scorecard

A scorecard is a card used to record the score of a game. In baseball, an official scorer, an employee of Major League Baseball, uses a detailed form to record every pitch and rule on each play. This official scorer decides, for instance, whether a pitch is a wild pitch or a passed ball.12

Fans and media members also often keep score, though fans typically use a simpler version of a scorecard. A basic scorecard includes charts for each team, with innings marked at the top and the batting order along the side. Boxes within the chart represent each player's at-bats, and a smaller box below records pitching statistics. Defensive players are assigned numbers (e.g., pitcher is 1, catcher is 2), allowing plays to be recorded concisely, such as a 6-3 for a ground ball to the shortstop and then to first base for an out. Abbreviations like SB (stolen base) and E (error) are also common. The information from a scorecard can be translated into a box score, which is a statistical summary of the game.2