In today’s episode I’ll start with fielding. It’s a good place to start as it has the fewest data elements.
TLDR;
Broadly speaking the fielding stat is a measure of how successful a fielder is. The stat is calculated by dividing successes by opportunities. It is expressed as an integer anywhere from 0 to 1000, where 1000 is perfection and 0 is a suggestion to find a new activity.
What are successes and opportunities? In baseball fielding parlance, successes are putouts and assists. Opportunities are successes plus errors.
For those with spreadsheet familiarity, this formula may be helpful
ROUND((A1+B1)/(A1+B1+C1)*1000,0)
where
A1 is the tally of putouts;
B1 is the tally of assists; and
C1 is the tally of errors.
Details, details
So what are putouts, assists and errors? Examples are easiest.
Putouts include fly balls and line drives successfully caught, a fielder picking up a batted ball and either tagging a runner or stepping on the bag in a force situation. Catchers get a putout for strike outs if the batter is out at the plate – including caught foul tips on the third strike and dropped third strikes when the catcher tags the runner for the out. A very common putout is recorded for the first baseman when they catch a thrown ball with a foot on the base before the batter/runner reaches the base, steps on the base with control of the ball before the runner arrives or tags the runner before the runner arrives at the base. These situations apply at the other bases and at home plate as well.
An assist is recorded for every player contributing to a play creating an opportunity for a team mate to record a putout, even if the putout is not recorded. The most common example is when a fielder stops a fair, batted ball and throws to a team mate at a base to attempt a putout. If the ball is hit to the outfield and the ball is relayed to the base with a likelihood of securing an out, both the original fielder and the relay fielder get an assist. Picking up a batted ball and returning it to the infield with no possibility of an out does not warrant an assist. In a run down play every player who handles the ball gets an assist. Perhaps surprisingly, even a player who inadvertently deflects a ball to another fielder, who then has a chance to complete an out can be awarded an assist.
In a double play, one player can get a putout and assist. Take a routine 6-4-3 double play (though nothing in the lower grades is ever truly routine). 6-4-3 is shorthand for a batted ball picked up by the shortstop (6) who throws to the second baseman (4), who touches the base before a runner from first arrives, and who then throws to the first baseman (3) to complete the second out. Shortstop gets an assist for the first out. The second baseman get a putout for the first out and an assist for the second out. The first baseman gets a putout for the second out.
A double play is never assumed. This means a mistake after the first out is recorded that doesn’t allow runner to take an extra base is not considered an error. In the 6-4-3 potential situation, if the second baseman is slow to throw, throws wide to draw the first baseman away from the bag and eliminate the opportunity to get the second out or the first baseman drops the thrown ball no error is charged, unless this allows the runner involved or other runners to advance one or more extra bases, including reaching home to score a run.
An error is charged when a player, who has an opportunity to help record an out, fails to do so. Also considered an error is a wild throw even when no out is likely if it allows a runner to advance one or more bases. The most common errors are muffed fly (including foul fly), wide throws to a base and dropped ball in a tag or force situation. Plays where failure is beyond the control of the fielder are not considered errors. The decision to charge an error is qualified by “reasonable effort”. What is considered reasonable effort in the major leagues is perhaps a little different to the standard expected in park ball. We do not have billiard table smooth playing surfaces or a new ball after every hit or scuff. It is a subjective assessment by the scorer. A bone of contention sometimes exists on a thrown ball that skips to the base fielder. My basic rule of thumb is if it bounces it’s the thrower’s fault.
Wild pitches and passed balls are exceptions to these classifications. Neither are considered errors. They are used when assessing the success of pitchers and catchers but are not considered in fielding stats.
Questions / Clarifications
I’m happy to take questions about this topic. Also happy to receive suggestions to improve the descriptions here.
Also, give me some feedback if you want me to have a go at explaining batting or pitching stats. That assumes anyone has stayed awake long enough to read this far.
