Did you score that as a hit?

That sounds like something I see or experience many times during the course of a season. Are you asking a question or simply saying what you’ve seen?

No, not asking a question. It was clearly an error. I just thought it was funny that she came and asked, and maybe tried to influence the scoring. And for the record, it was scored as an error. But she went away happy, seemingly thinking it was a hit, so all was well.

Stafford posted:

No, not asking a question. It was clearly an error. I just thought it was funny that she came and asked, and maybe tried to influence the scoring. And for the record, it was scored as an error. But she went away happy, seemingly thinking it was a hit, so all was well.

I learned very early on in scoring games that there will always be parents who place more importance on statistics than are warranted. Mainly that’s because they have no other way to measure how their child performs because they don’t understand the minutia of the game. I also learned very early on never to challenge the parent-child relationship in any way, shape, or form because it’s instinctive.

Unless someone get abusive in some way, I let it go and chalk it up to the parent wanting success for their child. Since I began scoring HS games I tend to give parents a lot of leeway for the things they do like what you’ve described.  The reason I do that is because I know how challenging it is for many of them to make it to a game. With HS games starting in the worst time of the day for parents to make it to the game, I appreciate every one that shows up. And if they act a bit kooky or ask some innocuous question like whether or not I scored something a hit or not, it’s OK by me.

Stafford posted:

Summer collegiate wood bat game. Announcers, scoreboard operator, and live stats table set up under a tent just to the left of the backstop. I'm watching from the backstop area.

Kid hits a ball to 3rd base who bobbles and throws a one hopper that 1B can't field. Would have been a close play if he had scooped, but he didn't and of course, the bobble at 3rd was the only reason the play was even close.

Hitter's mother comes walking over and comes under the tent and says to the guys at the table, "did you score that as a hit?"  One of the guys looks back kind of confused and just sort of nodded yes at her. She smiled, nodded back and went back to where she was sitting.

After the hitter's mom's question...Did the pitcher's mom ask if it was an error?  And after that, did the fielder's mom ask if it was a hit?

Error!

One game son lined out 3 times, another player had a 'hit' like above and also two wind blown bloop pop-ups that found dirt (so a "3-3").

After the game son texted me thinking he missed an opportunity.

Two minutes later, he received a nice scholarship offer and the '3-3' kid was left alone.

Catcherdad posted:

One game son lined out 3 times, another player had a 'hit' like above and also two wind blown bloop pop-ups that found dirt (so a "3-3").

After the game son texted me thinking he missed an opportunity.

Two minutes later, he received a nice scholarship offer and the '3-3' kid was left alone.

 

Coach of son's team keeps a "Barrell Sheet" for each tournament.  It's just a scrap of 6x6 inch neon paper.  Each time a kid barrells up a ball, hit or not, his initials goes on the sheet.  Whatever kid has the most initials on the sheet get's it after the tournament.

You'd think that sheet was made out of gold the way the kids carry on about it.

How about an exit velo sheet Godad? I love when the weak kids 'square one up' and it dies before it reaches the second baseman. Mommy is cheering off the bat. Then after the out tells junior how well he hit the ball.

Catcherdad posted:

One game son lined out 3 times, another player had a 'hit' like above and also two wind blown bloop pop-ups that found dirt (so a "3-3").

After the game son texted me thinking he missed an opportunity.

Two minutes later, he received a nice scholarship offer and the '3-3' kid was left alone.

 Are you implying that your son got a scholarship offer and the other kid didn’t based only on that game and nothing else?

Go44dad posted:

Coach of son's team keeps a "Barrell Sheet" for each tournament.  It's just a scrap of 6x6 inch neon paper.  Each time a kid barrells up a ball, hit or not, his initials goes on the sheet.  Whatever kid has the most initials on the sheet get's it after the tournament.

You'd think that sheet was made out of gold the way the kids carry on about it.

