MLB Beat The Streak - there's a player currently with a 50 game hit streak

[OhioLawyerF5]

Originally Posted by TBTC Baseball

I always thought with a FC there was an assumption the batter would have been out, had the fielder not chosen to get the out at another base. Clearly with this, there is no way the fielder gets the batter out had they chose to throw to 1st.

I just read the official rule again. I now think this wasn't even a discretion situation. That should absolutley be a base hit.

https://mktg.mlbstatic.com/mlb/offic...ball-rules.pdf

FIELDER’S CHOICE is the act of a fielder who handles a fair grounder and, instead of throwing to first base to put out the batter-runner, throws to another base in an attempt to put out a preceding runner. The term is also used by scorers (a) to account for the advance of the batterrunner who takes one or more extra bases when the fielder who handles his safe hit attempts to put out a preceding runner; (b) to account for the advance of a runner (other than by stolen base or error) while a fielder is attempting to put out another runner; and (c) to account for the advance of a runner made solely because of the defensive team’s indifference (undefended steal).

[Gene]

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

That should absolutley be a base hit.

Why would it be a base hit? That's how that play is always scored. It was just a normal force out at best. The ball dropped and the runner got forced out at second; it's immaterial whether that was because of the runner's uncertainty or being very very very slow.

ETA: I misspoke about it not being a fielder's choice

[OhioLawyerF5]

Originally Posted by Gene

I'm not sure why they scored it a fielder's choice, but why would it be a base hit? That's how that play is always scored. It was just a normal force out at best. The ball dropped and the runner got forced out at second; it's immaterial whether that was because of the runner's uncertainty or being very very very slow.

If it's not a fielder's choice and it's not a base hit, what is it? "Force out" isn't an option for a result of the batter. It's a hit, error, or fielder's choice if the batter reaches base safely.

The batter hit a ball to the outfield and reached base safely with no error. That's a hit, by definition. The only argument that it's not a hit is that it's a fielder's choice. And I just posted the definition that a fielder's choice requires a grounder.

[Gene]

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

If it's not a fielder's choice and it's not a base hit, what is it? "Force out" isn't an option for a result of the batter. It's a hit, error, or fielder's choice if the batter reaches base safely.

The batter hit a ball to the outfield and reached base safely with no error. That's a hit, by definition. The only argument that it's not a hit is that it's a fielder's choice. And I just posted the definition that a fielder's choice requires a grounder.

Yeah, I misspoke, it was a fielder's choice. But not a hit.

[OhioLawyerF5]

Originally Posted by Gene

Yeah, I misspoke, it was a fielder's choice. But not a hit.

How do you address that the rulebook says a fielder's choice is a grounder?

It was never intended for this situation where a base hit to the outfield resulted in a runner thrown out after the batter arrived safely at first.

The whole point of scoring a fielder's choice is that the batter would have been out but for the fielder choosing to put out another runner instead, hence the name. In this scenario, the fielder had no choice because the batter was safe at first on what would otherwise have been a clear base hit.

I liken it to when a scorer can grant a base hit even when a fielder makes an error if the scorer judges that the batter would have been safe anyway.

[patchgenie]

do u even watch baseball?

[OhioLawyerF5]

Originally Posted by patchgenie

do u even watch baseball?

Who are you talking to?

And how would you score the play, citing to the official rules?

[Gene]

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

How do you address that the rulebook says a fielder's choice is a grounder?

It was never intended for this situation where a base hit to the outfield resulted in a runner thrown out after the batter arrived safely at first.

The whole point of scoring a fielder's choice is that the batter would have been out but for the fielder choosing to put out another runner instead, hence the name. In this scenario, the fielder had no choice because the batter was safe at first on what would otherwise have been a clear base hit.

I liken it to when a scorer can grant a base hit even when a fielder makes an error if the scorer judges that the batter would have been safe anyway.

Honestly, I didn't previously know that it specified grounders, so that's a good question. However, I think rule 9.05(b)(1) prohibits it from being a hit?

(b) The Official Scorer shall not credit a base hit when a:

(1) runner is forced out by a batted ball, or would have been
forced out except for a fielding error

Also, by your reading, a one-hopper to the 3B who wouldn't have caught the runner at 1st but manages to get the force out at second would be a hit too, wouldn't it? That's never scored as a hit. So I don't know how to reconcile the two.

[OhioLawyerF5]

Originally Posted by Gene

Honestly, I didn't previously know that it specified grounders, so that's a good question. However, I think rule 9.05(b)(1) prohibits it from being a hit?

(b) The Official Scorer shall not credit a base hit when a:

(1) runner is forced out by a batted ball, or would have been
forced out except for a fielding error

Also, by your reading, a one-hopper to the 3B who wouldn't have caught the runner at 1st but manages to get the force out at second would be a hit too, wouldn't it? That's never scored as a hit. So I don't know how to reconcile the two.

Yeah, the rules weren't written to address this situation. Any way you look at it, there is a contradiction.

That's why the official scorer has always had the discretion to make the call. If there was ever a situation to use that discretion, it's this one. Outside of such a weird scenario, that is a base hit every time.

[TBTC Baseball]

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

If it's not a fielder's choice and it's not a base hit, what is it? "Force out" isn't an option for a result of the batter. It's a hit, error, or fielder's choice if the batter reaches base safely.

The batter hit a ball to the outfield and reached base safely with no error. That's a hit, by definition. The only argument that it's not a hit is that it's a fielder's choice. And I just posted the definition that a fielder's choice requires a grounder.

I totally missed the grounder part.