TheGoodBits Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 So I think it was last baseball season that ESPN suddenly starting using "RBI" instead of "RBIs" to describe multiple runs batted in. I'm guessing people complained about the use of "RBIs," or it was just a pet peeve of someone high up at ESPN. Now I can see both sides of the argument. Those in favor of "RBI" would argue that since it stands for "runS batted in," the plural nature of the phrase makes it unnecessary, and even incorrect, to use the "s" at the end of RBI. Those in favor of "RBIs," including myself, would argue that when you are looking at the box score you take a run batted in and turn it into a statistic. A singular statistic. For example, "Jones had a base hit and an RBI in his first at-bat," would turn into: "Jones now has a single and a double for 2 RBIs." You aren't really saying that he had "2 runs batted inS," you are taking the each individual run batted in and turning it into an individual statistic known as an RBI. When you have 2 of these statistics, then you should have 2 RBIs. I'm going to include a poll to get a better idea of what everyone thinks. Debate away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulane Skins Fan Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 Jones had 2 R'sBI.... think about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGoodBits Posted April 15, 2009 Author Share Posted April 15, 2009 Jones had 2 R'sBI.... think about it. Haha I know. Not an option though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljs Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 two runs batted ins or two runs batted in? I go w/ 2 RBI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattFancy Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 RBI stands for Runs Batted In. So would you say: Jones had 2 Runs Batted In or Jones had 2 Runs Batted Ins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slacky McSlackAss Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 two runs batted ins or two runs batted in?I go w/ 2 RBI ok, but what if he has only 1 RBI then it's one runs batted in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
December90 Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 Let me go to the ATM Machine so I can pay for my SAT Test. When those results come in I can more accurately answer your question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGoodBits Posted April 15, 2009 Author Share Posted April 15, 2009 ok, but what if he has only 1 RBI then it's one runs batted in. Not necessarily. Could be 1 run batted in, and RBI would still work. My point is that when you take the actual act of batted a run in, and turning it into a stat, then each of those stats becomes singular. Hence 1 RBI, 2 RBIs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titaw Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 It should be stated RBIs because it doesn't matter what the pneumonic means. It's RBIs or Ribbies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G.A.C.O.L.B. Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 Lol, I can't believe someone else noticed this. I was watching Sportscenter the other day and the chick anchor said "He had two RBI on the day." I had to stop and think for a second, wtf. It's definitely RBIs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Wiggles Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 ESPN started doing this about 6 or 7 years ago. I agree it's RBI but I'm no English major. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGoodBits Posted April 15, 2009 Author Share Posted April 15, 2009 ESPN started doing this about 6 or 7 years ago. I agree it's RBI but I'm no English major. 6 or 7, really? I just noticed it sometime last season, and I've been watch Sportscenter for a long time now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Wiggles Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 6 or 7, really? I just noticed it sometime last season, and I've been watch Sportscenter for a long time now. It might have been earlier. Had to be 02'/03' because my best friend still lived out here, and he was the first person I heard mention this. Since he explained it to me I've seen both RBI and RBIs used on ESPN over the years. Depends on who the anchors are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midnight Judges Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 I couldn't possibly care less what the correct grammatical way of saying it is. We're talking about sports. I've been saying RBIs for about 22 years now and I refuse to change my ways! :mad: ESPN is technically correct to make the change, but for a network that regularly features guys saying "booyah" and "backbackbackbackbackback" -it's not like this brings them back into the good graces of English teachers around the country. It's kind of like when people say Attourneys General-you might be correct, but is it really worth it at the expense of sounding like an uppity douche? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special K Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 Sure, technically it's RBI. But I will still forever say RBI's...so screw them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DjTj Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 How about RsBI? Captain Jolly Roger wants to see the Pirates get more "arrrrsBI" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidenreich Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 I am on the RBI's list. Since I've been following baseball, it's always been RBIs. I aint changing now.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMURedskins Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 I will always say RBIs. I don't care if isn't gramatically correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metalhead Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 RBI Now for something somewhat off-topic. An ESPN pet peeve of mine is their insistence on listing Pts, Assists, THEN Rebounds (in that order) on the ticker for basketball statlines. Everyone else does points, rebounds, then assists. Even espn used to list them that way. No one says 20, 3, and 10. There must be others out there that are annoyed by this. Espn is being a ***** and different just because they can. Omg this drives me nuts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pwyl Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 When speaking, RBIs sounds better. If I was writing a paper, I would spell out runs batted in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDoyler23 Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 RBIs. Baseball has its own set of quirks and this is one of them, just like a fly ball that hits the FOUL pole is fair. Why isn't it the fair pole? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC_RedskinsFan Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 I say RBI's **** espn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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