I want to make sure you understand that I’m all for positive reinforcement and making sure the players know the personal goal as a hitter should always be to hit the ball as solidly as possible. That being said, from a team perspective, I’d rather have 2 duck fart hits, a squib hit off the hands, and a couple wind-blown hits than 5 screaming liners caught for outs or five 10 pitch strikeouts.

I’m not trying to start an argument, but I really get tired of people making it sound as though hitting the ball hard and making an out is more valuable to the team than a base hit that wasn’t hit right on the nose. The difference is that one is productive for the individual because it makes him feel better about making an out, and the other is productive for the team because it puts a runner on base.

Its why I’m much more in favor of using Clint Hurdle’s productive at bats rather than quality at bats.

Stats4Gnats posted:

Go44dad posted:

Coach of son's team keeps a "Barrell Sheet" for each tournament.  It's just a scrap of 6x6 inch neon paper.  Each time a kid barrells up a ball, hit or not, his initials goes on the sheet.  Whatever kid has the most initials on the sheet get's it after the tournament.

You'd think that sheet was made out of gold the way the kids carry on about it.

 

I want to make sure you understand that I’m all for positive reinforcement and making sure the players know the personal goal as a hitter should always be to hit the ball as solidly as possible. That being said, from a team perspective, I’d rather have 2 duck fart hits, a squib hit off the hands, and a couple wind-blown hits than 5 screaming liners caught for outs or five 10 pitch strikeouts.

 

I’m not trying to start an argument, but I really get tired of people making it sound as though hitting the ball hard and making an out is more valuable to the team than a base hit that wasn’t hit right on the nose. The difference is that one is productive for the individual because it makes him feel better about making an out, and the other is productive for the team because it puts a runner on base.

 

Its why I’m much more in favor of using Clint Hurdle’s productive at bats rather than quality at bats.

This is where you have to differentiate big picture versus small picture.  Yes in that one game or one at bat I'm happy as a lark a kid gets a duck fart that scores a run or whatever that doesn't look good to the eye.  That's the small picture.  Over the course of a season - even a short high school one - I want that guy who is going to square it up and mash.  The harder you hit it the more likely you will get base hits that score runs.  So while it stinks a kid goes 0 - 3 with 3 screaming line drives at the MIF over the course of a season he will be more successful than the kid who just went 3 - 3 when all three landed in the Bermuda Triangle of 2B, 1B and RF.

Stats4Gnats posted:

Go44dad posted:

Coach of son's team keeps a "Barrell Sheet" for each tournament.  It's just a scrap of 6x6 inch neon paper.  Each time a kid barrells up a ball, hit or not, his initials goes on the sheet.  Whatever kid has the most initials on the sheet get's it after the tournament.

You'd think that sheet was made out of gold the way the kids carry on about it.

 

I want to make sure you understand that I’m all for positive reinforcement and making sure the players know the personal goal as a hitter should always be to hit the ball as solidly as possible. That being said, from a team perspective, I’d rather have 2 duck fart hits, a squib hit off the hands, and a couple wind-blown hits than 5 screaming liners caught for outs or five 10 pitch strikeouts.

 

I’m not trying to start an argument, but I really get tired of people making it sound as though hitting the ball hard and making an out is more valuable to the team than a base hit that wasn’t hit right on the nose. The difference is that one is productive for the individual because it makes him feel better about making an out, and the other is productive for the team because it puts a runner on base.

 

Its why I’m much more in favor of using Clint Hurdle’s productive at bats rather than quality at bats.

I will break my policy and respond to you, but only once a calendar year.

You are trying to start an argument.

Here's your 2017 comment "Happy New Year!"

My kid plays 1b and our score keeper will call any throw that is in the dirt or that takes him off the bag an error on the 1b.   Her kid plays SS, 3b sometimes and is pretty bad at his throws.  At first this drove me nuts until I realized that the coach doesn't care about how it's scored. He knows who's doing what.  

