[greymule]

This supports why the scoring rules should have been revised long ago. Anyone who knows the game can cite play after play in which batters are unfairly credited with hits or fielders unfairly charged (or not charged) with errors.

Why should an outfielder be charged with an error for a superb throw that happens to hit a sliding runner and go out of play? The rationale is that every base has to be accounted for, but there are many plays in which bases aren't accounted for in the scorebook. Why should a shortstop who steps on 2B for the front end of a possible double play not be charged with an error if he has all the time in the world and fails to complete an easy throw to 1B? If the idea is that the numbers/stats should at least to some degree reflect quality of play, then the scoring rules are pretty bad.

The same goes for wins and losses for pitchers, and earned runs as well.

More than 40 years ago, in a state championship game, I bunted with a runner on 2B. It was a rather hard bunt toward 3B, so F5 began to charge it, but F1 managed to scrambled over and pick it up. F1 could have thrown to 1B to get me, but instead ran toward 3B, waiting for an opportunity to throw to F5, who was retreating to 3B for a possible play on the runner. F1 ended up simply holding the ball while the runner and I made it safely to our bases.

The scorer originally scored it a FC, but I convinced him that it was a hit. I didn't even know whether that was right, but naturally I made the case for it.