Scoring the Game

[Centerfield]

cooby wrote: Yeah, I agree with that. When they hit 11 or 12 though, they should be fielding cleanly, or no longer playing. Sounds harsh I know.

I'm glad cooby never came to my Little League games.

[Guest cooby]

Aw, CF I'm sure you are a good fielder

[Centerfield]

Actually I was ok in the field. Hitting the ball was another story.

Which is I why I golf now. Now that the ball is stationary, I almost never strike out anymore.

[Guest Rotblatt]

Johnny Dickshot wrote: I'vee tried filling in the boxes 1, 2, 3 etc., or 1S (swinging strike 1), 2backwards s (for called strike on the second pitch) and F for foul, and 1L (first pitch ball low), 2H (second pitch ball high) etc. but then they start fouling them off and I lose count of pitches and sequence.

I went through a period like that, where I'd put x's for strikes & o's for balls. I did a little superscripted c if it was a called strike or f if it was a foul. Ultimately, I decided it was rude to whomever I was at the game with, as I payed no attention to them (as opposed to next-to-no attention to them).

For force outs:

Reyes walked with 2 outs. LoDuca grounds to second baseman, who flips to SS at second to get the force out.

In Reyes's box, solid line from HP to 1st, labeled BB. A line halfway between first & second, with a hatchmark at the end of the line. In bottom left-hand corner of Reye's box, #3, circled.

In LoDuca's box, 4-6. Bottom right-hand corner of his box is filled in to indicate that his was the last at bat.

in general:

At the start of each inning, I'll look at the scoreboard and put the pitch count up at the top of the column from the previous inning. I like to keep track of the number of pitches thrown per inning. Dunno why.

If there was a good defensive play, I'll throw an astrix by the marking. So if Reyes makes a nice diving stop, then flips to Matsui for the force out, I'll write 6*-4. If, on the other hand, it's a routine ground ball but the throw goes wide and Matsui has step off the bag and tag the runner, I might write 6-4*.

The hope is that I'll be able to look at the scorecard and remember what the asterix is for.

For pitcher changes, I'll put double hatchmarks inbetween the boxes.

So let's say Cliff hit a home run off Myers, who was then replaced by Gordon to face Wright:

In Cliff's box, filled-in plate. On the line separating his & Wright's box, I'll put in two hatchmarks ( | | ) so I know that there was a pitching change.

I enjoy scoring games although I never do anything with them--it's more the action of scoring during a game that appeals to me.

[Methead]

I used to score games while I was watching them on TV, but I'd usually get bored with it by the 4th or 5th inning.

My friend and I used to play Nintendo Baseball and score THOSE games. God, what nerds.

I'll have to start noting advancements on throws... if I ever drag my ass to another game.

[Guest cooby]

When I was in high school and learning shorthand, I used to do the play by play in shorthand for practice

[seawolf17]

Yancy Street Gang wrote: Two outs, runner on first. Batter grounds into a force out. There's one man left on base. It shouldn't matter (as far as LOB statistics go) whether the play was at second base or at first, it's still an LOB.

No it isn't. The batter did not reach first base, so how could he be left there?

[soupcan]

Centerfield wrote: ="soupcan"] I took the scorecards from the first games my kids attended, put the ticket stubs and a picture of them at that game on a board, had them mounted and framed. The kids like them but I like them better. What a great idea. I'm going to steal it from you and pretend I came up with it.

No problemo - I also indicated on the scorecard time of game and who was there. On one of them we went with my brother-in-law and his then-girlfriend. When his now-wife saw it about a year ago she wasn't too thrilled that the ex occupies a somewhat 'permanent' place in family lore.

="Rotblatt"]For force outs: Reyes walked with 2 outs. LoDuca grounds to second baseman, who flips to SS at second to get the force out. In Reyes's box, solid line from HP to 1st, labeled BB. A line halfway between first & second, with a hatchmark at the end of the line. In bottom left-hand corner of Reye's box, #3, circled. In LoDuca's box, 4-6. Bottom right-hand corner of his box is filled in to indicate that his was the last at bat.

Ooh I like that - I'm stealing it and pretending it was my idea.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

seawolf17 wrote: ="Yancy Street Gang"]Two outs, runner on first. Batter grounds into a force out. There's one man left on base. It shouldn't matter (as far as LOB statistics go) whether the play was at second base or at first, it's still an LOB. No it isn't. The batter did not reach first base, so how could he be left there?

Of course it is. There was one runner on base when the final out was made, so there's one LOB. LOB is a team stat, not an individual stat. There's one LOB; it doesn't matter which player it is.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

This is from answers.com

]In a baseball game, the number of plate appearances for each team must be equal to the number of batters put out, scored, and left on base. A box score is in balance (or proved) when the total of the team's times at bat, bases on balls received, hit batters, sacrifice bunts, sacrifice flies and batters awarded first base because of interference or obstruction equals the total of that team's runs, players left on base and the opposing team's putouts. If a box score is unbalanced, then there is a logical contradiction and thus an error somewhere in the box score.

