More than any other sport, baseball is a game of statistics. Numbers like Ty Cobb's .367 career average, Hank Aaron's career total of 755 home runs or Cy Young's career total of 511 career victories are numbers that many fans of the sport have committed to memory. While football may be a far more popular TV sport than baseball, most football fans don't have individual stats memorized like that. Among baseball's more memorable statistics are runs batted in, or RBIs. Players can knock in runs with big hits, but can also get an RBI without even getting their bat on the ball.
RBI on a Hit
If there's a runner on second base and you hit a single to center field, and the runner scores on the play by racing to third and streaking home without stopping, you get credited for an RBI. If the runner stops at third and then decides to run when he sees the center fielder fumble the ball, you don't get an RBI--the run comes home on an error and no RBI is give. If there are two runners on base and you hit a home run, you get three RBIs on the at-bat. The two runners scored and so did you, all as a result of your hit.
Sacrifice Fly and Ground Ball
If there's one out and a runner on third base when you come up, you have an opportunity to drive in a run. But instead of getting a hit, say you hit a fly ball to left field. As the left fielder catches the ball, the runner on third sprints off third base and slides into home plate ahead of the throw. He scores the run and the batter is credited with an RBI, though he is not credited with an at-bat. It's called a sacrifice fly and the batter is not credited with a "zero-for-1" since he created a run with the at-bat. If a runner scores from third base after you have hit a ground ball to shortstop, you also get credited for an RBI even if you are thrown out at first base. You are charged with an at-bat in that situation. However, if you hit a ground-ball double play when you come up, with runners on first and third and no outs, you do not get an RBI even though the run scored. Baseball officials do not want to reward a player for hitting into a double play.
Bases Loaded Walk
You don't need to get your bat on the ball to get credited with an RBI. If you come up with the bases loaded and the pitcher walks you, you go to first and every runner moves up a base. The runner on third scores and you get credited with an RBI. The same holds if you get hit with a pitch and the bases are loaded. It's an easy RBI in both situations.
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