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two stolen bases or one stolen base with one base advance

Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 4:47 pm
by brentwalker
Ok, runners on first and second.

Pitch thrown, runner at second attempts a steal of third and is safe. Ball is thrown to third.
Runner on First advances to second.

Question, is this a double steal and when advancing runners you would select stolen base for both runners OR would you chose stolen base for runner from second and then runner from first moved to 2nd on the throw?

Re: two stolen bases or one stolen base with one base advance

Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 6:59 pm
by danmcc
JMO, it would be a scorers judgement call. If it appeared to be a double steal score it hat way, but if the runner on first delayed then on the throw.

Re: two stolen bases or one stolen base with one base advance

Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 7:00 pm
by PetroGuy
I usually consider this a double steal unless there is an error on the throw (or one of the runners is caught stealing). R1 probably advances at the same time as R2 and thus is just as much at risk from the defense. If R1 waits until R2 is safe or near safe at 3rd, then R1 is even more at risk, so it is still a steal in my book.

Re: two stolen bases or one stolen base with one base advance

Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 2:03 am
by OhioTex
In the case of the double steal and one gets caught....How do you score the runner at first advancement, if the runner at second was caught stealing at third? Stolen base or on the throw or other?

Re: two stolen bases or one stolen base with one base advance

Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 3:55 am
by PetroGuy
MLB rules just say the runner not put out is not credited with a stolen base. I just score it as 'On the throw'.

Re: two stolen bases or one stolen base with one base advance

Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 5:24 am
by OhioTex
thanks!

Re: two stolen bases or one stolen base with one base advance

Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 7:35 am
by brentwalker
PetroGuy wrote:MLB rules just say the runner not put out is not credited with a stolen base. I just score it as 'On the throw'.
I'm not sure I understand this comment. So the runner not put out does not get the steal? So if I'm reading this right no one gets a steal unless they are put out? Sounds strange to me.

For me, the lead runner is taking all the risk, as in most cases the throw will follow the lead runner and the trailing runner gets a leisurely advancement (to me thats, "on the throw". This is similar to a ball hit to the outfield with runners at 1st, 2nd. The outfield will usually try to throw the advancing runner out at third or home and the trailing runner usually gets an advancement "on the throw".

I guess the rule is not black and white and is in the scorers judgment.

thanks,
brent

Re: two stolen bases or one stolen base with one base advance

Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 8:12 am
by OhioTex
Brent i think you misunderstood petro post. his post made sense to me., now you made me go look it up.. (see below)

It is exactly what i understood PetroGuy's post to mean. .

makes sense to me, just last night i was having a senior moment and was not 100% sure what the ruling was. thanks petro. . if both make it both get the steal, if the lead runner is out, the second runner does not get the steal, just advances on the throw,

MLB 10.07

10.07 Stolen Bases And Caught Stealing
The official scorer shall credit a stolen base to a runner whenever the runner advances one base unaided by a hit, a putout, an error, a force-out, a fielder's choice, a passed ball, a wild pitch or a balk, subject to the following:
....
(d) When a double- or triple-steal is attempted and one runner is thrown out before reaching and holding the base such runner is attempting to steal, no other runner shall be credited with a stolen base.

Re: two stolen bases or one stolen base with one base advance

Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 8:16 am
by danmcc
So the interpretation is that the throw to third is a fielders choice of the two steal attempts, therefore the runner to second is advance on the throw?

Re: two stolen bases or one stolen base with one base advance

Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 9:26 am
by PetroGuy
danmcc wrote:So the interpretation is that the throw to third is a fielders choice of the two steal attempts, therefore the runner to second is advance on the throw?
If the runner going to third is put out, then yes, I guess it is a fielder's choice.