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Base on balls, advance to second (answered)

Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2017 7:35 pm
by jwestland
Got a scoring question.

Cal Ripken, minor league (9-10 year old, no lead offs or steals until ball crosses home plate). Runner on third, less than two outs.

Batter gets ball 4, drops bat, and sprints to first. Instead of stopping, he continues on to second base. Defensive team doesn't throw to second to try to get the runner out, because if they do the runner on third will come home. So at the end of the play, it's second and third, still less than two outs.

What got the batter-runner to second base? Stolen base? Defensive indifference?

Re: Base on balls, advance to second

Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2017 8:34 pm
by OhioTex
If you want to precisely follow Official Rules of Baseball,MLB or NCAA scoring standards- you would score as a stolen base. Because by rule, "defensive indifference" is very limited to only certain narrow conditions in the last inning.

I believe Cal ripken follows OBR except were specifically noted.

In practice, i would just be consistent.

If you are not shareing your stats with any league or org whose rules you need to follow, than just be consistent.

Re: Base on balls, advance to second

Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2017 1:31 pm
by jwestland
Thanks for the reply. I think I have been scoring it a stolen base, and will continue to do so. It really only matters to the coaches, who might use stats at the end of the season for all-star selections. But, I just wanted to be correct as well. Never a dull moment at this age level.

Re: Base on balls, advance to second (answered)

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2017 10:19 am
by OhioTex
This is going to sound odd,i know you are cal ripen baseball, but as a reference point, this is a very common situation and question in fast pitch softball which also plays on 60 foot bases with no lead offs. . in fact NCAA fast pitch rules are even more specific in defining Defensive Indifference than MLB NCAA or High School baseball rule books.
NCAA Softball Rules..
14.2.7 Defensive Indifference: Scoring term to describe the lack of a
defensive play on a runner running the bases after a batted ball, or a base
runner attempting to steal a base after a pitch when the player’s advance is
perceived to have no bearing on which team wins the game.
Note: This can only apply to the bottom half of the last inning.