Fielder’s choice: does somebody have to be out?
No. A fielder's choice means the defense went after another runner instead of the batter, and if a throw to first would have gotten him, he doesn't get a hit even when every runner is safe.
I’ll admit up front that we didn’t score this one by the book (more on that at the end). But it’s important to know what the book says before you decide to ignore it.
Say the infield is in with a runner on third and one out. A ground ball goes to third, and the third baseman throws home. The runner slides in under the tag. He’s safe, the batter is on first, and the scorekeeper writes a single.
By the book, it’s a fielder’s choice. The defense had a play on the batter at first and chose to go after another runner, which is the choice in the name. It does NOT matter whether they got the other runner. It only matters that the batter reached because they went somewhere else.
The test is simple. If the third baseman had thrown to first, would the batter have been out? On a routine grounder with the infield in, he almost always would have been. So the batter reached on the defense’s decision, and he doesn’t get a hit. He’s charged with an at-bat, and he does get the RBI.
It’s still a hit when the batter would have beaten a throw to first anyway. Think of a slow chopper, a diving play or a fast runner. If he was safe either way, he gets the hit. The same goes for a fielder who only looks at the runner or fakes a throw, then throws to first late. Looking at a runner doesn’t count as choosing him.
The other version comes up all the time. Runner on first, ground ball to short, throw to second, and both runners are safe. That’s a fielder’s choice too, assuming the shortstop would have gotten the batter at first. If the throw gets the runner, it’s a fielder’s choice with an out — which is what most people think it has to be.
Plenty of teams score it differently on purpose, and mine was one of them. I told my scorekeepers that if no one was out, the batter got a hit, because I wanted to reward putting the ball in play (that’s in my scorekeeper guide). But that’s a house rule.
Do you score it by the book, or do you give the batter the hit?
Which rulebook? Official Baseball Rules, Definitions, Fielder's Choice: the act of a fielder who handles a fair grounder and throws to another base instead of first. 9.05(b)(4): no hit when a fielder fails to put out a preceding runner and the batter could have been put out at first. Its Comment says the rule doesn't apply if the fielder only looks or fakes elsewhere before throwing to first. The batter is charged with an at-bat, and gets an RBI if a run scores. 9.04(a).
Bases loaded, one out. A ground ball goes back to the pitcher, who looks home and holds it. The runner from second never left, and the runner from first is now standing on second with him. The shortstop takes the throw and tags them both. Who’s out?
Still have a question? Ask Coach Fungo.
“A fast runner who would have beaten the throw to first anyway still gets his hit.”
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“In Little League, a runner who leaves early gets sent back. He doesn't get called out.”
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“Before you spend $400 on a bat, find the stamp on the taper and make sure it's the right one.”
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