Wild pitch vs passed ball

[canyonjoe]

People make the comment that a good catcher should be able to block it, but say the do but ball bounces a few feet in from of plate and runner goes to second.

Is that still a PB? Of course it isn't.

Just make WP errors and Pitchers won't care any more.

 

[csuttonthompson]

Ok, my apologies. Any ball in the dirt is a WP. (And my daughter is a catcher.)

I don't think that is true - sometimes that is where it is called. WP is when the pitcher doesn't hit her spot. If the coach calls change up and wants it low "in the dirt" catcher knows - and has to block however it may bounce. Just like if the coach calls inside to back them off the plate and batter doesn't move so she gets hit- that is not a wild pitch either. (I realize that is prob scored differently being hit by pitch, but the point is pitcher hit her spot) There is also far outside pitches where the batter is not supposed to be able to touch the ball with her bat. Unless the rules for scoring indicate that it has to be a strike or it is a wild pitch- which seems incorrect to me. (And yes my daughter is a pitcher and my DH is a head coach)


Any scoring not being done by the coach calling the pitches is going to be a little colored by personal bias -and rather difficult if they don't know what pitch is being called. Game Changer is great and fun to see that stats... that can't be manipulated like on base percentage or Strike rates etc. but as for mama or daddy scorekeeper judging if it is an error or not- take it for what it is.

 

[grcsftbll]

I will call it a wild pitch of its out of the catcher's range or if it's something the catcher couldn't block with reasonable effort. I don't expect diving, flying up from a squat, etc. But if a ball hits the dirt and rolls between the catcher's feet because she didn't use her legs, I call that a passed ball.

 

[MightyMO]

My DD is a pitcher and I normally lean more towards wild pitches but I will say if it's in the dirt and easily blockable then I will record a passed ball.

So much is left to the score keeper you always have to take stats with a grain of salt. I've seen coaches turn to their scorekeeper and tell them to score an error as a hit at the high school level because when it comes time for all conference selections they can tout their players stats. I've also seen scorekeepers daughters have the highest fielding percentage on the team magically because nothing seems to be an error when it gets by their little princess.

 

[nikkilugi]

Many drop balls and change ups will hit the dirt due to the nature of the pitch. The catcher should know they will need to potentially block those balls - just like it is understood that if it is a dropped 3rd strike the catcher can't get to it that is the breaks. That pitch was called and everyone knows the risks of an offspeed or dropping pitch.

I take my turn with game changer and I am pretty much 50/50 on scoring those.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

Ok, my apologies. Any ball in the dirt is a WP. (And my daughter is a catcher.)

What if it's a strike and the ball hits the dirt? Is that a wild pitch?

 

[quincy]

Unless they swing that is hard to do.

 

[smddad]

A pitch in the dirt is a wild pitch. Yes, the catcher should be blocking them. However, they are still wild pitches. A great catcher can really make a pitcher look good.

 

[smddad]

What if it's a strike and the ball hits the dirt? Is that a wild pitch?

Yes. And it's only scored a WP or PB if a runner advances.

 

[CoogansBluff]

Many drop balls and change ups will hit the dirt due to the nature of the pitch. The catcher should know they will need to potentially block those balls - just like it is understood that if it is a dropped 3rd strike the catcher can't get to it that is the breaks. That pitch was called and everyone knows the risks of an offspeed or dropping pitch.

I take my turn with game changer and I am pretty much 50/50 on scoring those.

Which means you are wrong about 50 percent of the time. Technically speaking.

If the scorebook is for the benefit of a particular team and only that team, then scorekeepers should keep score in whatever way they feel helps their team, to help the person for which you're keeping the book. If the infield lets a ball drop because nobody calls it and the coach wants to call that E-6, that's fine. Makes sense. Even though it's against the rules of scorekeeping.

The trouble in that lies in comparing your team's stats to somebody else's. If asked a pitcher's ERA, you could say, ''It's 1.37, but keep in mind that we don't follow the official rules of scoring.''