Sac bunt question

[ixamnis]

Runner on second, no outs, batter lays down a bunt after two strikes (both attempted bunts) , pitcher fields it and throws to third, not in time, but runner from second slides over the base and back off of it, gets up and runs for home to avoid tag by third baseman, catcher tags runner out in the run down. Batter makes it to second safely.

How would you score that?

[PetroGuy]

From your description, I would probably score the batter safe at first on a Sac Bunt. The runner would be marked as tagged out at home (with assists to whoever was in the rundown. The batter would be safe at second On the Throw.

[ixamnis]

This was at a college baseball game by the way, so I was comparing how I scored the game to the official scorekeeper. I had originally given the batter a bunt, but ended up with one more hit than the official scorekeeper.

Official scorekeeper listed it as fielder's choice, sac, bunt, safe at second on the throw. Runner was advanced to third but tagged out at home on a 1-5-2.

On iscore the closest I could get was just what you suggested. Which got the stats to match up.

The question I have is doesn't a fielders choice count against your batting average, but a sac bunt does not?

So is iscore more correct by making you choose between a sac bunt and fielder's choice rather than adding a sac bunt fielder's choice option?

[team mom]

It can't be both a sac bunt and a fielders choice. I think sac bunt is the correct scoring. And you are correct about fielders choice hurting the avg while sac bunt does not.

[ETBill]

MLB ruling is, I think, 10.08(b). To paraphrase, score a sac bunt when there is errorless play and an attempt to put out a previous runner advancing ONE BASE (emphasis mine) fails, unless the scorer determines the batter-runner would have been safe at first with ordinary effort. (If the batter would've been safe, score a hit).

All conditions are (presumably) met...the could've gotten the batter but tried for the out at 3rd. Runner was safe advancing one base (hence my emphasis above) but was subsequently put out going for the second base. The batter advanced to first on a sac bunt and then to second during the play on the other runner. I'd consider that "on the throw" (which is basically a type of fielder's choice, but wouldn't usually be referred to as such. Reference: Rule 2.0, definition of Fielder's Choice, item "a").

The NCAA rule is more ambiguous. It simply says it's a sac if no other runner is put out attempting to advance. It doesn't have the "one base" part in there. One could make an argument either way but I think that SAC is the spirit of the rule.

It may seem weird since if the batter made a normal swing it'd be a FC and count against him, but a bunt is a SAC that doesn't. Remember-a lot of scoring comes down to intent. The SAC was the batter's intent, and he/she is not punished because the defense unsuccessfully attempted the out at third. (Of course, the exception comes on a SAC attempt when the runner beats the throw, in which case you give the benefit of the doubt and score a single).

That's what makes scoring fun...there are absolute rules by which to score, many of which require your opinion!

[OhioTex]

I was reading and thought about.. the loose analogy a player is credited with a double and thrown out trying to stretch to a triple. why not credit with a SAC and thrown out trying to stretch to a double.. hmmm