Question on style; I can't find it in the AP Sports Guide

Is it an RBI single, or a RBI single? Or does it even matter?

 

I would say an RBI single because that's conversational English. It rolls off the tongue much easier than a RBI single.

I know that since RBI means run(s) batted in you wouldn't say "an runs batted in single" but someimes (I think) you have to say WTF to the rules of grammer and just write what sounds right and what is generally accepted as being the correct style.

 

That's what I always thought, too. Since RBI is pronounced "ahr bee eye" and starts with a vowel sound, then it should have "an" before it.

 

There's also a black sports style book, forgot what it is called, it may be in there. I have seen it as both "a RBI single," and "an RBI single." I've also seen it, "a RBI-single," and "an RBI-single."

 

an Eh Neh Fell player...A Double-you En Be Ay player...an Ahr Be Eye...

AN AN AN AN AN

 

No doubt.

This same topic came up on the writer's workshop, where I posed this question:

"An 0-for-12 slump?"

 

an

 

an

 

So, it is:
"an round tripper?"

 

Eliminate the problem altogether and use "A run-scoring single."

 

It's a real pleasure to see such unanimity on SportsJournalists.com.

 

But isn't that because you're reading 0 as "oh," when in actuality it's "zero." In that case, it's clearly, "a (zero)-for-12 slump."