Stolen base credited?

[Astees]

The following happens often in our 12U fastpitch games: there is a runner on third and the batter is walked, doesn't hesitate at first and runs to second without an attempted throw out to second by the catcher, who is trying to hold the runner at third. Is the batter/runner credited with a stolen base, which would obviously count against the catcher? Or is this defensive indifference?

[FTMSupport]

We would assume it is similar to the 1st + 3rd situation on a pitch... according to MLB rules, a non-throw to second is still a stolen base because it is a defensive maneuver to prevent the run on third from scoring so you can not take away the stolen base from the runner. Defensive indifference could potentially be used if the fielding team was up by a very large number of runs and they are truly just focusing on the batter and don't care about the on base runners at all, but if the reason for not throwing to second is to prevent the runner on third from scoring, it is still a stolen base.

Here is a link to offiicial MLB scorekeeping rules describing the scenario:

Look on this page:

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/of ... rer_10.jsp

at rule 10.07(g) and the specific example they give:

. For example, with runners on first and third bases, the official scorer should ordinarily credit a stolen base when the runner on first advances to second, if, in the scorer’s judgment, the defensive team had a legitimate strategic motive—namely, preventing the runner on third base from scoring on the throw to second base—not to contest the runner’s advance to second base