Bot of 7th, tie game 6-6, runner on 3B, 1-out...
Batter hits hard ground ball that 1B dives for near the line, gets up and throws home to catcher... Runner scores easily, game over walk-off win.
Hit or fielder's choice?
Thanks.
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If the 1B's effort was above "ordinary effort", then I'd score it as a hit. Might be one of those you just have to "see" to score properly.
The only play was at home, or game was over... Wouldn't you consider having to dive for ball above ordinary effort...?
Assuming the IF was playing in would mean the 1st baseman was a few steps in front of bag. Diving towards line and coming up with the hard grounder would mean the 1st baseman could have easily tagged the batter for an out but he went for winning run at home. Hitter did his job and got winning run home. Go dog pile him for getting the walk off and RBI. But I do understand the FC here. But I am by no means an expert score keeper!
OBR Rule 2.00 - FIELDER’S CHOICE is the act of a fielder who handles a fair grounder and, instead of throwing to first base to put out the batter-runner, throws to another base in an attempt to put out a preceding runner.
The rule doesn’t say anything about the score, the situation, who’s running, whether it was an ordinary effort, or anything else.
Once he fielded(handled) the ball, did he choose to throw to another base rather than get the batter-runner at 1st? If he could have gotten the runner at 1st and didn’t because of a CHOICE he made, it was a fielder’s choice.
Easy call-
Even though fielder may have showed above average effort fielding the ball, if he comes up clearly in time to otherwise make an out on the batter runner at first then it is scored a fielders choice. The only way this play is recorded as a "hit" is if the first baseman cant make a play at first on the batter runner with ordinary effort. Ordinary effort starts the moment each segment of the play occurs. For instance, if the first baseman shows above average effort and it glances off his glove and a play cant be made at first, then walk off base hit. If he dives, makes above average effort, comes up cleanly in time to throw to first to retire batter runner, "ordinary effort" applies starting there at that point regardless of what happened prior. Thus, because he could have retired batter runner with ordinary effort at that point but chose instead to fire home, it is recorded as a walk off fielders choice, credit batter with a rbi and fc and at bat.
Even though fielder may have showed above average effort fielding the ball, if he comes up clearly in time to otherwise make an out on the batter runner at first then it is scored a fielders choice. The only way this play is recorded as a "hit" is if the first baseman cant make a play at first on the batter runner with ordinary effort. Ordinary effort starts the moment each segment of the play occurs. For instance, if the first baseman shows above average effort and it glances off his glove and a play cant be made at first, then walk off base hit. If he dives, makes above average effort, comes up cleanly in time to throw to first to retire batter runner, "ordinary effort" applies starting there at that point regardless of what happened prior. Thus, because he could have retired batter runner with ordinary effort at that point but chose instead to fire home, it is recorded as a walk off fielders choice, credit batter with a rbi and fc and at bat.