When you look up onto the huge baseball scoreboard in the stadium, the MVR column often appears right after the scores for R (runs), H (hits), and E (errors).
It is always fun exploring how teams with different MLB standings execute their game and apply a change in tactics that brings them the win. MVR is among the important factors in that.
So what does MVR stand for in baseball? This abbreviation is the short form of Mound Visits Remaining.
Read below as we answer in detail the burning question, “what is MVR in baseball?”
Table of Contents
What is the Baseball MVR Meaning? What is MVR’s Purpose?
As mentioned above, baseball MVR definition is Mound Visits Remaining, a concept that has been brought into the official MLB rules and appeared in a new column on the scoreboard since 2018.
As you might already know, a mound in MVR is the pitcher’s mound, also referred to as ‘the hill.’ If you’ve never been to a baseball game before, you may easily find the mound by looking at the middle of the infield, where there will be a slightly inclined area of ground without green grass.
Therefore, the term ‘mound visit’ means someone approaches the pitcher’s mound. So, who gets to do such a visit and for what?
- First of all, it can be the team’s manager, pitching coach, the catcher, the whole infeld team, or another pitcher.
- The main purpose of such a visit is to stop the game for 30 seconds and discuss a new strategy or tactics, pitching change requirements for the pitcher, or make sure the pitcher feels calm and ready before the game resumes.
And, the MVR baseball stat helps inform the team of the number of mound visits they have left until the game ends.
What Are the MLB Mound Visit Rules?
MVR in baseball scoring has rules to ensure fairness between the teams and limit interruptions during the game. Here’re some important mound visits policy you should know about:
- Each team is allowed a total of five visits in a nine-inning game. This rule has been applied since 2019, as in 2018, the total mound visits per game allowed was 6.
- The average time limit for each visit is 30 seconds.
- The members of the coach or manager team may visit the pitcher only once per inning. Also, during the brief discussion, the pitcher must not leave his position on the mound. Otherwise, he must be replaced during the match.
- If the same pitcher is visited two times by the coaching staff in one inning, he will also be removed from the game.
- Furthermore, for games with extra innings played, each team is allowed one additional visit per extra inning, and the visit does not need to include a pitching change.
Other than these basic rules, you can check all the details that regulate the mound visits remaining via MLB’s Official Baseball Rules.
What Are the Exceptions for a Mound Visit?
Like in all games, there will be exceptions for unexpected or unique circumstances where following the rigid rules will not grant fairness. The following exceptions should be at the umpire’s discretion:
- When the pitcher faces possible injury, the team can have a mound visit to check on his health.
- A cross-up occurs between the catcher and the pitcher, meaning they have miscommunications due to complex signals. In that case, the catcher is allowed the extra visit without any penalty.
- Also, the team infielders can approach the mound to use the scaper on the pitcher’s rubber for removing dirt and mud from cleats or spikes.
Therefore, as long as the infielders just focus on cleaning and do not engage in any type of communication, it does not count as one mound visit.
- In the case of a pinch hitter, who is also known as the substitute batter, being called in by the offensive team when the ball is dead, the team players can go to the pitching mound without losing an MVR.
FAQs
What counts as an MVR in baseball?
As stated above, a mound visit occurs when anyone in the entire team, including the coach and staff, goes to the pitcher’s mound for the purpose of discussing strategy, pitch change, or doing a mental check for the team pitcher.
A normal conversation between the baseball players in one team is not counted as one mound visit.
Could players meet during a suspension of play?
If the players are on the field, mound visits during the suspension will not be counted into the team’s MVR.
There are two unique rules for when the game is delayed or suspended:
- When the coaches or managers have a visit to the pitcher’s mound, and the game is suspended (for any reason) during or after the visit, and the batter is still at bat, the pitcher may be substituted instead of having to pitch.
- Or when the game stops due to rain in the middle of a mound visit (or after, and the batter is still at bat), the team can make a pitcher substitution.
How many mound visits are allowed in MLB?
In a Major League Baseball game, both baseball teams can have five mound visits in a nine-inning game. Also, for every extra inning played, each team is also granted one additional inning.
So, the total number of mound visits allowed in one game is the sum of extra innings and the original five official visits.
What are some of the baseball abbreviations?
Find out some interesting baseball abbreviations here:
- MVR stands for mound visits remaining in baseball, which is a counting measure to show how many visits the team has left on the scoreboard.
- LOB baseball – Left On Base counts the number of players still on base at the end of an inning, thus used as a metric for assessing a team.
It also counts the number of players that remain on base after a batter makes an out at the plate, thus evaluating the batter’s effectiveness.
- OPS baseball – On-base Plus Slugging combines the slugging percentage and on-base percentage into a single figure. It is designed to combine a batter’s ability to reach base with his average and power hitting.
- E in baseball means Errors. E baseball stat therefore factors in any errors made by the defense team throughout the game.
- On the same scoreboard, column H shows the hits, and R presents the Runs of each team. These are the columns right before MVR.
Conclusion
What is MVR in baseball? How many MVR in baseball? How to count a team’s MVR? Hopefully, you know the answers to all those questions and more about the rules, as well as exceptions for mound visits beyond the allowed five meetings.
Baseball is always a game of strategies, and the sudden change in situations often requires the pitcher to step up the game and follow new tactics. That’s how mound visits are included in every match.
Besides, you can also refer to other articles related to baseball terms such as WHIP, PO, and FIP stands for what word in baseball.
Rogers is a hardcore baseball enthusiast. He joined Nations Baseball as a writer to share his knowledge and help others realize their passions for the sport. Roger is striving towards becoming a coach at his local baseball club.
