Is tihs a double (Mets vs. Mariners)

[Josh W]

Mets have runners on 1st and 2nd w/ 2 outs.

Batter lines the ball down the left field line. The batter will be able to cruise into second. The runner from second rounds third and starts to coast into home.

The throw comes in from left field to THIRD base, and the runner from first gets thrown out. Not only that, but he gets thrown out before the runner from second crosses home, so no run scores.

Is it just up to the official scorer if the batter gets credit for a single or double?

The reason I ask is...if he gets a double, how often does a double with two runners on yield zero runs? Kinda interesting, I thought...

Josh

[Vince Young]

It's a single.

[Josh W]

Does a double assume that each baserunner safely advances two bases?

I ask because, imagine runners on 2nd and 3rd, less than two outs. High, deep fly ball, outfielder's back to the wall. Runners tag to see if caught.

it's not caught, and the ball gets back in quickly so the runner from second only gets to third, but the batter gets to second.

Would that be a double? (if the answer to my first question is "yes", then this can't be a double).

I don't know why I wonder about these things.

Josh

[jedi]

[ QUOTE ]

Batter lines the ball down the left field line. The batter will be able to cruise into second.

[/ QUOTE ]

Did he actually make it to 2nd base? If so, it's a double, but it sounds like he didn't make it there. I call it a single.

[andyfox]

I've seen doubles where the guy on second only ended up on third base; it was the situation you describe, he tagged up.

In the original situation you posited, I'm pretty sure the official scorer would only give the batter a single.

The scoring I don't like is when the game is tied in the bottom of the 9th and there's nobody out and the outfield is playing shallow and he batter hits the ball off the wall on a fly. They only give him a single because he only gets one RBI. (Yet if he hits it over the fence, he gets four RBIs.) Even if it bounces over the fence, they only give him a single (I think) and one RBI.

[Benholio]

While we're on scoring pet-peeves, how about the starting pitcher not being eligible for a win if he doesn't last 5 innings? I mean, sure, don't automatically give him the win like you would if he pitched 5+, but leave him eligible to be chosen by the scorer as the most effective and awarded the win.

It sucks when a SP gets yanked in the 5th after pitching well (injury, pitch count, rainout, etc), and some guy who pitches to 2 or 3 batters gets awarded the win.