Scenario: With none out and runners on first and third, the batter hits a blooper over the shortstop’s head. The runner at third waits on the bag to see the play unfold but the runner from first takes up a position half-way between first base and second base. The shortstop dives and manages to make the catch, retiring the batter. At this point, the runner from third leaves the bag and heads home to score while the other runner sprints back towards first base. Unfortunately for the runner, the shortstop makes an excellent throw to complete a double-play at first.

As the official scorer, would you credit the batter with a run batted in?

A – Yes.
B – No.

Highlight the text below to reveal the answer:

Answer: A – Yes.

Rule 10.4(b)(1) states:
[The official scorer shall not credit a run batted in] when the batter grounds into a force double play or a reverse-force double play.

In the example above, though, the batter does not ground into a double play, and so there is no reason to withhold credit for the run batted in.

Scenario: With none out and runners on first and third, the batter hits a ground-ball to the shortstop, who throws it to the second baseman to force the runner out heading towards second. The second baseman has ample time to make a throw to the first baseman for a double-play, but sends the ball well wide of the fielder, enabling the batter-runner to reach safely. While this is happening the runner who was on third comes home to score.

As the official scorer, would you credit the batter with a run batted in?

A – Yes.
B – No.

Highlight the text below to reveal the answer:

Answer: A – Yes.

Rule 10.12(d)(3) states:
[The official scorer shall not charge an error against] any fielder who makes a wild throw in attempting to complete a double play or triple play, unless such wild throw enables any runner to advance beyond the base such runner would have reached had the throw not been wild.

By extension, the batter is not considered to have grounded into a double play, and so credit for the run batted in cannot be withheld.

Scenario: With none out and runners on first and third, the batter hits a ground-ball to the shortstop, who throws it to the second baseman to force the runner out heading towards second. The second baseman then makes a good throw to the first baseman that is in time to retire the batter-runner, but the fielder drops the ball, enabling the batter-runner to reach safely. While this is happening the runner who was on third comes home to score.

As the official scorer, would you credit the batter with a run batted in?

A – Yes.
B – No.

Highlight the text below to reveal the answer:

Answer: B – No.

Rule 10.4(b)(2) states:
[The official scorer shall not credit a run batted in] when a fielder is charged with an error because the fielder muffs a throw at first base that would have completed a force double play.

Scenario: A batter comes to the plate five times in the game you are scoring, striking out in the first plate appearance, hitting a double in the second, laying down a successful sacrifice bunt in the third, grounding out in the fourth, and then hitting a sacrifice fly in the fifth.

As the official scorer, what on-base percentage would you calculate for the batter in this game?

A – 1/5 = .200.
B – 1/4 = .250.
C – 1/3 = .333.
D – 1/2 = .500.

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Answer: B – 1/4 = .250.

Rule 10.21(f) states:
[To compute] On-base percentage, divide the sum of hits, bases on balls and times hit by pitch by the sum of at-bats, bases on balls, times hit by pitch and sacrifice flies.

Scenario: The first batter of an inning strikes out. The second hits a triple. The third connects for a run-scoring single. The fourth batter strikes out on a pitch in the dirt that rolls away from the catcher, allowing the runner at first to advance to second. You charge a wild pitch to the pitcher for this. The fifth batter singles down the middle, scoring the runner from second on a close play at the plate (in your opinion, the runner would not have scored from first, and so the advancement on the wild pitch enabled the run). The sixth batters flies out to the centre fielder, stranding the runner at first.

As the official scorer, how many of the 2 runs that score do you charge as earned runs against the pitcher?

A – 0.
B – 1.
C – 2.

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Answer: C – 2.

Rule 10.16(a) states:
… A wild pitch is solely the pitcher’s fault and shall contribute to an earned run just as a base on balls or a balk …

Scenario: With a runner on third and no outs, the batter hits a grounder straight to the shortstop. The shortstop looks towards third to hold the runner and then makes a good throw to first but one that is just not in time to get the out. In your opinion, if the shortstop had thrown the ball immediately rather than looking towards third base, there was sufficient time to retire the batter-runner with ordinary effort.

As the official scorer, how should you score the batter-runner’s advancement to first?

A – A single.
B - Reached on fielder’s choice.
C - Reached on error.

