Fielder's Choice

[mgirtz]

Is a fielder's choice scored as an out against the hitter?

[FTMSupport]

A Fielder's Choice is scored as a Fielder's Choice against the hitter. It is not a Hit. If you are asking how it effects batting average, it is the same as reaching on error or an out (i.e. it is a negative for batting average). With a Fielder's Choice you are saying that if there was not a runner on base, the fielder would have thrown the batter out at first.

[jimmiepens]

Why are Fielders Choices not counting as a successful reach of base? This should be considered a plus to the on base percentage and currently, it is not being scored that way in the stats.

Thanks,
Coach Jim

[team mom]

iscore follows the MLB stats calcuations for fielder's choice. Many times the batter would have been out had there not been another runner on base that was forced out. Even if there would have been no play at first, if a preceding runner is forced out, the batter is awarded a fielder's choice, not a hit.

Offense: Fielder's Choice (NFCA Homeplate: ATEC: Beyond The Basics of Scoring Fastpitch Softball)
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Credit a fielder's choice
1. when a ball is put in play where a preceding runner is forced out on the hit, or
would have been forced out had no error occurred,
2. when a ball is put in play where a preceding runner who is forced to advance, is
called out on an appeal for missing the first base she was to advance to,
3 when a ball is put in play where a play is made on any lead runner and an out
occurs, or an out would have occurred had no error taken place, or the runner is
safe, but the batter would have been out had the initial play been made at first,
4. when a runner is checked and no throw is made (a mere checking of a lead
runner, or faking a throw does not constitute a play, unless no throw is made, but
when a check is followed by a throw and the hitter is safe, credit a hit),
5. when after reaching any base safely, a batter earns extra bases because of a
play on a preceding runner (not scored as as a part of the original base or extra
base hit),
6. when other runners advance while the catcher makes a play on the batter on a
dropped third strike,
7. when a base is gained by a runner who is allowed to advance because of
indifference (this does not necessarily apply in a first and third situation), and
8. when a fielder makes a play on a base she thought a runner was going to, but
was wrong,

[jimmiepens]

Team Mom,
I understand that a FC is not a hit, but it is a successful attempt at reaching base and thus should be counted positively towards on base percentage. If I go 0-3 with 3 FCs, my BA is .000 but my OBP is 1.000

iScore currently scores it as an unsuccessful attempt at reaching base.

[team mom]

This negative effect on the batter's statistics is justified by the fact that, although he has reached base safely, his team's position has worsened; it has incurred an out without advancing or scoring a runner.

Again, these are MLB rules. If you wish to create your own on-base percentage that includes FC, ROE and other negative statistics, you can download to an excel spreadsheet and track that separately.

[jimmiepens]

Thanks, I actually did not know the rule in its entirety. I have always thought OBA was anytime a players reaches base...did not know errors and FCs were excluded.