What exactly is a hit?

I am admittedly baffled. I do the books for our TB team as I have always been considered a better than average statistician for this sport. So am I crazy or am I right but being made crazy?

Short little blurb appeared in the paper about a recent high school game I had attended. Non-conference game, little impact as far as conference standings go and admittedly a rather dull game. And, I admit it, I am a stat addict, so even when I go to a game I have my book out (yes sad).

After reading this little blurb I could not help but wonder - did the reporter of this game go to the same game I did? Or have I been doing stats wrong all along?

For instance, one player was reported as having three hits in the game. Here is what I show for that particular batter and their 5 at bats.

AB1: Hit to SS, cleanly fielded and thrown to 1st reaching base long before runner. HOWEVER, 1B did not have her foot on the base, and turned 3B trying to get lead runner. Player at 1B called safe by ump. My call RE3. Reported as: hit.

AB2: Pop up to 3B, fielded cleanly. Player called out. My call: FO5. Reported as: out.

AB3: Clean hit through 5/6 hole, fielded by 9. Player reaches 1B safely. My call: G9, Single. Reported as: hit.

AB4: Player hits a line drive past 1B, straight into glove of 7. My call: LO7. Reported as: out.

AB5: Player hits grounder to SS. Fielded cleanly by SS, SS turns 2 to get lead runner, 2 turns 1 in attempt to get out batter. Batter reaches base safely. My call: FC6. Reported as: hit.

So, when is a hit a hit? When is a hit not a hit? And do I need to go back to stats school?

Opinions appreciated.

 

sounds like to me

I would have the same ill advised stats going as you do, lol. seems to me you made the right calls. I understand sometimes things are iffy on tough defensive play they 'almost" reeled in. But these sound routine.

 

Check the book

I was told by DD's pitching coach that I should keep her stats because even if the school team does keep them, they are not likely to be done properly. I have not been keeping them nor do I want to be one of those parents that hovers and gets freaked out about stats. I went to the NCAA site and read over the rules of things that I was not absoutley sure about. I always thought that if a fielders glove touched the ball and the play wasn't made, it was an error. I learned that if an "extraordinary" effort was made, even if they dropped it out of their glove, say a dive in the outfield, that it was not an error but a hit. It's all about "what should have happened", if a catch, throw or whatever, "should have happened with ordinary effort" than it is an error if it didn't happen. As far as I can tell, you were right with your scoring and they were probably related to the player, lol. Check the book:

http://www.ncaa.org/library/rules/2007/2007_softball_rules.pdf

 

you should be teaching.....

......in scorekeepers school!! Whoever did the reporting for that game, has never been to a game. You are right on with you stats. And if you ever need a job keepnig the books, give me a call.

 

stat book illiterate

Guess that happens everywhere, in recent game I mentally kept track of K's our pitcher was racking up and when she was relieved I had come up with 7. To double check I walked over to her dad who was keeping book on the game and he confirmed 7. Of course when paper came out it had her listed for 6k's. No big deal just makes you wonder who is keeping up with things in the dugout. In same game, daughter went 3-4 (i think) and the paper reported it as 2-4, but one of the hits was a big question mark for me, not knowing how it should be recorded. So I went over once again during the game and got told by two knowledgable people that it was a hit. We had a runner on first, a linedrive easily moved the runner to second and the hitter reached first and rounded the base, seeing the runner on second had been given the "go" for third, the hitter continued on to second. The attempt to reach third was thrown out which ended the inning......hit or no hit?

 

Scorebooks=Fiction!!

I would have to say that 50% of most TB scorebooks and 95% of HS scorebooks are pure fiction. This is why IMO, most college coaches pay little attention to HS stats. There are of course exceptions, but most of the time these scorebooks are someone's best guess.

As for what is reported to the paper, most of the time the HS school coach calls the stats in later after the game. And the stats are in the scorebook.

What even bothers me more is when you have a player who is worried about her stats. Years ago I had a player slide safely into third after ball hit to right field where the right fielder dove and the ball just tipped her glove. When my player was dusting herself off at 3rd, she asked if she would be given a hit on the play, I said tell you what, why don't you take a few minutes to think about it on the bench and let me know what you decide. I took her out of the game and when it was time to go back in the field, the young lady told me it really didn't matter if it was a hit or not. Lesson learned! (Dad wasn't too happy, but he too learned the lesson!).

 

Me and Windmllr were talking about....

....this very thing tonight. To me, a scorekeeper must have knowledge first but then be consistent! All of your examples need no reply as to whether they were hits or not. We all no the answer. Heres my take on scoring......lets say kid 1 spanks a line drive in the 5/6 hole that the SS diving attempt results in a kick off her glove, Basehit. Now lets use the same scenario, and the ball kicks off the SS glove and the 3b picks it up and gets the batter out. Well, out! Sucks don't it. Now, IF I'm keeping the book, and the same kid who roped one that is fielded for an out, like the ss/3b example above, I'll probably be a little more lenient towards that batter the next time there comes a questionable call. Just as I would the other way if a kid dropped a blooper behind the mound that 1b, 2b ,ss, P, 3b, let fall for a hit. Thats a hit period. Should it be? No. But it is. Be consistent with the book and in the long run, stats will even out. JMO

 

half

so when you see posted batting avg's for HS players, can you assume take about 50% as the actual average. just sayin'.............
the way that pitchers dominate in HS ball, true .300 hitters are probably rare much less .400 or higher??

 

In general.....

...pitchers do contol the game, but hitters have caught up! Maybe you should come to a real game in TB and see the difference. ......ASA is not lowering the bat specifications because they are all pitchers dads! The game has changed, 5 yrs ago no one was interested with slapping from the left. Here we go!!!!....name me one DOMINATE pitcher who controls every team. ok, ok, without a doubt there are studs in NC, Leonard, etc. but, for the most part, hitters rock their ass! Just look in your area East. Can you name ONE pitcher who overwhelms batters? This is in no way to be offensive at all towards the AWESOME pitchers we have around here, but they don't dominate anymore pal! ......

 

Gotta agree.....hitting has improved dramatically. Some of the pitchers who seemed incredible a few years ago would struggle now. JMHO