Too hot to handle or error??

A couple of us took over the scorekeeping this year so I can give you some perspective on what we do.

First:

"In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance should have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder."

More detail:

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/officia...ficial_scorer_10.jsp

First there is no mention of glove anywhere in the material above. A ball hitting a glove means nothing...it hit a glove so what. What matters is "ordinary effort". For us ordinary effort for a HS player, not a professional, nor a 12YO LLer.

I will say this first, each play needs to be seen to judge so it is difficult to determine hit or error sitting here on the Internet.

We have scored hits on kids that did not move a step but the ball was smashed to a 3rd basemen off his chest (and glove) - no ordinary effort by a HS player was going to catch that ball. Seen the same thing with "balls through the legs" (BTW I am sure the kid was glad he had a cup on)

What is important to realize is that 90% of hit/error calls are straight forward, they are what they are - and most eveyone in the stands knows one when they see one. So what we are talkiing about is the 10% that need some judgment....maybe 20% for someone who is uninformed.

So this is what we do: Step 1. There are usually 2 or 3 of us sitting in an area and we discuss between us if it was or was not an error. Step 2. If they play involves your son you are recused. We won't even ask you. 90% of the time we come to agreement. Step 3. If we don't agree we mark a note in the book and go ask the coach(s). Usually between innings someone will ask through the fence what they thought. Step 5: Book goes home with the coach and he calls it in to the paper. (no parents involved)

Book comes back to one of us after the next practice and we put the data in a spread sheet that only the coach gets. We don't post stats on the internet as this is what our coach prefers.

Frankly we have more discussions about passed balls and wild pitches than error/hits(as well as bad umpire calls ) than anything else.

Hope this helps.

BTW welcome to HSBBW!

I think BOF has it right.

It's ordinary effort, which is an opinion of the scorer. The only thing I'll add is my own observations watching games at other levels and how they're scored. I'll tell you balls hit hard, right at\off\thru infielders are scored hits OFTEN at Arizona State, which is D1 college.

Many HS scorers tend to score like its a major league game. It isn't. Nor is it my daughter's 12U Little League girls softball. I will give more hits on balls off infielders than the average HS SK (probably talking 1 every 3 or 4 games). I try to apply the sum of my expirience at the particular level in determining if it was an ordinary effort play. There are balls a few steps away from SS/2B scored errors, there are balls right at the 3B or 1B scored hits.

Agree it has nothing to do with the glove making contact with the ball. If it goes clean between the legs on a routine play, its an error. If a bullet off the glove, it could be a hit. You apply ordinary effort, ask a friend, talk about it, etc.

For HS, my book isn't official, I score because that's how I best enjoy the game. No stats to worry about. When I am the 'official' scorer, I will ask around a lot more, especially if I'm new to the level of play (for example, my son went from 8th grade to varsity, so the level of play took a step). I also consider how the same play would be called at the next level. If they'd score it a hit, than I probably should too, although there is no such thing as 'the same play'.

Rule 10.12 a(1) comment:.....
"It is not necessary for that the fielder touch the ball to be charged with an error. If a ground ball goes through afielder's legs or a fly ball lands untouched and, in the scorer's judgement, the fielder could have handled the ball with ordinary effort, the official scorer shall charge such fielder with an error."

If the play can be made with ordinary effort like the other posters state, then there is is an error and not a hit.

Failure to impose this rule is one reason why kids hit .500 or better in many cases. Fortunate for them that they have a very liberal scorer, unfortunate for the kids they play against.

JMof and jfsbndr have added a nice perspective on this. These are HS kids not MLB players. I tend to lean toward hard hit balls as hits also. If a kid squares up a ball and hits it hard give him the credit. Also agree talk about a play.

Frankly it is more tricky keeping track of earned/unearned runs for the pitchers....coming from the pitchers dad of course.

I agree BOF as a Mom of a Pitcher such as other night routine pop up to 3rd baseman and he lets it drop. Counts as a hit. Then right fielder misjudges ball and slips and falls going to other direction. Ball lands next to him. Hit! Hard to keep track of earned or unearned.
But then the pitcher has line drive hit to him and he tries to make it and it tips off glove that's an error.
Everyone has there own interpretation of what goes on and in most High School Baseball its which kid you want to have the better stats.