I have a person who's insisting to me that a batter should be credited with a double if he is tagged out at third trying to stretch his hit into a triple. His argument is that he legally acquired second base before being tagged out so he should get credit for the double.

I say that's absurd, but I figured I'd gather some proof.

The guy argues with enough conviction and authority that he could probably make me question whether the sky really is blue. But he also thinks the hands are part of the bat. :)

In a similar sitch, if a runner misses home plate after a home run and is called out on appeal, what does the entry in the scorebook say?

Double for first question. What's absurd about it? What would you give him in the book, no hit for trying to stretch a double into a triple?

Hands are not part of the bat (yawn)....

Triple for the third question, same logic as first question.

Read Scoring Rule 10.07. The batter gets credit for the last base attained safely.

I guess that's why I'm not a scorer. :)

The reason I found it absurd is that you could theoretically get thrown out at every AB but still have a avg of 1.000.

yep, you sure could be batting 1.000, but get thrown out during every AB. A player's batting average is a product of his batting, not his smart baserunning and stopping at 2nd instead of being dumb and getting thrown out at 3rd.

That's why there is a Batting Average vz the On Base Percentage. If you have 3 AB's and get thrown out 3 times, you bat 1.000 but the OBP = 0.

Try this one.
 

What do you have?

A B/R hits what appears to be a double. When he gets to second he touches it and then.....

1. .....overslides it and is tagged out before he returns.

2. .....overruns it and is tagged out before he returns.



Answer below.




1. Single.

2. Double.

OBR 10.07 Credit batter with two base hit. (c) When the batter attempts to make a two base hit or a three base hit by sliding, he must hold the last base to which he advances. If he overslides and is tagged out before getting back to the base safely, he shall be credited with only as many bases as he attained safely..............

-----------------------------------------------------------
If he overslides second base and is tagged out, he shall be credited with a one base hit;.......

If he runs past second base after reaching that base on his feet, attempts to return and is tagged out, he shall be credited with a two base hit................ G.

Hogwash. The OBP would be 1.000 also.

10.22 (f) On base percentage, divide the total of hits, all bases on balls, and hit by pitch by the total of at bats, all bases on balls, hit by pitch and sacrifice flies. NOTE: For the purpose of computing on base percentage, ignore being awarded first base on interference or obstruction.

Speaking of "absurd", where did you come up with this silly theory? If a player bats 1.000, there's no way he'll have an OBP of 0.00. He gets credit EVERY time he reaches base safely. Except on fielder's choices, uncaught 3rd strikes and errors.

Here's the formula: On Base Percentage [OBP or OBA]

(Hits + Walks + Hit-By-Pitch) divided by (At Bats + Walks+ Hit-By-Pitch + Sac Flys)




[Edited by bluezebra on Jul 15th, 2004 at 01:21 PM]