HS Slapper - Overthrow at 1st a hit or error

[CoachJD]

An overthrow in and of itself doesn't mean it's not a hit (though any advancement of additional bases because of the overthrow are because of an error; you ain't getting credit for a double). If she's beating the throw to the base, it's a hit.

It can also possibly still be a hit even if a perfect throw would have resulted in an out. If the 3B is charging in and has to make a barehanded, off-balance play and the throw is errant, but it just barely beat the runner to the base, that's probably a base hit. If the 3B charges and makes the tough play and throws it away when the runner was only halfway to first? Probably an error.

It's subjective, and it's impossible to give an opinion without seeing the play.

 

[mmeece]

Slappers often have their BA hurt by this. Very often on these plays the correct scoring is a hit with an error if the runner advances to second or beyond, however a lazy or uneducated scorekeeper seeing a bad throw will score only an error 9/10 times.

 

[Strike2]

Slappers often have their BA hurt by this. Very often on these plays the correct scoring is a hit with an error if the runner advances to second or beyond, however a lazy or uneducated scorekeeper seeing a bad throw will score only an error 9/10 times.

Too often, the scorekeeper has never themselves attempted the play they are trying to judge. They don't know the difference between the "routine", the bad hop, the weird spin, or the cannon-shot.

 

[newsoftballdad]

I score that a hit, if I determine that the batter/runner would have beaten the throw. I like when an umpire gives the signal for off the bag, which I take to mean she would have been out if she held the bag.

 

[CoachJD]

I score that a hit, if I determine that the batter/runner would have beaten the throw. I like when an umpire gives the signal for off the bag, which I take to mean she would have been out if she held the bag.

Still, that doesn't mean it's an error. If it took an amazing play to even get to the ball and make a throw at all, pulling the 1B off the bag doesn't mean it's not a hit.

It's all subjective, but I have no doubt plenty of scorekeepers see a bad throw and just mark it down as an error.

 

[nixxy311]

In one of our games, a girl got a in the park HR on all errors and I felt so bad having to score it that way since her parents asked :/

 

[newsoftballdad]

Still, that doesn't mean it's an error. If it took an amazing play to even get to the ball and make a throw at all, pulling the 1B off the bag doesn't mean it's not a hit.

It's all subjective, but I have no doubt plenty of scorekeepers see a bad throw and just mark it down as an error.

True, I TRY to be objective, but it is not always cut and dry. But just because of a bad throw does not make it an automatic error, i agree there.

 

[reagansdaddy]

Scorekeeping can be tough. We get one look at a play and have to make a split second decision because the game keeps moving. Often, the person keeping the book doesn't have a great vantage point to see the game.

I take hit/error decisions very seriously and do my level best to be fair. Sometimes, I do think over a play later and feel that I made a mistake. Over the course of a season, I hope the softball gods take care of those mistakes.

On the play in question, it should be a hit as described with any extra bases taken being a result of the throwing error.