Baseball scoring questions.

[stevew]

Batter hits a fly ball to the outfield, runner tags and scores. Obviously called a sac fly, batter is not charged with an AB.

Batter hits a ground ball out to the 2nd basemen, runner from 3rd scores, batter is charged with an AB

With runner on first, batter bunts, runner advances. Batter gets credit for a sacrifice, not charged with an AB

With runner on first, batter grounds out to the 2nd basemen, runner advances to 2nd. Batter is charged with an AB.

With runner on first, batter flies out to the outfield, runner tags from first and moves to 2nd. Batter is charged with an AB.

I guess "that's just the way it's always been!" is the only answer here?

[gstelmack]

My guess would be that sacrifice involves some form of "intent". Fly ball to outfield to score a run or bunt to move a runner over are essentially the batter giving up or "sacrificing" their at-bat for the good of the team, while the other cases are the hitter swinging away and just not hitting very well.

[PackerFanatic]

And I think the others, where there is no "sacrifice", would be scored as a fielders choice (probably not on the case of the 4th fly ball you mentioned, but still)

[PackerFanatic]

The one I will never understand is the dropped 3rd strike, and the fact the batter can take 1st. That just seems absolutely silly to me.

[molson]

If you bunt with someone on base, and they advance, but you're thrown out, the scorer (I think) has the discretion to not award a sacrifice, if it appears you were bunting for a hit.

I don't know if a scorer has a simliar discretion on a ground ball, if you're clearly intending to sacrifice yourself to advance a runner, to award you with a sacrifice.

It's a lot cleaner, I guess, to assume that bunt is for the purpose of sacrificing, and the ground ball was with the intent of a hit that just had a happy outcome.

It's similar with the sacrifice fly, I guess. We just assume that the flyball that scores the runner from third was on purprose, because its really impossible to tell the difference from play to play.

[stevew]

Eh, that's basically "completing the put out." Ball needs to be fielded cleanly to result in an out.

[stevew]

If you bunt with someone on base, and they advance, but you're thrown out, the scorer (I think) has the discretion to not award a sacrifice, if it appears you were bunting for a hit.

I don't know if a scorer has a simliar discretion on a ground ball, if you're clearly intending to sacrifice yourself to advance a runner, to award you with a sacrifice.

It's a lot cleaner, I guess, to assume that bunt is for the purpose of sacrificing, and the ground ball was with the intent of a hit that just had a happy outcome.

It's similar with the sacrifice fly, I guess. We just assume that the flyball that scores the runner from third was on purprose, because its really impossible to tell the difference from play to play.

With a runner on 3rd, and less than 2 outs, obviously the most ideal option is to get a hit. I guess walking would be secondary(although that does increase the odds of a double play). It's just odd that making sure to not pull the ball and get the runner in is penalized, whereas "Im trying to hit deep fly ball" is condition free.

And the SF or Bunts are counted against the OBP and SLG(I think), but not the Batting Average.

[SackAttack]

With a runner on 3rd, and less than 2 outs, obviously the most ideal option is to get a hit. I guess walking would be secondary(although that does increase the odds of a double play). It's just odd that making sure to not pull the ball and get the runner in is penalized, whereas "Im trying to hit deep fly ball" is condition free.

And the SF or Bunts are counted against the OBP and SLG(I think), but not the Batting Average.

The reason for the latter is that OBP is a function of times reached base divided by total plate appearances (hits + sacrifice hits + walks + HBP/PA) while BA is strictly hits/AB. OBP counts everything, BA counts only times reached base divided by the number of times the ball is put in play in a non-sacrifice situation.

[Big Fo]

The reason for the latter is that OBP is a function of times reached base divided by total plate appearances (hits + sacrifice hits + walks + HBP/PA) while BA is strictly hits/AB. OBP counts everything, BA counts only times reached base divided by the number of times the ball is put in play in a non-sacrifice situation.

OBP doesn't credit getting on base due to a defensive error I think. Maybe it should. Perhaps low HR/BB/K hitters create more defensive errors over the course of a season by putting more balls in play, or maybe faster players make the defenders nervous or cause more rushed throws.

[SackAttack]

OBP doesn't credit getting on base due to a defensive error I think. Maybe it should. Perhaps low HR/BB/K hitters create more defensive errors over the course of a season by putting more balls in play, or maybe faster players make the defenders nervous or cause more rushed throws.

No, but it doesn't count towards BA, either. Both OBP and BA take a ding there.

I think defensive errors are generally regarded as "your ass should have been out. Be happy you're on base, but don't expect any brownie points."