Baseball Scorekeeping Symbols and Abbreviations Explained
K, F8, 6 to 3, and a backward K. Here is a clear reference for the most common baseball scorekeeping symbols and what each one means.
Baseball scorekeeping has its own shorthand, and once you learn it you can read a scorebook like a story. Here is a plain English reference for the symbols you will use most often.
Position numbers
Every fielder has a number, and plays are written using those numbers. Pitcher is 1, catcher is 2, first base is 3, second base is 4, third base is 5, shortstop is 6, left field is 7, center field is 8, and right field is 9.
Outs
- K Strikeout swinging
- Backward K Strikeout looking
- F8 Fly out to center field
- L4 Line out to second base
- 6 to 3 Ground out, shortstop to first base
- 3U Ground out, first baseman unassisted
- DP Double play, often written 6 to 4 to 3
Reaching base
- 1B Single
- 2B Double
- 3B Triple
- HR Home run
- BB Base on balls, also called a walk
- HBP Hit by pitch
- E Error, followed by the position number, such as E6
- FC Fielder's choice
On the bases
- SB Stolen base
- CS Caught stealing
- WP Wild pitch
- PB Passed ball
- SAC Sacrifice bunt
- SF Sacrifice fly
Putting it together
Imagine a batter who hits a ground ball to the shortstop, who throws to first for the out. You write 6 to 3. The next batter walks, so you mark BB and advance them as the inning continues. A clean scorebook lets anyone pick up the page and know exactly what happened, inning by inning.
Want a quick way to keep all of this organized? The Scorebooker app scans a completed page from a Scorebooker scorebook and converts your symbols into clean digital stats, so your shorthand turns into a season long record without extra typing.