can somebody clarify how to score the dropped 3rd strike?

At the end of the day, your scorebook should show the total number of putouts to equal 3 times the number of defensive innings played, unless the game ended on a walk-off in the bottom of the last inning or some such.

In general, K's are a pitching statistic and do not count towards putouts in and of themselves.

If the catcher holds the third strike, he gets credit for an unassisted putout. If he muffs it or blocks a ball in the dirt, then picks it up and tags the runner, he again gets an unassisted putout.

If the catcher has to throw to first, he gets an assist and the first baseman gets the putout.

Here's one you didn't ask: 2 outs, bases loaded, third strike hits the ground, catcher picks it up and steps on home. What then?

Answer: record a K to the batter and the pitcher, batter reaches on a fielder's choice, runner from 3d is out at home on an unassisted putout by the catcher.

Thank you Midlo Dad.

I had always thought you gave the catcher the putout on K's but then this year was told by another scorekeeper who appeared to be knowledgable that the catcher did not get a putout on strike outs...

From there I went back and read the OBR, but knowing how many double negatives exist in the OBR I was beginning to doubt my ability to interpret it on this situation.

The number of putouts = to 3xIP (except in 10-run or walk-off) makes very good sense and will help me to to always keep that straight now.

Believe it or not I even knew to score a K-PB (or WP) followed by an E2 if the catcher happens to throw it away when throwing it to first!

It just confused the heck out of me when this gentleman that seemed to know his stuff told me not to give Putouts to the catcher on Strike outs. After that, because I trusted him I could not make the OBR make any sense no matter how many times I read and re-read it. Now I can stand my ground with confidence.

If nothing else I can say that I now have section 10 (scorekeeping) in the OBR almost memorized verbatim!