Scenario: It’s the end of the season and therefore time to determine the winners of different statistical categories. One particular batter was a clear leader of the on-base average category but did not quite amass the plate appearances needed for qualification.

Is it possible for the batter in question to still win the title?

A – Yes.
B – No.

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Answer: A – Yes.

Rule 10.22(a) states:
Notwithstanding the foregoing requirement of minimum appearances at the plate, any player with fewer than the required number of plate appearances whose average would be the highest, if he were charged with the required number of plate appearances shall be awarded the batting, slugging or on-base percentage championship, as the case may be.

Scenario: With a runner on second base and one out, the batter hits a ground-ball to the shortstop, and the runner appears to deliberately try to interfere with the shortstop during this fielder’s attempt to throw the ball to first. Because of this, both the runner and the batter are called out by the umpire. To whom do you assign put-outs and assists (if any)?

As the official scorer… ?

A – 1 put-out to shorstop, 1 put-out to first baseman, no assists.
B – 1 put-out and 1 assist to shorstop, 1 put-out to first baseman.
C – 1 assist to shorstop, 2 put-outs to first baseman.
D – 2 assists to shorstop, 2 put-outs to first baseman.
E – 2 put-outs to first baseman, no assists.
F – 1 put-out to catcher, 1 put-out to first baseman, no assists.

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Answer: C – 1 assist to shorstop, 2 put-outs to first baseman.

Rule 10.09(c)(6) states:
When a runner is called out for having interfered with a fielder, the official scorer shall credit the putout to the fielder with whom the runner interfered, unless the fielder was in the act of throwing the ball when the interference occurred, in which case the official scorer shall credit the putout to the fielder for whom the throw was intended and shall credit an assist to the fielder whose throw was interfered with.

Rule 10.09(c)(7) states:
When the batter-runner is called out because of interference by a preceding runner, as provided in Rule 6.05(m), the official scorer shall credit the putout to the first baseman. If the fielder interfered with was in the act of throwing the ball, the official scorer shall credit such fielder with an assist but shall credit only one assist on any one play under the provisions of Rule 10.09(c)(6) and 10.09(c)(7).

So scored alone, each play should go down as 6-3, but the last sentence of Rule 10.09(c)(7) instructs us to not give two assists on the same play in this scenario.

Scenario: It is the bottom half of the last regulation inning of a tied game. Runners are on first and third and there are two outs. The manager brings in a pinch-runner to first with the instruction to steal second in order to draw a throw from the catcher that should allow the runner on third to come home with the winning run. The substitute follows the instructions on the first pitch of the at-bat but the catcher holds on to the ball. Frustrated by this, the pinch-runner (who is not an authority on baseball’s more obscure rules) decides to unsteal second on the next pitch to create another chance for the planned play. The umpire calls the runner out for running the bases in reverse.

As the official scorer, to whom do you award the put-out?

A – The catcher.
B – The first baseman.
C – The fielder covering second base.

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Answer: C – The fielder covering second base.

Rule 10.09(c)(5) states:
When a runner is called out for running the bases in reverse order, the official scorer shall credit the putout to the fielder covering the base the runner left in starting his reverse run.

Scenario: The runner on first base is standing a couple of feet off the bag and is lost in conversation with the first baseman, who is an old team-mate. The fielder is just setting the baserunner up for a pick-off, though, and by the time the victim twigs, the ball is already in the mitt of the first baseman. As the fielder moves to apply the tag, the runner instinctively sets off for second but is well aware that the fielder can beat him in a foot race. The tag is applied about a third of the way towards second.

As the official scorer, do you charge the runner with a caught stealing?

A – Yes.
B – No.

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Answer: A – Yes

Rule 10.07(h)(2) states:
[The official scorer shall charge a runner as “caught stealing” if such runner is put out, or would have been put out by errorless play, when such runner] is picked off a base and tries to advance (any move toward the next base shall be considered an attempt to advance).

In contrast, if the picked-off runner is tagged trying to return to the bag, then the rules state that this would not be a caught stealing.

Scenario: With the bases loaded and two outs, the batter hits a soft grounder back to the pitcher, who throws to the catcher for a force-out. How many players did the team leave on base?

A – 2.
B – 3.
C – 4.

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Answer: B – 3.

Rule 10.02(g) states:
Number of runners left on base by each team […] The official scorer shall include in this total a batter-runner whose batted ball results in another runner being retired for the third out.

So the batter-runner counts as being left on base, even though the player may not have even bothered to run all the way to first. The runner advancing from third was retired so the batter-runner is added to the two other players already on base to give a total of three.

