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scoring question...

Rule question? Get it answered here.

by lucky » Mon Oct 17, 2016 7:01 pm

So this isn't really an umpire question, but I thought this audience would probably be qualified to comment:

This happened in a college game this weekend.

No runners on base, 3 balls, 1 strike count, pitcher throws a change up, batter swings and misses, pitch hits the dirt. Catcher lost track of the count, thinks it's strike three, throws down to first. Umpire conferences with 1st base umpire, calls delay of game, awards ball, batter advances to first. Is this scored a walk, or an error on the catcher?

Now the batter was just standing there, so a simple tag would have been harmless...
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by PDad » Tue Oct 18, 2016 11:59 am

Errors aren't charged on mental mistakes. The fact the batter stood there is important because running to 1B would have exempted the delay of game call.

No specific rules on scoring this situation differently, so a walk with a note about the 4th ball award seems the most appropriate.
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by josephrt1 » Tue Oct 18, 2016 5:20 pm

In ASA I think this has to be scored as a walk or base on balls. The rule says the effect is "a ball on the batter". Ball 4 = base on balls.
ASA rule citation:
Rule 6A, section 7B. The catcher shall return the ball directly to the pitcher after each pitch, except after a strikeout, a putout or an attempted putout made by the catcher.
Effect: A ball on the batter.

That's my 2 cents.
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by josephrt1 » Tue Oct 18, 2016 5:30 pm

I also found this in the NCAA rule set. In another area on catcher's obstruction it specifically states the catcher is charged with an error. In this section on not returning the ball directly to the pitcher, it says the effect is a ball awarded to the batter. So i don't think in either ASA or NCAA an error is charged for this violation.

10.16 EFFECT—The ball is dead, and base runners may not advance. A ball shall
be awarded to the batter.
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by lucky » Tue Oct 18, 2016 6:52 pm

Thanks for the inputs guys. Seems wrong to blame the pitcher, but maybe she should never get to 3 balls! :lol:
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by PDad » Wed Oct 19, 2016 12:42 pm

lucky wrote:Thanks for the inputs guys. Seems wrong to blame the pitcher, but maybe she should never get to 3 balls! :lol:

These calls are rare and even rarer lead to a walk. Other things happen far more frequently (e.g. missed call by ump).
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