Question I look at the following two questions as describing the same situation. One runner on first and a fly ball to the outfield which falls for what appears to be a clean hit, but the runner is thrown out at 2nd and the batter-runner is safe at 1st. In both cases it was said that the batter-runner would have been safe at 1st had there been no runner.
In one case you said hit and the other you said fielder's choice. Help me see the difference. What did I miss?
(1) Softball - Fielder's Choice or Hit
Expert: Tom Mielke - 9/25/2008
Question
Batter hits a line drive into outfield, runner on first advancing to second base is thrown out by Center Fielder to SS. Batter is safe at First and would have been safe if no runner going to second. In Baseball, it is a hit as a fielder's choice is clearly a ground ball in the infield - what about ASA Softball?
I think that if you look at a baseball scoring guide as well the batter won't be rewarded with a hit when it causes another runner to be thrown out.
Infield or outfield, for softball anyways, doesn't matter.
(2) Softball - softball basehit or running error
Expert: Tom Mielke - 4/28/2009
Question
Runner on 1st 1 out batter hits ball in air to short centerfield. Ball drops runner on first gets forced out at second. Runner did not go half way on fly ball. Does batter get a base hit or does runner get an error. Is there a fielder's choice from the outfield?
Answer
Bob,
There really isn't anything that can be scored as an error to a runner. Errors are purely a defensive statistic. That doesn't mean that a runner or a coach through their player can't make mental errors and do something wrong.
If the ball is put in play to short center field and there is no defensive error, you have a hit. You stated that the runner didn't perform as expected and this was the reason for the put out. This is a hit not a fielder's choice. To have a fielder's choice, the defense has to have legitimate chance of putting the batter-runner out at first but choose to make an attempt on another runner.
Answer I believe that I answered the first one correctly.
The second one depends.
What is the reason for the put out at second? The hit to short center or the runner not attempting to advance. Straight from the score book you have a fielders choice. But you have to apply some common sense as well. If the runner would have performed as expected, what would have happened. I don't think I am going to penalize a batter for stupid base running by a preceding runner.
In retrospect, I was definitely wrong with part of my answer. The sentence "To have a fielder's choice, the defense has to have legitimate chance of putting the batter-runner out at first but choose to make an attempt on another runner" is not correct.
This is what makes this so much fun, much of what is done is judgement based.
