Hit or fielders choice.....

by Quaid Burley
(Yorktown, IN. USA)

Quaid asked: Runner on first with nobody out.
Batter hits grounder to the third baseman who fields the ball and starts to throw to second to force the runner.

Changes his mind because he doesn't think he can get the force out as the runner from first is almost there and then throws to first to get the batter/base runner and the batter beats the throw.

How do you score it, base hit, fielders choice or an error on the third baseman?


Rick answered: Quaid, thank you for your question.

There are no statistical categories for mental errors, so the 3B cannot receive an error on this play.

He did attempt to get the runner at second; but realized he would be late, thus leaving him the batter-runner, on which he was late.

The scorer could give the batter-runner a hit on this play, but only if he felt the 3B had little chance of getting him at first, even if that had been his first choice.

If the scorer believes that, had the 3b gone to first to start with, that the batter-runner would have been out, the scorer should have scored it a fielder's choice.

Yours in baseball,

Rick