Lead off

In baseball, a lead off, or a lead for short, is the position a baserunner takes just prior to a pitch, a short distance away from the base he occupies. "Lead off" can also refer to that distance. A typical lead off is six to ten feet (two to three meters) from the base. If the lead is too much ("too large"), then the runner risks being picked off. If the lead is too small, the runner has a disadvantage in reaching the next base, whether in a stolen base attempt or on a batted ball.

Also in baseball, the lead off batter is the first batter in the batting lineup for both teams. The leadoff batter is usually a player who has a good on base percentage and the ability to get himself into scoring position by stealing bases. Arguably the best lead off hitter of all-time was Rickey Henderson as he is the all time leader in stolen bases, runs, and lead off Home Runs and second all-time in walks.

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Last updated on Thursday January 17, 2008 at 20:07:25 PST (GMT -0800)
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