Scenario: The batter hits a fizzing liner straight back at the pitcher, who instinctively tries to turn away from the pitch. The ball loops up off the pitcher’s back and bounces in front of the shortstop, who scoops the ball up and fires it over to first to retire the batter-runner.

How would you put the play down in your scorebook?

A – 1-6-3.
B – 6-3.

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Answer: A – 1-6-3.

Rule 10.10(a)(1) Comment states:
Mere ineffective contact with the ball shall not be considered an assist. “Deflect” shall mean to slow down or change the direction of the ball and thereby effectively assist in putting out a batter or runner.

While unintentional, the pitcher’s involvement is clearly assisting the putting out of the batter-runner, as without it the ball would probably have got through to the outfield.

Scenario: The batter hits a slow grounder straight towards the shortstop. The third baseman dives and knocks the ball with an outstretched glove. This diverts the ball off the path that was taking it straight to the shortstop, but this fielder is still able to grab the ball and nail the batter-runner at first.

How would you put the play down in your scorebook?

A – 5-6-3.
B – 6-3.

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Answer: B – 6-3.

Rule 10.10(a)(1) Comment states:
Mere ineffective contact with the ball shall not be considered an assist. “Deflect” shall mean to slow down or change the direction of the ball and thereby effectively assist in putting out a batter or runner.

The third baseman’s involvement is hindering rather than effectively assisting the putting out of the batter-runner.

Scenario: In the ninth inning of a tied ballgame, the visitors have a runner on first with no outs. The batter lays down a bunt that is picked up cleanly by the pitcher. The pitcher struggles to decide whether to go for the risky out at second or the easy out at first, and in the end throws the ball wide of the first baseman. This enables the batter-runner to reach first base. The lead runner is comfortably safe at second.

Should the batter be charged with an at-bat?

A – Yes.
B – No.

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Answer: B – No.

Rule 10.08(a) states:
Score a sacrifice bunt when, before two are out, the batter advances one or more runners with a bunt and is put out at first base, or would have been put out except for a fielding error.

So the batter’s advance to first goes down as a sacrifice hit with a reach on error, and a sacrifice hit does not constitute an at-bat.

Scenario: With a runner on second and one out, the batter hits a fly ball that is caught on the warning track in straight-away centre. The runner tags up and dashes towards third, where an aggressive base coach is eagerly windmilling to urge the player on to home. The relay is mechanically sound but not particularly quick, and amid a cloud of dust the umpire awards a run on what is a very close play.

Should the batter be charged with an at-bat?

A – Yes.
B – No.

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Answer: B – No.

Rule 10.08(d)(1) states:
[Score a sacrifice fly when, before two are out, the batter hits a ball in flight handled by an outfielder or an infielder running in the outfield in fair or foul territory that] is caught, and a runner scores after the catch.

In other words, there is nothing in the rules to say that the run has to score from third in a sacrifice fly. And, of course, a sacrifice fly does not constitute an at-bat.

Scenario: With runners on first and third, the trailing runner sets off to steal second. The pitch bounces in the dirt and gets away from the catcher; seeing this, the lead runner takes off for home. The catcher recovers the ball and throws it to the pitcher, who is covering the plate, and the tag is applied in time to retire the runner. The other runner comfortably reaches second.

As the official scorer, how would you score the play?

A – Lead runner caught stealing; trailing runner stolen base.
B – Lead runner retired but not caught stealing; trailing runner stolen base.
C – Lead runner caught stealing; trailing runner advanced on wild pitch.
D – Lead runner retired but not caught stealing; trailing runner advanced on wild pitch.
E – Lead runner caught stealing; trailing runner advanced on fielder’s choice.
F – Lead runner retired but not caught stealing; trailing runner advanced on fielder’s choice.

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Answer: B – Lead runner retired but not caught stealing; trailing runner stolen base.

The lead runner cannot be caught stealing because the attempt to advance was triggered by the wild pitch (see Rule 10.07(h) Comment). So this rules out A, C, and E.

The trailing runner was attempting to steal, so the advance cannot be credited as happening on a wild pitch (see Rule 10.07(a)). This rules out D. So it is either B or F.

Rule 10.07(d) states:
When a double- or triple-steal is attempted and one runner is thrown out before reaching and holding the base such runner is attempting to steal, no other runner shall be credited with a stolen base.

However, since the lead runner was not trying to steal (having set off after the pitch got away from the catcher), this does not apply here. There does not appear to be anything else in the rules that says a stolen base cannot be awarded, and the runner reaching second is certainly not benefiting from the catcher attempting a play at the plate.