Help with Scorekeeping Errors

[Clean_up]

couple other points of interest I found:

If a throw by a fielder hits a runner, even if the throw looks to be a good one (ie not in the dirt hitting the runner's foot, etc), it is an error if in the scorekeepers judgement the runner would have been out had the ball not hit the runner.

Unnecessary throw to a base that results in a runner advance, I assume this would apply in say a 3-1 count on a batter, strike two is pitched and the catcher throws down to an unoccupied first base resulting in "ball four". It would be E2, not BB.

Runner advancing and a throw by any fielder to the base where there are two fielders there to catch the ball and neither make the catch for whatever reason, confusion, missed the ball - it is an error on the fielder who is supposed to receive the throw. Again, IF a clean catch would have got the runner out.

An infielder who fields a ground ball and neglects to step her base on a force out, doesn't matter if she is looking to throw to another base and doesn't, it is an error if she could have got the runner out. And a fielder who receives a throw and then they step on the base and should have tagged the runner out and doesn't, it's an error.

On the pitching, I always thought the starting pitcher of record who left the game with their team ahead and they stay ahead is the winning pitcher. I was wrong and it doesn't have to be a 5-inning mercy - in tournaments there are time limits and I assume those same rules apply. But, what if it is a 4-inning game, etc.. I guess they would have to pitch at least two then.?. Also, if more than one relief pitcher is used and the starting pitcher has not pitched the required # of innings, the rules say to give the win to the relief pitcher who was most effective (this of course applies only if the team is ahead when the starter is relieved and stays ahead the entire game).

Scorekeeping isn't easy, I've been doing it for years - somethings wrong, so just keep asking questions

[Clean_up]

another part of scoring is a pitcher has to throw 4 innings in a full game or 3 innings in a 5 inning mercy game to get credit for a win

No true.

If a pitcher enters a game that is tied or her team is behind and the team subsequently takes a lead while she is pitching and the team goes on to win. She gets the win. Could be as little as 1/3 of an inning in some situations.

I think My Take meant to say a "starting" pitcher. And you are right, a pitcher could have pitched 8 shut-out innings in a 0-0 ball game, then a relief pitcher comes in, even if just for 1 batter - if she is the pitcher of record if her team wins, gets credit for the win.

[AlwaysImprove]

http://www.olympiansoftball.com/softball_scorekeeping.html go here to download scorekeeping rules for NCAA -- will give you a good idea of what is considered a hit or an error.

One thing I found interesting is that a fly ball that gets lost in the sun or lights, even if an outfielder touches the ball, is considered a HIT and not an error -- I find this interesting because what if the fielder didn't use her glove or hand to shield the sun properly? Not really fair to a pitcher or the team to charge a run if they score IMO IF the fielder made that type of mistake.

If a fielder is running a good distance to a ball, makes the catch and then drops the ball on the run or a fielder runs up to a ball more than 5 or 6 steps and on the scoop the ball falls out of the glove, it is a HIT, not an error..

As a scorekeeper, you have to use your judgement as to what is "normal fielding ability/routine" when you determine what is a hit or an error. IMO, if the play would have been made and you would have said "wow, great play or awesome catch, etc and the fielder was not able to come up with the ball, then it is a "hit".. A ball between the legs is about the only time you can call an error on a fielder who has not touched the ball. Mis-judged balls in the outfield even when you know they should have gotten to the ball, are hits. Mental mistakes (ie threw the ball to the wrong base, etc) are not considered errors. Balls that take an unusual hop or it is a "shot" and the fielder olays, it is a hit - again, depends on how hard the ball is hit or if the ball took a weird hop and the fielder didn't charge the ball, etc..

Also note that foul fly balls that are dropped are considered errors on the fielder and if that batter gets on base and scores the run is not counted against the pitcher or if they hit rbis (unless the other runners on base would score on the next batter who hits - you have to reconstruct the entire inning when there are errors to determine earned and unearned runs). This part is a little confusing to me still as the hits will still count on the Batting avg for the batter, but the runs are charged to the error because it prolonged the at-bat -- it is not considered ROE.

Also I found that you can't credit a HIT to a batter if the infielder checks a runner and then throws the ball to first too late or just holds the ball. According to these rules, IF in the scorekeepers opinion, the batter would have been out IF the fielder would have thrown the ball to first without checking the runner or holding the ball, EVEN IF NO PLAY WAS MADE ON AN ADVANCING RUNNER, it is not a hit. See the Batting Section. I assume this would be considered a Fielder's Choice.

http://www.olympiansoftball.com/assets/ ... rebook.pdf

Hope the links work, if not just copy/paste, etc. Good luck.. When in doubt of a play, I usually credit a hit with a note in my scorebook and then get another opinion or two before I enter in the team stats..

Very well said Clean_up. I think you were referencing http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/Stats_Manuals/Baseball/baseball_softball_scorebook.pdf
I often see the ATEC/NFCA book sighted for scorekeeping fastpitch http://nfca.org.ismmedia.com/ISM2/MultimediaManager/ATEC.pdf. There were some people in our area that argued based on the ATEC document that the a glove had to touch the ball. I tried several times to argue that would not make any sense. The ATEC document does say "g - Merely fielding a ball too slowly is not an error." As you point out, it also states that sun does not cause an error.

You are right that this penalizes girls willing to put on a visor, and dive for balls. It also rewards girls that do not wear visor, sunglasses nor learn to block the sun. It also rewards players that are slow, and players routinely throw to the wrong base.

I actually like the MLB approach to the mental error. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Official_scorer#Errors They still do not record errors for misjudging a fly ball.

Which goes to show you need to look beyond stats to be a smart coach. I prefer fielders that routinely correctly judge balls, to one that routinely misjudges balls, regardless of what the stats say.

I now chuckle when parents say 'Suzy should be getting more time at position X, because of stats'. They clearly have landed on the wrong team.