in baseball what is a sacrifice fly?

Answer 1

In baseball, a batted ball is considered a sacrifice fly (denoted by SF) if the following four criteria are met:

There are fewer than two outs when the ball is hit.
The ball is hit to the outfield.
The batter is out because an outfielder or an infielder running in the outfield catches the ball (or would have been out if not for an error).
A runner who is already on base scores on the play.
A sacrifice fly is not counted as a turn at bat (AB) for the batter and he is also credited with a run batted in (RBI). The purpose of not counting a sacrifice fly as an at bat is to avoid penalizing hitters for a successful tactical maneuver. A sacrifice fly does however hurt a players' on base percentage (OBP). This introduces a subtle change in batting strategies. Normally, a line drive (a ball hit on or slightly above a level trajectory) is seen as more likely to result in a hit than a fly ball. However, with a player on third and fewer than two outs, a hard-hit fly ball is of equal or even higher value, since it is likely to go farther and become a sacrifice fly, thus producing a run.

The sacrifice fly is still credited even if another runner is put out on appeal for failing to tag up, so long as the run scores prior to the third out. A fly-out double play does not affect the validity of the sacrifice fly.

In the case of a fly ball dropped for an error, the sacrifice fly is only credited if the official scorer believes the run would have scored had the ball been caught.

In most cases, the sacrifice fly results because a runner scores from third base. However, in rare cases, a fast runner may legally tag up and score from second base if the fly ball were hit to a particularly deep part of the field. By rule, this is still credited as a sacrifice fly and an RBI, unless the player only reaches home due to an error.

The major-league record for most sacrifice flies by a team in one game is 5.[1]

The sacrifice fly is one of two instances in baseball where a batter is not charged with a time at bat after putting a ball in play; the other is the sacrifice hit (also known as the 'sacrifice bunt', or simply a 'sacrifice'). Batters have not been charged with a time at-bat for a sacrifice hit since 1893, but baseball has changed the sacrifice fly rule multiple times. The sacrifice fly as a statistical category was instituted in 1908, only to be discontinued in 1931. The rule was again adopted in 1939, only to be eliminated again in 1940, before being adopted for the last time in 1954. This may be because unlike a sacrifice hit, where a batter by definition does not take a full swing, a batter who hits a sacrifice fly does swing away, and therefore arguably does not "give himself up". The sacrifice fly is addressed in Rule 10.09 (e) of the Official Baseball Rules (OBR). Since the rule was reinstated in its present form, Gil Hodges of Brooklyn NL holds the record for most sacrifice flies in one season with 19, in 1954. Also, for the purposes of hit streaks, if a player has no official turns at bat, but has a sacrifice fly, that players hit streak will end.

Answer 2

A sac fly requires that one or more runs score; simply advancing baserunners will not merit a SF. (Pretty rare anyway; runners never move from first to second, and rarely second to third.)

Albert Belle had a 2-run sac fly back in the mid-90s. I cannot think of another one since.

Ah, here it is, 08-August-1993 at Baltimore, top of the first: http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1993/B08080BAL1993.htm

MLB Rule 10.08, Sacrifices (abridged):
(d) Score a sacrifice fly when, before two are out, the batter hits a ball in flight handled by an outfielder or an infielder running in the outfield in fair or foul territory that
(1) is caught, and a runner scores after the catch, or
(2) is dropped, and a runner scores, if in the scorer's judgment the runner could have scored after the catch had the fly been caught.
Rule 10.08(d) Comment: The official scorer shall score a sacrifice fly in accordance with Rule 10.08(d)(2) even though another runner is forced out by reason of the batter becoming a runner.

Answer 3

A sacrifice fly is a flyout that enables a base runner to tag up and score.

If the fielder drops the ball and is charged with an error, the batter is still credited with a sacrifice fly, subject to the above, if the scorer believes the runner would have scored without the error.

It is NOT a sacrifice fly if runners do not score on the flyout. Therefore, a runner advancing from second to third on a flyout would not give the batter a sacrifice fly.

Answer 4

It's when a batter hits a fly ball that brings in a runner from third who tagged up and scored. It goes into the books as a sacrifice but not an at-bat.

Answer 5

It is a long ball to the outfield where a runner can advance. Not charges as an at bat, but a sacrifice. So does not hurt the average. when a runner is on 3rd and can advance there is an RBI credited to the batter.

Answer 6

when there is a man on 3rd base, the batter hits a pop fly somewhere deep enough so that the man on third can tag up and score. Its called a sacrifice because your sacrificing yourself to have the other guy score

Answer 7

its called a sacrifice fly because the hit will go out high but not long giving a player on second or third time to score. and yeah the hitter is out hence the sacrifice

Answer 8

when a batter pops out( hits a ball to the outfield that gets caught) to let a runner on base advance to another base or score

Answer 9

There are less than 2 outs. You hit a flyball that gets caught and because of your lovely flyball, the guy that was on 3rd base scores. (Better than a strikeout.)

I think you get credit for an RBI and not an o-fer. So Lovely.