field

Its just an easier way to keep track of who did what, rather than using names which takes a lot more time to write down.

So like a 5-4-3 double play would be a grounder to the third basemen(5), who throws to second(4) for an out, and that person throws to first(3) for the second out. Its also why you can have weird record like 3 for a double play (ie: liner to first and a tag out at first, by the first basemen).

Answer 6

In your example it would be from 3rd to 2nd to 1st for the Double Play

Pitcher=1
Catcher=2
1st=3
2nd=4
3rd=5
SS=6
Lf=7
Cf=8
Rf=9

^ Position numbers that never change..

Answer 7

Those numbers represent the fielders who participated in a double play, in the order that they had the ball. The position numbers are:

1 - pitcher
2 - catcher
3 - 1st baseman
4 - 2nd baseman
5 - 3rd baseman
6 - shortstop
7 - left fielder
8 - center fielder
9 - right fielder

A 5-4-3 double play would mean that the 3rd baseman caught the ball, threw it to the 2nd baseman for an out, and then the 2nd baseman threw it to the 1st baseman for an out.

Answer 8

It is used in scoring. Here is how it goes:

1 Pitcher
2 Catcher
3 First Base
4 Second Base
5 Shortstop
6 Third Base
7 Left Field
8 Center Field
9 Right Field

Answer 9

The #s represent the positions on the field.
for example:
1=Pitcher
2=Catcher
3=1B
4=2B
5=3B
6=SS
7=LF
8=CF
9=RF
so when they say it was a 5-4-3 play that means it went from the 3B to 2B to get one out and then from 2B to 1B to get the second out so it is a 5-4-3 play. The most common double play is a 6-4-3 play which means fron SS to 2B to 1B.

Hopes this helps!!

Answer 10

1 = pitcher
2 = catcher
3 = first baseman
4 = second baseman
5 = third baseman
6 = shortstop
7 = left field
8 = center field
9 = right field