Overview
At bats form the denominator for calculating batting average, defined as plate appearances minus walks, hit-by-pitches, sacrifices, sacrifice flies, and interference calls. Since batting average equals hits divided by at bats, batters with strong plate discipline who draw many walks accumulate fewer at bats, potentially inflating their batting average. NPB's qualifying threshold is calculated as team games multiplied by 3.1, serving as the eligibility requirement for the batting title. The distinction between at bats and plate appearances is fundamental yet frequently confused; on-base percentage uses a plate-appearance-based denominator (at bats plus walks, HBP, and sacrifice flies), while batting average uses at bats alone.