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Nobody on base. The ball is hit to the 2Nd baseman's left. He makes a good play to field the ball but does not throw to first despite having plenty of time to make the throw.

Was told this is a hit on the ump board...but I don't see that. If the ball is hit to a fielder and he just holds it and does not throw it to the correct base for the easy out, I don't see why it is a hit and not an error on the fielder.
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quote:
Originally posted by mrtarheel:
Nobody on base. The ball is hit to the 2Nd baseman's left. He makes a good play to field the ball but does not throw to first despite having plenty of time to make the throw.

Was told this is a hit on the ump board...but I don't see that. If the ball is hit to a fielder and he just holds it and does not throw it to the correct base for the easy out, I don't see why it is a hit and not an error on the fielder.


Here’s an excerpt from OBR rule 10.12(a)(1) comment. It pretty much lays your example right out there.

Rule 10.12(a)(1) Comment: Slow handling of the ball that does not involve mechanical misplay shall not be construed as an error. For example, the official scorer shall not charge a fielder with an error if such fielder fields a ground ball cleanly but does not throw to first base in time to retire the batter.
quote:
Originally posted by mrtarheel:
I see it in black and white; but it just doesn't seem fair to the pitcher. The pitcher has induced a ground ball that should result in an out; but the fielder holds the ball for a few seconds FOR NO REASON and does not throw to first and it is a hit. If that is truly the way it is, the rule needs to be changed.


As big a pitcher’s fan as I am, I don’t worry too much about that one rule causing a lot of problems for a pitcher. How many times have you seen that happen in your entire life? I’ve score a heck of a lot of HS and below games, and I don’t remember ever having it happen the way you described it. Not only is it rare, how rare is it that that runner would score?

Mebbe this’ll make you feel better because it gives the pitcher a break. Wink

OBR Rule 10.12(a)(7) Comment: The official scorer shall apply this rule even when it appears to be an injustice to a fielder whose throw was accurate. For example, the official scorer shall charge an error to an outfielder whose accurate throw to second base hits the base and caroms back into the outfield, thereby permitting a runner or runners to advance, because every base advanced by a runner must be accounted for.
quote:
Originally posted by Stats4Gnats:
quote:
Originally posted by mrtarheel:
I see it in black and white; but it just doesn't seem fair to the pitcher. The pitcher has induced a ground ball that should result in an out; but the fielder holds the ball for a few seconds FOR NO REASON and does not throw to first and it is a hit. If that is truly the way it is, the rule needs to be changed.


As big a pitcher’s fan as I am, I don’t worry too much about that one rule causing a lot of problems for a pitcher. How many times have you seen that happen in your entire life? I’ve scored a heck of a lot of HS and below games, and I don’t remember ever having it happen the way you described it. Not only is it rare, how rare is it that that runner would score?

Mebbe this’ll make you feel better because it gives the pitcher a break. Wink

OBR Rule 10.12(a)(7) Comment: The official scorer shall apply this rule even when it appears to be an injustice to a fielder whose throw was accurate. For example, the official scorer shall charge an error to an outfielder whose accurate throw to second base hits the base and caroms back into the outfield, thereby permitting a runner or runners to advance, because every base advanced by a runner must be accounted for.
Obviously none of us were there to see the play but you, but on a ground ball to 2nd baseman's left, the first baseman will also probably be moving toward the ground ball, leaving the pitcher to cover 1st base, and perhaps the first baseman decided to break back to his bag while the pitcher was also running over to bag. This could have caused the 2nd baseman to hold ball unsure of who he was throwing to.

As posted by Gnats, seems unfair, but this is a hit. It's what we call, "hitting it in a good spot"
Rule 10.12(a)(1) Comment: Slow handling of the ball that does not involve mechanical misplay shall not be construed as an error. For example, the official scorer shall not charge a fielder with an error if such fielder fields a ground ball cleanly but does not throw to first base in time to retire the batter.[/b][/QUOTE]

This is a rule I've always found especially interesting (ambiguous?) because of the way it's written.

When it states, "but does not throw to first base in time to retire the batter" -- is that meaning that he didn't make a throw or that he did made a throw but it wasn't in time?

Thoughts, anyone?

But then again, if all the rules were written clearly, there wouldn't be nearly as much to discuss in forums like this! Smile
Last edited by RPD

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