Lead off

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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  • lead off — {v.} To begin; start; open. * /Richardson led off the inning with a double./ * /We always let Henry lead off./ * /Mr. Jones led off with the jack of diamonds./ * /When the teacher asked if the film helped them to understand, Phil led off by… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • lead off — {v.} To begin; start; open. * /Richardson led off the inning with a double./ * /We always let Henry lead off./ * /Mr. Jones led off with the jack of diamonds./ * /When the teacher asked if the film helped them to understand, Phil led off by… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • lead off — (something) to begin something. The shootings led off a month long gang war in the city. He led off the fourth inning with a home run. I d like to lead the evening off with a poem …   New idioms dictionary

  • lead-off — lead′ off [[t]lid[/t]] adj. leading off or beginning • Etymology: 1885–90 …   From formal English to slang

  • lead|off — «LEED F, OF», noun, adjective. –n. 1. an act of beginning or starting something: »The chairman was responsible for the leadoff of the campaign. 2. Baseball. the first player of the batting order or the first to come to bat in an inning. –adj.… …   Useful english dictionary

  • lead-off — [ˈli:d ɔf US o:f] adj [only before noun] AmE happening or going first or before others …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • lead off — verb 1. teach immoral behavior to (Freq. 1) It was common practice to lead off the young ones, and teach them bad habits • Syn: ↑lead astray • Hypernyms: ↑corrupt, ↑pervert, ↑subvert, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • lead off — phrasal verb [intransitive/transitive] Word forms lead off : present tense I/you/we/they lead off he/she/it leads off present participle leading off past tense led off past participle led off to begin something by doing or saying something The… …   English dictionary

  • lead off — 1) PHRASAL VERB If a door, room, or path leads off a place or leads off from a place, you can go directly from that place through that door, into that room, or along that path. [V P n] There were two doors leading off the central room... [V P… …   English dictionary

  • lead-off — ˈ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ adjective Etymology: lead off : leading off : starting, opening a lead off batter my lead off proposal Inez Robb the lead off essay Clifton Fadiman …   Useful english dictionary

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