Inherited Count Scoring

Rule 10.17(b) With two strikes on the batter only a strike out counts against the previous batter. All other results accrue to the Pinch Hitter. The number of outs at the time is irrellevant.

"When A batter leaves the game with two strikes on him, and the substitute batter completes a strikeout, charge the strikeout and the time at bat to the first batter. If the substitute batter completes the turn at bat in any other manner, including a base on balls, score the action as having been that of the substitute batter."

PS...more proof that announcers are generally the last people to listen to when it comes to rules interpretations. except maybe parents.

quote:

Originally posted by luv baseball:
PS...more proof that announcers are generally the last people to listen to when it comes to rules interpretations. except maybe parents.

Over the years, I’ve come to know a few announcers, and they all have a couple things in common. A great passion for the game, and an absolute refusal to read the rules for themselves, without having the “go-fer” in the booth give them the “Reader’s Digest” condensed version. And it’s the same with players and most coaches, not to mention parents and other fans. People really believe that since they’ve been around the game for a long time, they KNOW the rules.

The next logical question then is what is the rule if B2 inherits a count of less than 2 strikes? I assume that means that ALL outcomes belong to B2 in that case since only the strikeout didn't belong to B2 with 2 strikes?

P.S. For the record, the Dodgers' announcer who said that was Steve Lyons.

Rule 10.17(a) defines the rules for a batter to be charged with a strikeout. The only exception to that rule is 10.17(b) which is the pinch hitter enters with 2 strikes.

So in any other count except 2 strikes the pinch hitter owns the result of the Plate Appearance.

Rules for pitchers being substituted for in the middle of an at bat are defined in Rule 10.18.

Thank you luv baseball and Stats4Gnats for your expertise and comments and for shedding light on questions in this forum in general and on this question in particular. I always read your posts with great interest and very much appreciate the time you guys take to stay involved here.

I do know enough about baseball to know that I certainly don't know all of the rules and I'm always fascinated to find out what the rule is that applies to any of those glorious exceptions and circumstances that come up on the baseball field from time to time.

There's a ton of great stuff in the archive of this forum that I will keep reading and I obviously need to get a rule book of my own to read. To that end, I downloaded a PDF file of the 2011 edition of the Official Baseball Rules from the MLB site. Is this the one to get and the place to get it?

Short answer is yes for MLB. Since this is a HS site you will see lots of references to the FED handbook. I am not as proficient in that and don't actually have a copy. I tend to go with OBR.

PS welcome to the site and enjoy. It really is a great place.

If you want to see some real rules stuff duck into the Umpire section. Some really great interesting things in there.

quote:

Originally posted by luv baseball:
If you want to see some real rules stuff duck into the Umpire section. Some really great interesting things in there.

There is some interesting “stuff” in there, but I can’t help but slap your wrists for that comment. The coring rules, or Rule 10.00 in OBR based rule books and rule 9 in the NFHS rule book, are very REAL rules indeed.

I know you understand that, but too often casual talk like the above reinforces the belief that the only REAL rules in the rulebook are the rules that govern game play, and that only leads to the belief that some things in the rule book don’t really matter.

Stats - Wasn't even thinking about the scoring rules in my reference. Umpires don't care about that beyond countng the runs.

I was talking about stuff like balks, timing plays etc. The applicaton of the playing rules rather than the scoring of play.

quote:

Originally posted by luv baseball:
Stats - Wasn't even thinking about the scoring rules in my reference. Umpires don't care about that beyond countng the runs.

I was talking about stuff like balks, timing plays etc. The applicaton of the playing rules rather than the scoring of play.

Those are called game conduct rules, and are under the purview of the umpires. Personally, I don’t care much about those rules because they seldom affect what I do as a scorer. I just mark down what the umpires declare took place, using the scoring rules as a guideline.