I know you guys hate scoring questions but please forgive me. I hardly ever ask a question.

Bases loaded, two outs and the batter sends one over the fence for a home run. In the celebration, R3 misses home and after all other players have scored, the PU puts the ball in play and R3 missing home is appealed. He's called out and all the runs are canceled, no question about that.

How does the scorekeeper tabulate the batters time at bat. Is this an out? Does it count against his batting average? Does he get any credit for RBIs?

All these questions matter because our high school team is about to award the MVP award. It is based mostly on a formula of RBI's, runs scored, batting average, and slugging percentage. (Pitchers have their own separate award.) It's coming down to two players running neck and neck and this grand slam home run that was canceled is looking very big in the calculations. The award comes with a $2500 college scholarship and because of past favortism and politics, this award is now based almost solely on statistics. Canceling this home run will cost the player about 11 points of batting average, over 40 points of slugging percentage, 4 RBIs and 1 run scored. The cancelation of this home run also cost the team the game and part of the calculation is for critical hits in clutch situations. He loses that also and this was not his mistake.

Please help!

What should have been a game-winning grand slam, has become a force out on the appeal. The batter cannot be credited with a hit, or any RBIs, because the appeal became a force at home, and no runs scored.

All things considered, if I were voting: I would credit that young man with evrything he did, as far as the scholarship aspect is concerned, even though the scorebook will reflect differently. It would be a "crime" if someone else's mistake cost him this award.

Just out of curiosity, why didn't someone, especially the on-deck batter, tell R3 to touch home? And, in my evil little mind, was R3, or a friend, in the running for the award?

Again, in this situation, I would disregard the official scoring, and credit that batter with everything he SHOULD have had.

Bob

Everyone (except the PU and catcher I guess) was watching the ball until it cleared the fence by which time R3 had already crossed the plate. This play happened at the beginning of the season and so no one was in the running for the award at that point. It's only now that the reglular season ends next week that this play has taken on such importance.

If we did as you suggested and counted the HR for the batter, the second place finisher would probably file a lawsuit assuming that this play was the margin of victory. I asked the question because a pitcher's ERA is not affected by errors of the defense and I thought maybe there was something in scoring that protected batters stats from errors by the offense.

If this is for a scholarship, and politics eliminates a vote, why not mix in something academic, such as GPA, in addition to performance stats on the field. Benefit of the doubt goes to the guy with the best grades....Nah, can't use scholastic achievements to help judge who gets a scholastic award when we all know the guy who hits the ball the farthest is most deserving.

Tough luck for the kid. Score it like it is supposed to be scored and if that makes a difference chalk it up to a life experience.