This has to be one of the most hotly debated subjects in baseball. It's one that divides broadcasters, sports writers and fans alike. If you've read any of our preseason team capsules, you know where I stand on this subject. I prefer the "s" at the end of RBI. As in "Jones had fifty RBIs last year". I know, you sticklers for grammar will say the "s" does not belong there, because RBI actually stands for "run(s) batted in", making the extra "s" redundant.
However, I would argue that "RBI" is less an abbreviation and more a word unto itself. We don't need to spell the whole thing out. It is a rare statistic that can make that claim. For example: If you and your friend are talking about last night's game would you say "How many "Rs" did Ramirez score last night? Did he hit any "HRs"? How many "Hs"? "SBs"? Did he get "HBP" or draw a "BB"? Odds are, you wouldn't say any of that, but you would ask how many RBIs...or even "ribbies"-NOT "ribby" he had.
I think ESPN's Tim Kurkjian makes the best analogy when he compares the RBI debate to POW. Would you say "There are 28 POW in the prison", or "There are 28 POWs being transported to the base"? I have never heard "POW" referred to in the same way "RBI" is referred its plural form.
The best thing about the whole thing is, there really is no right or wrong answer (unless you ask an English professor). It's not like safe or out. You can say RBI with or without the "s" and be alright either way. But for you "s" adders, the next time somebody corrects you for adding that extra consonent ask them how many POW there were in Stammlager.
You can always tell by how politicians talk in a speech for correct grammar. Speech writers are very big grammar Nazi's. You hear them say "WMDs," and not "WMD."
ReplyDeleteI'm a sports reporter, and my wife is a college proffesor who teaches englis. Here's the deal: RBI is not an abbrievation, it is an acronym, and any acronym (although it may in its entire form be plural) is singular, so grammatically - you add an "s" to pluralize the singular acronym. The POW is a great example...
ReplyDeleteYou would not say in the Korean War there were 735 POW you would say POWs. You would not say the car got up to 10,000 RPM you would say RPMs... etc etc.... so why say "Jones had 100 RBI last season".
ReplyDeleteIt is RBIs always has been and alwasy should be. Don't let grammer keep you down.