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Answer: A – A single.

Rule 10.05(b)(4) states:
[The official scorer shall not credit a base hit when a] fielder fails in an attempt to put out a preceding runner and, in the scorer’s judgment, the batter-runner could have been put out at first base.

But it is still a single, because Rule 10.05(b) Comment states:
Rule 10.05(b) shall not apply if the fielder merely looks toward or feints toward another base before attempting to make the putout at first base.

Scenario: The first two batters of an inning strike out. The third hits a soft grounder that hops up into the pitcher’s glove. The pitcher has plenty of time to make the out but throws the ball wide of the fielder, allowing the batter-runner to reach first safely. The fourth batter punishes the pitcher for this error with a home run. The fifth hits a grounder straight to the second baseman, who, just like the pitcher, has plenty of time to make the out but directs the ball wide of the fielder, allowing the batter-runner to reach first safely. The sixth batter capitalizes on the second baseman’s error by hitting the team’s second home run of the inning. The seventh batter lines out to the third baseman.

As the official scorer, how many of the 4 runs do you charge as earned runs against the pitcher?

A – 0.
B – 1.
C – 2.
D – 3.

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Answer: A – 0.

Rule 10.16 states:
… In determining earned runs, the official scorer shall reconstruct the inning without the errors …

Rule 10.16(e) states:
An error by a pitcher is treated exactly the same as an error by any other fielder in computing earned runs.

Treating the pitcher’s error like any other error, the inning should have finished when the third batter grounded to the pitcher, at which point 0 runs had scored.

Scenario: During a plate appearance, the batter gets injured on a swing and has to be replaced. The replacement batter inherits a full count on entering the game.

As the official scorer, you must choose whether the original batter’s statistics or the new batter’s statistics will be affected, based on what the outcome is of the plate appearance. Which of the following is true?

A - A strike-out and a walk would be assigned to the original batter.
B – A strike-out would be charged to the original batter but a walk would be credited to the new batter.
C - A strike-out would be charged to the new batter but a walk would be credited to the original batter.
D – A strike-out and a walk would be assigned to the new batter.

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Answer: B – A strike-out would be charged to the original batter but a walk would be charged to the new batter.

Rule 10.15(b) states:
When a batter leaves the game with two strikes against him, and the substitute batter completes a strikeout, the official scorer shall charge the strikeout and the time at bat to the first batter. If the substitute batter completes the turn at bat in any other manner, including a base on balls, the official scorer shall score the action as having been that of the substitute batter.

Scenario: The first batter of an inning strikes out. The second hits an inside-the-park home run. The third hits a double. The pitcher receives a signal to intentionally walk the fourth batter and, reluctanly, does so. The fifth batter connects for a 2-run triple. The sixth and seventh batters are struck out, which strands the runner at third.

As the official scorer, how many of the 3 runs do you charge as earned runs against the pitcher?

A – 0.
B – 1.
C – 2.
D – 3.

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Answer: D – 3.

Rule 10.16 states:
… For the purpose of determining earned runs, an intentional base on balls, regardless of the circumstances, shall be construed in exactly the same manner as any other base on balls …

Scenario: With a runner on third and no outs, the batter hits a grounder straight to the first baseman. In your opinion, the first baseman could easily have run over to the bag in time to force out the batter-runner, but, instead, the fielder throws the ball to the catcher in the hope of getting out the runner who has dashed from third towards home. The throw is perfect and the ball is fielded cleanly by the catcher, who applies the tag to the now-sliding runner. However, the runner is adjudged to have just beaten the tag and the run is awarded. The catcher looks towards first base but sees that there is no point in making the throw as the batter-runner will be safe anyway.

As the official scorer, how should you score the batter-runner’s advancement to first?

A – A single.
B - Reached on fielder’s choice.
C - Reached on error.

Highlight the text below to reveal the answer:

Answer: B – Reached on fielder’s choice.

Rule 10.05(b)(4) states:
[The official scorer shall not credit a base hit when a] fielder fails in an attempt to put out a preceding runner and, in the scorer’s judgment, the batter-runner could have been put out at first base.

Since no error was made on the play (there was nothing wrong with the mechanics of the fielding), it must be a fielder’s choice.