Baseball Scoring Question

[Sabermetrician]

I was scoring for my sister's softball today and this scenario happened:

 

Runner at first, hitter bunts (intended sacrifice), catcher throws to second, but the runner is safe at second, and there's no play at first.

 

Is this a single? Doesn't seem right b/c if the catcher throws to first, the batter is most likely out, yet the sacrifice is still successful.

 

This actually happened in back-to-back plays during this game, what would you score?

[jersey cubs fan]

I'd guess it's a judgement call, in which case you could say it's a FC, with everybody being safe.

 

Although you should just be nice and give her a hit if she's cute.

[Guest]

I'd say a fielder's choice, but as goony says, it's a judgement call.

[Tracer Bullet]

Why is it a judgment call? Isn't that a no-doubt FC? Even if the batter were bunting for a hit, but the ball was fielded with plenty of time to make an out at first, but the fielder tries for a force at a different base instead, it's still a FC, isn't it?

[WindyCity]

Its scored as a sacrifice and FC.

[Rob]

Its scored as a sacrifice and FC.

 

Yup

[Amazing_Grace]

I'd say a fielder's choice, but as goony says, it's a judgement call.

 

Where did goony post in this thread? I thought he got banned.

[Rob]

I'd say a fielder's choice, but as goony says, it's a judgement call.

 

Where did goony post in this thread? I thought he got banned.

 

He wasn't banned. The good twin just killed the evil one.

[Guest]

I'd say a fielder's choice, but as goony says, it's a judgement call.

 

Where did goony post in this thread? I thought he got banned.

 

The post above me.

[David]

Why would goony get banned, anyway?

[Rob]

Why would goony get banned, anyway?

 

Why wouldn't he?

[Guest]

Why would goony get banned, anyway?

 

for being a mets fan.

[chuckywang]

Its scored as a sacrifice and FC.

 

Yup

 

That can't be. Sacrifice's doesn't count has an AB, but a FC counts as 0-1 in the box score.

[bukie]

No official at bat. Scored a sacrifice, reached on fielder's choice.

[chuckywang]

No official at bat. Scored a sacrifice, reached on fielder's choice.

 

I would have scored it as an error and a sacrifice. No official AB.

[NewUserName]

No official at bat. Scored a sacrifice, reached on fielder's choice.

 

I would have scored it as an error and a sacrifice. No official AB.

 

No error. FC and a Sac. No AB

[Ding Dong Johnson]

No official at bat. Scored a sacrifice, reached on fielder's choice.

 

I would have scored it as an error and a sacrifice. No official AB.

 

No error. FC and a Sac. No AB

 

correct

[Guest]

No official at bat. Scored a sacrifice, reached on fielder's choice.

 

I would have scored it as an error and a sacrifice. No official AB.

 

Where's the error?

[soccer10k]

I saw the same exact thing happen in a high school game I was covering the other day except there were runners on first and second and the catcher threw to third. But yeah, it's a sac and a FC and no AB.

[fromthestretch]

No official at bat. Scored a sacrifice, reached on fielder's choice.

 

I would have scored it as an error and a sacrifice. No official AB.

 

There is no error. The fielder (in this instance, the catcher) made a choice to throw to second. It sounds like the throw was on target, just late. It may have been a mental error on the catcher's part, but not a physical one. The hitter gets credit for the sac for moving the runner safely to second. The fielder's choice is how the hitter reached first.

 

It's not all that rare of a play.

 

Edited to add: If the official scorer thinks the hitter was bunting for a hit and not for a sac, AND if the official scorer thinks that the catcher would have easily thrown the hitter out at first if the catcher had not thrown to second instead, the official scorer can rule it a straight FC with no sacrifice awarded to the hitter. However, you'll rarely see any official scorer do that.