A completed turn in the batter's box. This could result in a hi,walk, sacrifice fly. sacrifice bunt, hit by pitch, or catchers interference. The at bat is not a plate appearance if the 3rd out is recorded before the batter has done one of the above. The batter would lead off the next inning with a 0-0 count.
When you do not go to the bat.
It is in fact the only stat that may not be included as a plate appearance. While unique it is also confusing because it is up to the discretion of the scorekeepers as to whether or not the batter was bunting in an attempt to make it on base, or if they were indeed bunting to progress other players. If the scorekeeper rules that the player was in fact trying to progress other players with a disregard for whether or not they themselves make first base, then indeed it does not count as a plate appearance (unlike a sacrifice fly which regardless of the intention will always count as a plate appearance, but not an at bat.)
An official Major League Baseball plate appearance is any instance in which a batter complete any of his turns while batting however an official at-bat is also an official at-bat in which a player completes his turn batting except he does not receive credit for an official at-bat in the event of walking, being hit by a pitching as well as if his plate appearance results in the actions of the action of a sacrifice fly or a sacrifice hit.
AB is the abbreviation for At Bat. A player is credited with an At Bat for every plate appearance that results in a hit or an out.
What does an at bat mean compared to a plate appearance
There are 'at bats' and 'plate appearances'. A plate appearance is considered an official at bat. At bats are used in determining a player's batting average. Bases on balls, sacrifices, hit by pitch, sacrifice flies, and catcher's interference do not count as an at bat but they do count as a plate appearance. This is because, if an at bat were credited for a base on balls, hit by pitch, etc., the player's batting average would go down each time they drew a walk or got hit by a pitch and this, obviously, would be unfair.
A baseball plate has five sides.
What does an at bat mean compared to a plate appearance
It would be considered a fair ball.
The Arabian Plate is considered a continental plate. It mainly consists of continental crust and is part of the larger African Plate.
It still counts as a plate appearance, and as a result of your plate appearance (bases loaded walk), a run scored. Therefore you are credited with an RBI. A sacrifice fly doesn't count as an at-bat either, but RBIs are credited. Double-plays are counted as at-bats but they disqualify RBIs. "At-bats" have absolutely nothing to do with RBIs.
Early professional baseball did not have the home plate we are used to seeing today. In its early years, home plate was a diamond shape.