Outfielder error question

OBR 10.13 - An error shall be charged for any misplay ( fumble, muff or wild throw) that prolongs the time at bat of a batter, or that permits a runner to advance one or more bases.

This definition is what will open up a discussion about ordinary effort and the judgement of the official scorekeeper of what they see.  So if this 12 year old ball vs. MLB is a factor since you would expect a 12 year old running at full speed to be less proficient than a professional player.

As the play is described my working premise on these kind of plays is if the runner is going all the way - no error.  If the runner stops or checks up and then continues after seeing the bobble - error. 

There will be differing opinions on this one though I expect.

Originally Posted by smokeminside:

Fielding error question:  bases loaded, line drive to right field, bounces a couple of times before right fielder gets to it.  He's running full speed and momentarily bobbles ball.  Runner from second scores without a throw.  Is the bobble an error just because the runner from second scores?  What if he would have scored anyway?  Still an error?

You may not like the answer, but it’s one you’’ll have to live with. What you’re describing is “judgment”, and its going to vary not only from person to person, but from where their seeing the play from as well. Everything comes down to the situation and how much experience the scorer has.

The runners are gonna act differently depending on the number of outs, the score, who’s on base, the inning, the fielders, how hard the ball was hit, and likely several other things I can’t think of right off the top of my head. The scorer has to be aware of those things, plus s/he has to somehow be aware of what all the runners are doing while watching the ball and the fielders. Normally, scorers do most of those things by rote, but there are a couple things they really have to watch as closely as possible. One is, did the fielder field and throw the ball without somehow muffing the play, and the other is, where were the runners and had they slowed down or stopped.

Of course there are those other things, but in general those 2 are what would lean a scorer one way or the other. FI, if there were 2 outs and the count was 3-2, its most likely the runners were moving as soon as the pitcher made his move to the plate. In that case, unless the F9 was playing REALLY shallow and the ball was a laser, the runner on 2^nd is gonna score, barring something freaky, like him tripping. Another example would be if R2 kinda jogged to 3^rd and almost stopped and was looking back for the ball, then took off again when he saw the ball wasn’t fielded cleanly.

In the end, there really isn’t any set way to score a play like that because you really have to be there. What you describe as a line drive, may be a soft liner off the fists that barely reached the OF grass, or a bullet that could have taken the fielder’s glove off. Its impossible to know what the runners were doing without being there too, and as I said, the situation could have been many different things.

All you can do is try your hardest to figure out if the R2 would have scored or had a great chance to score, if the average F9 in your league would have been out there. If the answer is yes, no error. If its no, the F9 gets dinged. Mark it, learn from it, and move on. If you keep scoring for a while, believe me, you’ll see enough plays where there’s a runner on 2^nd and a single to right, that it’ll become 2^nd nature to you.

If you miss a few while you’re learning, join the club. I still miss plays all the time for various reasons. I wasn’t looking exactly where I needed to, to make the perfect call, a player or umpire blocked me out, I didn’t notice the fielder bobbled the ball, or the runner stopped. That’s when you ask someone you trust for help, and if no one’s available, you fall back on experience and mark it as best you can.

The way you described it, I’d guess I’d have scored it a clean hit with no error, but like I said, there’s a lot more to it.

Needs an eyeball for a true answer.

I generally think (hope and coach) that the runner from 2B is going to try to take home on anything not hit to short LF. So with that in mind, runner rounds 3B and never gets stopped by base coach...it's a hit and 2 RBIs. 

I'd say a hit and an error. Hit by the batter and an error charged to the outfielder for allowing the runner to advance(continue) to a second base. I believe normally the runner would stop from taking the second base if he sees the fielder coming up with the ball and firing back. But I agree about being a judgement call.