hit or error if ball goes off of pitcher

Anonymous asked: Ball is hit up middle off of pitcher.

Ball bounces toward third baseman who picks it up and throws to first.

Throw is high and runner is safe.

Should and error be charged to third baseman or ruled and infield hit?


Rick answered: Thank you for your question.

Whether or not an error gets charged to the 3b would depend on how the scorekeeper saw the play, from the time the ball bounced off the pitcher.

If he felt that the 3b had enough time, with a good throw, to get the batter-runner out, then he would charge the 3b with an error.

If, instead, he believed that due to the limited time left after the ricochet off the pitcher, the 3b did not have enough time, even with a good throw to get the runner at first, he could award the batter-runner with a base hit.

One of those things, where, you have to be there in real time to make a call on what should have happened.

Yours in baseball,

Rick