Now if her kid hit the ball it wold be a hit and if mine hit the ball it would an error.  One time my kid hit a 2 run homer over the fence and she scored it as a double with errors.  I'm not making this up parent scorekeepers cheat on every team I've ever been associated with.    

There is the team, the individual, and the game.  Any type base runner is better than any screaming line drive out when it comes to the team and the game.

However, if you are a coach, scout or any evaluator, the individual squaring up the ball and hitting line shots will be looked at as the better hitter compared to the hitter who has a couple Infield hits or bloopers that dropped in for hits.

I wish we had the ability to compile every exit speed every at bat for individuals.  Only place that is possible is in the Big Leagues.  If we could do it, the most important individual statistic, IMO, might be "average" exit velocity.  Peak velocity is important, but it doesn't really tell you if someone can hit.  The hitter with the highest average exit velocity over a 100 or more ABs against equal competition, could arguably be considered the best hitter.  At least, one of the best hitters.

coach2709 posted:

This is where you have to differentiate big picture versus small picture.  Yes in that one game or one at bat I'm happy as a lark a kid gets a duck fart that scores a run or whatever that doesn't look good to the eye.  That's the small picture.  Over the course of a season - even a short high school one - I want that guy who is going to square it up and mash.  The harder you hit it the more likely you will get base hits that score runs.  So while it stinks a kid goes 0 - 3 with 3 screaming line drives at the MIF over the course of a season he will be more successful than the kid who just went 3 - 3 when all three landed in the Bermuda Triangle of 2B, 1B and RF.

If you took it that I was implying hitting the ball hard wasn’t a great thing you took me wrong. I’m just saying it’s wrong to tell a kid who just duck farted in a single that kept the inning alive and drove in the winning run, that the kid who hit the ball hard 3 times but made outs in critical situations was more successful.

Sometimes the small picture is the one needing more attention because it’s the one happening in the moment.

Goblue33 posted:

My kid plays 1b and our score keeper will call any throw that is in the dirt or that takes him off the bag an error on the 1b.   Her kid plays SS, 3b sometimes and is pretty bad at his throws.  At first this drove me nuts until I realized that the coach doesn't care about how it's scored. He knows who's doing what.  

Now if her kid hit the ball it wold be a hit and if mine hit the ball it would an error.  One time my kid hit a 2 run homer over the fence and she scored it as a double with errors.  I'm not making this up parent scorekeepers cheat on every team I've ever been associated with.    

Your scorekeeper stinks on ice, but whose fault is that? Who gave her the job?

PGStaff posted:

There is the team, the individual, and the game.  Any type base runner is better than any screaming line drive out when it comes to the team and the game.

However, if you are a coach, scout or any evaluator, the individual squaring up the ball and hitting line shots will be looked at as the better hitter compared to the hitter who has a couple Infield hits or bloopers that dropped in for hits.

I wish we had the ability to compile every exit speed every at bat for individuals.  Only place that is possible is in the Big Leagues.  If we could do it, the most important individual statistic, IMO, might be "average" exit velocity.  Peak velocity is important, but it doesn't really tell you if someone can hit.  The hitter with the highest average exit velocity over a 100 or more ABs against equal competition, could arguably be considered the best hitter.  At least, one of the best hitters.

All true PG, but out of all the people watching any given game, how many are evaluators and how many are just people watching the game and not caring if any player gets good evaluation scores?

You only deal with people who not only care but are willing to spend a great deal of time and money on it. I’m like most folks who only deal with what’s happening in the moment. Johnny’s mom or dad is gonna be just as happy if he gets an IF hit on a ball that didn’t go 40’ as they are if he hit a hard grounder through the hole, and a lot more happy than if he hits into a line drive DP.

What you do is important to many players and parents, but let’s recognize that it’s the minority of players and parents. I just like to see the kids who don’t have a chance at a DI ship or being drafted get recognized when they do things that are productive and help the team because lord knows they don’t do it a lot.