fielder's choice: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowTechnical/Sports
Quick answer
What does “fielder's choice” mean?
A baseball/softball play where a defensive player opts to put out a runner instead of the batter.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A baseball/softball play where a defensive player opts to put out a runner instead of the batter.
An official scoring play in baseball/softball when a fielder chooses to field a batted ball and make a play on a runner other than the batter-runner, resulting in any runner being safe. It often carries the connotation of a forced decision where the optimal outcome (a double play or an out at first) was not achievable, and the fielder 'chose' the next best option.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
This term is exclusive to American English and its sports lexicon. In British English, the sport of baseball is far less common, and the term would be unknown outside baseball contexts.
Connotations
In American English, it's purely a technical sports term. It lacks figurative or everyday usage. In British English, it has no meaning.
Frequency
Near-zero frequency in British English. Low-to-medium frequency within American sports commentary and writing.
Grammar
How to Use “fielder's choice” in a Sentence
The batter hit/grouded [PREP.] fielder's choice.The shortstop made a fielder's choice [PREP. second base].It was scored as [ART.] fielder's choice.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “fielder's choice” in a Sentence
adjective
American English
- A fielder's choice play saved a run.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Academic
Used in academic papers on sports statistics or game theory applications in sports.
Everyday
Virtually never used outside of a baseball/softball context.
Technical
Core term in baseball/softball rulebooks, scoring, and commentary.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “fielder's choice”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “fielder's choice”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “fielder's choice”
- Calling it a 'hit' (it is not a hit for the batter).
- Thinking the 'choice' is a leisurely, strategic one.
- Using it as a general metaphor for any difficult choice outside of baseball.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. In official baseball and softball scoring, a fielder's choice is not recorded as a hit for the batter.
Yes. If a runner crosses home plate safely during the play, the run counts, regardless of the out being made elsewhere.
A force out is a type of out. A fielder's choice is a scoring term that describes a *play* where a fielder chose to attempt an out on one runner instead of another, often resulting in a force out on a different runner.
While very rare, it can be used in a loose metaphorical sense in business or strategy discussions to mean 'having to choose the lesser of two unfavorable options,' but this is not a standard or common usage.
A baseball/softball play where a defensive player opts to put out a runner instead of the batter.
Fielder's choice is usually technical/sports in register.
Fielder's choice: in American English it is pronounced /ˈfiːldərz ˈtʃɔɪs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It's a fielder's choice situation.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a FIELDER holding a ball, looking at two runners, and having to make a CHOICE of who to throw to.
Practice
Quiz
In baseball, what is the primary consequence of a 'fielder's choice' for the batter's statistics?