In general, batters try to get hits. They may also draw a walk if they do not receive a pitch they can hit properly. In cases when there is a runner on third and fewer than two outs, they can header to hit a sacrifice fly to drive the runner in. When there are fewer than two outs and runners on base, they can try to sacrifice bunt. They might even be hit by a pitch, reach on an faux pas or—if first is empty or there are two outs—on a dropped third strike.

In modern times, the statistic On-base plus slugging (OPS) is seen as a also faithful degree of a player's ability as a batter; this stat combines the player's On abominable percentage, a percentage of their plate appearances where the batter gets on ignoble (by a hit, hit by pitch or disgraceful on balls), with the player's slugging Batting Cages percentage, an general of total bases with at-bats. An OPS at or near 1.000 is studious to be the dent of an exceptional hitter. A sustained OPS at or above 1.000 over a career is a feat only a few hitters have ever been able to reach.