In my example, for the inning to be in balance, you need to credit the team with an LOB.

Four batters. Three outs. Without the LOB, it's unbalanced.

[Elster88]

seawolf17 wrote: ="Yancy Street Gang"]Two outs, runner on first. Batter grounds into a force out. There's one man left on base. It shouldn't matter (as far as LOB statistics go) whether the play was at second base or at first, it's still an LOB. No it isn't. The batter did not reach first base, so how could he be left there?

Technically, he did reach first base.

[Centerfield]

Yancy is right. That's why you say "Beltran reached on a fielder's choice." He doesn't get credit for a hit because an out was recorded, but he certainly did reach base.

[soupcan]

Don't mess with Yancy.

OE: Does it count towards the batter's OBP?

[Guest Edgy DC]

]Technically, he did reach first base.

Neither did I with Kathleen Hanley because she turned her head and gave me her cheek. But is that what we're talking about?

Two guys come up with a runner on first and two down. Both ground it hard directly to the secondbaseman more or less in the same spot.

On one play, the secondbaseman throws to the shortstop and erases the runner. On the other, the secondbaseman, in a different mood perhaps, he nails the battter at first.

Haven't these two guys done the same thing in the same situation with the same eventual result? Shouldn't they statistically get the same credit and discredit?

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

soupcan wrote: Don't mess with Yancy. OE: Does it count towards the batter's OBP?

Nope, doesn't count towards OBP. At least, not as a positive factor. It does count as a plate appearance, so it would decrease the OBP.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Edgy, you may get bitten by your own precedent here. We're all going to have to find images of Kathleen Hanley and ask you to identify which one is the one who turned her cheek.

[Willets Point]

="Yancy Street Gang"]Edgy, you may get bitten by your own precedent here. We're all going to have to find images of Kathleen Hanley and ask you to identify which one is the one who turned her cheek.

I hope it's this one:

She's got nice cheeks.

The other one I found is a nun and I hope Edgy wasn't trying to kiss a nun!

On an unrelated note, Yancy & I are no longer the Franco twins!!!

[Elster88]

Which cheek was it Edgy?

[Guest Edgy DC]

I've kissed nuns. They always turn their cheeks. Except Sister Delfina, who was really really small, and I always got the top of her head.

Kathleeen is long since no longer a Hanley, and I don't know what she is now.

[soupcan]

Yancy Street Gang wrote: ="soupcan"]Don't mess with Yancy. OE: Does it count towards the batter's OBP? Nope, doesn't count towards OBP. At least, not as a positive factor. It does count as a plate appearance, so it would decrease the OBP.

If a batter hits into an FC with less than two out and reaches base safely doesn't that increase his OBP?

So with 2 out if the same batter hits into an FC and he technically becomes an 'LOB' - then it should count toward his OBP. no?

[Gwreck]

soupcan wrote: If a batter hits into an FC with less than two out and reaches base safely doesn't that increase his OBP? So with 2 out if the same batter hits into an FC and he technically becomes an 'LOB' - then it should count toward his OBP. no?

No in both cases.

OBP is Hits, Walks, HBP / PA. Nothing gained for reaching base on errors/fielder's choices/etc.

[soupcan]

Okay - it makes more sense now.

Merci beaucoup.

[Diamond Dad]

Batter who hits into 4 fielder's choices is still 0-4. Can be 0-4 and score 4 runs, but you're still 0-4 and your BA and OBP for the game is .000

[seawolf17]

Daryl Boston is on first base with two outs. Charlie O'Brien, The Slowest Man In America, hits a sharp grounder to second. They force Boston at second; inning over. Charlie O, barely makes it twenty feet down the line before turning right and heading back to the dugout to don his gear. How does he count as a "left on" when he never got there? It's not right.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Read the above from answers.com. A runner was left on base. It's really that simple.

And remember, it's a team stat. It doesn't matter WHO was left on base. Charlie O'Brien doesn't get credited with anything.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Here's another Kathleen Hanley:

http://www.cheathamtheater.org/images/artist/kathleen_hanley.jpg

She's an artist at Cheatham Theater

And here's the nun that Willets mentioned:

http://www.catholic-church.org/stpatricksbillings/staff/kathleenhanley2.jpg

[Guest Edgy DC]

Both very sweet I'm sure. but I know not the name the former Ms. Hanley goes by now.

It was Kathleen's superior friend Kristen that I ended up dating.

[Guest cooby]

You dated a Mother Superior?!?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Yes, our high school makeout music was:

"Sister Kristen, now the time has come..."

You peeps...

[MFS62]

From that picture, I'd have to say that Billy Joel was right. They do start much too late.

Later