Quick Scoring Question

ny1,

 

Let’s be sure you understand that there is no “Quick Scoring Question”!

 

Here’s a hint about explaining a situation, and it’s the same with scoring. What signs a runners gets has absolutely nothing to do with how something is scored. The reason for that is, the coach’s actions aren’t scored, only the runners.

 

As for the situation, obviously the batter/runner got a hit, and all that’s left to determine is the value of that hit and how to record how any bases reached were attained or if he’s put out, how that happened. So we know the batter/runner got a hit and at least a double, and that gets him to 2^nd. After that, you say the batter/runners also reached 3^rd safely so that’s all we need to be concerned with.

 

Obviously the outfielder making the throw in didn’t mishandle the ball, so all that’s left is to determine if there was an error on the throw allowing the runner to get to 3^rd and who it was on. Now you have a little problem. You said the throw was “perfect” and would have hit the F5 in the chest, but was the throw on line and in the air all the way, or did it hit the ground and “skip” to the F5?

 

I know that sounds silly, but in OBR there’s a comment in 10.12(1)(1) that says in part: … If a throw is low, wide or high, or strikes the ground, and a runner reaches base who otherwise would have been put out by such throw, the official scorer shall charge the player making the throw with an error.

 

Got that? If a throw touches the ground and a runner would have been put out by that throw, there’s an error and the error goes to the player making the throw. There’s no could, woulda, or shoulda about it. The rule says “SHALL” and therefore the scorer has no latitude because there is no judgment involved. Now if the throw was accurate and in the air and the F5 didn’t catch it and make the putout, he’s the guy who gets charged with the error.

 

So in the end the batter is credited with a double, and the pitcher is charged with a double and a hit. If the fielder making the throw made a bad one, he’s charged with a throwing error, but if the throw was a good one, the F5 is charged with a fielding error and the fielder throwing the ball gets credit for an assist.

 

How that?

 

Told ya there was no "quick question".

thank you stats for your detailed reply!!!

 

 

As Stats states, this is a hard one and I wasn't there. My bottom line on this play is that there has to absolutely be no question beyond any doubt for me to score E-5.

 

As described, I would score E-5, but I would have to have seen it with my own two eyes to confirm it.

A lot going on here that would require an eyewitness or replay. How did he miss the ball? Did he just completely pull a brain fart and miss a routine bang bang play or was the play closer than it appeared and he was just caught rushing the play?