Another scoring question...

[mprusak]

Just echoing what others have said...try to avoid indifference.

Example, runners on first and third and runner from first steals. The defensive team chooses not to throw down to second. That is not indifference. They aren't indifferent, they would prefer the runner was still at first. However, they made a strategic decision to not throw in order to keep runner at third. Score SB for runner from first.

[CSThunderCoach]

I beg to differ.
Defensive Indifference is a situation when the defense is unconcerned about preventing a runner from advancing. Not what they prefer would happen. Every team would prefer that runners not try and advance, but if they make no attempt to prevent it how can you credit a SB. Is it really stealing if they are giving the base away?

In the 1st and 3rd scenario the defense is concerned about R3 staying at 3rd, not with R1 staying at 1st. This is a common scenario in Softball and it is a stat we track. I don't want to ding my catcher with a SB Against if I have no intention of trying to throw the runner out.

[team mom]

In the situation you just described ( no throw because of runner on 3b). The rules clearly state the correct scoring is SB. It has benn referenced here before in the Forum. I will try to post the rule when I am I front of a computer. May not seem fair to the catcher but that is the rule.

[mprusak]

Softball may be different, but MLB rules lay this out pretty clearly, even citing the example I used. Strategic reasoning is not equal to indifference.

(g) The official scorer shall not score a stolen base when a runner advances solely because of the defensive team's indifference to the runner’s advance. The official scorer shall score such a play as a fielder's choice.
Rule 10.07(g) Comment: The scorer shall consider, in judging whether the defensive team has been indifferent to a runner’s advance, the totality of the circumstances, including the inning and score of the game, whether the defensive team had held the runner on base, whether the pitcher had made any pickoff attempts on that runner before the runner’s advance, whether the fielder ordinarily expected to cover the base to which the runner advanced made a move to cover such base, whether the defensive team had a legitimate strategic motive to not contest the runner’s advance or whether the defensive team might be trying impermissibly to deny the runner credit for a stolen base. 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. The official scorer may conclude that the defensive team is impermissibly trying to deny a runner credit for a stolen base if, for example, the defensive team fails to defend the advance of a runner approaching a league or career record or a league statistical

[team mom]

softball has essentially the same rule.

[Rosborn]

You're right on baseball, but softball when there is no lead and they go on the pitch it's harder. The DI call, I've seen at the Rockies' game when ahead by 3 runs and two strikes on batter, runners on first and third, they just let the runner advance, they knew, only the batter scoring could hurt them, the two runners couldn't. In softball it's a call from the bench and if they make no effort, not even fake a throw it's obvious they are indifference to the runner on first going to second. Especially with two out and all they care about is the batter…

[Rosborn]

i think if you're indifferent (don't care and are letting them advance) it's a DI.
you are indifferent to them advancing... careless allowing it to happty, disregardinbg the runners speed, size and % of sucess of stealing..

I found this online:
Defensive indifference is exactly what it connotes: a situation when a team was unconcerned about preventing the runner from advancing.

It's like some softball teams, down three runs, still sacrifice bunt is stupiod... to play for one run when you're down three, late in game. same as trying to prevent a runner from advancing when their run is meaningless, don't take the chance of giving a run away or causing an error, just GET THE OUT... Game over. Be indifferent, but don't reward the runner (maybe even a slow one) or hurt your catcher in the stats..

[Rosborn]

i think if you're indifferent (don't care and are letting them advance) it's a DI.
you are indifferent to them advancing... careless allowing it to happty, disregardinbg the runners speed, size and % of sucess of stealing..

I found this online:
Defensive indifference is exactly what it connotes: a situation when a team was unconcerned about preventing the runner from advancing.

It's like some softball teams, down three runs, still sacrifice bunt is stupiod... to play for one run when you're down three, late in game. same as trying to prevent a runner from advancing when their run is meaningless, don't take the chance of giving a run away or causing an error, just GET THE OUT... Game over. Be indifferent, but don't reward the runner (maybe even a slow one) or hurt your catcher in the stats..

[mprusak]

Again, I can't speak to softball and am not attempting to. However, what you are describing is different and a plausible situation for indifference. If a team is up 3 in the final inning and it's first and third, then you truly may be indifferent to the runner on first, because his run means nothing. Again, the MLB rules speak to taking into account the totality of the situation which is important. So your Rockies example would be, the other example may not be (probably need more info) following MLB rules.

[Rosborn]

Thanks, it's all good and healthy