- May 27, 2022
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The real question: did the coach signal to steal and/or did the player attempt to steal regardless of the location/result of the pitch. Typically, as scorers, we don't know if a steal was called or not, the only thing we can tell is if the runner broke for the next base at the release of the pitch or on the read of a ball in the dirt.
Everything after that break doesn't matter. If they took off on the pitch release and weren't out, it is a stolen base. If the runner left when the ball hit the dirt (or was clear it was going to) or backstop and then they took off - wild pitch or Passed ball.
Stolen bases go against the catcher (maybe also the pitcher), but it takes a good pitch, a good throw, and a good catch/tag to get a Caught Stealing. As a catcher's dad, it pains me to score stolen base when:
- SS isn't there on time on a beautiful on time throw down (and then you also give the C an error when the ball bounces into center field and the runner goes to third (yes, very annoyed by this!))
- SS drops the ball or misses the tag
- runners at first and third and no attempt is made the runner advancing to 2nd after the pitch
- runner happens to take off on a really slow change up
But those are all Stolen Bases.
You can use Caught Stealing with Error, but IMO that has to be VERY clear that the ball was there and only by the ball getting dropped during the tag was the runner safe.
Everything after that break doesn't matter. If they took off on the pitch release and weren't out, it is a stolen base. If the runner left when the ball hit the dirt (or was clear it was going to) or backstop and then they took off - wild pitch or Passed ball.
Stolen bases go against the catcher (maybe also the pitcher), but it takes a good pitch, a good throw, and a good catch/tag to get a Caught Stealing. As a catcher's dad, it pains me to score stolen base when:
- SS isn't there on time on a beautiful on time throw down (and then you also give the C an error when the ball bounces into center field and the runner goes to third (yes, very annoyed by this!))
- SS drops the ball or misses the tag
- runners at first and third and no attempt is made the runner advancing to 2nd after the pitch
- runner happens to take off on a really slow change up
But those are all Stolen Bases.
You can use Caught Stealing with Error, but IMO that has to be VERY clear that the ball was there and only by the ball getting dropped during the tag was the runner safe.