Fielder's choice
Encyclopedia
In baseball
, fielder's choice (abbreviated FC) is a term used to refer to a variety of plays involving an offensive player reaching a base due to the defense's attempt to put out
another baserunner, or the defensive team's indifference to his advance. Fielder's choice is not called by the umpires
on the field of play
; rather, it is recorded by the official scorer
to account for the offensive player's advance without crediting him with an offensive statistic such as a hit
or stolen base
.
Though there are several definitions of fielder's choice, the most common (and the only one commonly referred to as FC) involves a fielder
fielding a fair ball
and, though he has a clear opportunity to throw out
the batter-runner at first base in the official scorer's judgment, chooses to try to put out another baserunner, thereby allowing the batter-runner to safely reach first base. Other plays that fall under the definition of FC are usually referred to using other terms such as defensive indifference or on the throw.
).
Rule 2 also defines FC as any of the following circumstances:
An error
committed by the defensive team on any of the above plays would require the official scorer
to make a judgment call as to whether an error or FC should be recorded.
; however, his turn at the plate is recorded as an at bat
and plate appearance
. Therefore, a player's batting average
and on-base percentage decreases as a result of reaching first base via fielder's choice. This negative effect on the batter's statistics is justified by the fact that, although he has reached base safely, his team's position has worsened; it has incurred an out without advancing or scoring a runner.
A batter who reaches first base safely but advances on the same play as the result of fielder's choice is credited with a hit for the number of bases he would have reached safely with no other runners on base, and is said to have taken the additional base(s) on the throw.
A baserunner who makes an undefended steal is not credited with a stolen base
, but his advance is accounted for as defensive indifference.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, fielder's choice (abbreviated FC) is a term used to refer to a variety of plays involving an offensive player reaching a base due to the defense's attempt to put out
Out (baseball)
In baseball, an out occurs when the defensive, or fielding, team effects any of a number of different events, and the umpire rules a batter or baserunner out. When a player is called out, he is said to be retired...
another baserunner, or the defensive team's indifference to his advance. Fielder's choice is not called by the umpires
Umpire (baseball)
In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and handling the disciplinary actions. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump...
on the field of play
Baseball field
A baseball field, also called a ball field or a baseball diamond, is the field upon which the game of baseball is played. The terms "baseball field" and "ball field" are also often used as synonyms for ballpark.-Specifications:...
; rather, it is recorded by the official scorer
Official scorer
In the game of baseball, the official scorer is a person appointed by the league to record the events on the field, and to send the official scoring record of the game back to the league offices...
to account for the offensive player's advance without crediting him with an offensive statistic such as a hit
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
or stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
.
Though there are several definitions of fielder's choice, the most common (and the only one commonly referred to as FC) involves a fielder
Baseball positions
There are 9 fielding positions in baseball. Each position conventionally has an associated number which is used to score putouts...
fielding a fair ball
Fair ball
In baseball, a fair ball is a batted ball that entitles the batter to attempt to reach first base. In order for a batted ball to be fair, it must be hit in such a way that it:...
and, though he has a clear opportunity to throw out
Out (baseball)
In baseball, an out occurs when the defensive, or fielding, team effects any of a number of different events, and the umpire rules a batter or baserunner out. When a player is called out, he is said to be retired...
the batter-runner at first base in the official scorer's judgment, chooses to try to put out another baserunner, thereby allowing the batter-runner to safely reach first base. Other plays that fall under the definition of FC are usually referred to using other terms such as defensive indifference or on the throw.
Definition
Fielder's choice is defined in MLB Rule 2, "Definitions", as "the act of a fielder who handles a fair grounder and, instead of throwing to first base to put out the batter-runner, throws to another base in an attempt to put out a preceding runner." FC is recorded for the batter-runner if he reaches first base safely regardless of whether the attempt to put out the other runner(s) is successful. If the other runner is successfully put out for the third out, FC is recorded for the batter-runner regardless of whether he had already reached first base (commonly called grounding into a force playForce play
In baseball, a force is a situation when a baserunner is compelled to vacate his time-of-pitch base—and thus try to advance to the next base—because the batter became a runner. A runner at first base is always forced to attempt to advance to second base when the batter becomes a runner...
).
Rule 2 also defines FC as any of the following circumstances:
- When a batter accomplishes a hitHit (baseball)In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
but is able to safely reach an extra base because of the defense's attempt to put out another baserunner (e.g., one running towards home plate). Often called on the throw. - When a runner already on base safely reaches another base due to a fielder's attempt to put out another runner, unless his advance can be categorized as a stolen baseStolen baseIn baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
. Also referred to as on the throw.
An error
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
committed by the defensive team on any of the above plays would require the official scorer
Official scorer
In the game of baseball, the official scorer is a person appointed by the league to record the events on the field, and to send the official scoring record of the game back to the league offices...
to make a judgment call as to whether an error or FC should be recorded.
Impact on statistics
A batter who reaches first base safely as the result of a fielder's choice is not credited with a hit or a time on baseTimes on base
In baseball statistics, the term times on base, also abbreviated as TOB, is the cumulative total number of times a batter has been awarded for reaching base as a result of hits, walks and hit by pitches. This stat does not include times reaching first by way of error, dropped 3rd strike, fielders...
; however, his turn at the plate is recorded as an at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
and plate appearance
Plate appearance
In baseball statistics, a player is credited with a plate appearance each time he completes a turn batting. A player completes a turn batting when: He strikes out or is declared out before reaching first base; or He reaches first base safely or is awarded first base ; or He hits a fair ball which...
. Therefore, a player's batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
and on-base percentage decreases as a result of reaching first base via fielder's choice. This negative effect on the batter's statistics is justified by the fact that, although he has reached base safely, his team's position has worsened; it has incurred an out without advancing or scoring a runner.
A batter who reaches first base safely but advances on the same play as the result of fielder's choice is credited with a hit for the number of bases he would have reached safely with no other runners on base, and is said to have taken the additional base(s) on the throw.
A baserunner who makes an undefended steal is not credited with a stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
, but his advance is accounted for as defensive indifference.
Examples of fielder's choice situations
- With a runner on first base, the batter hits a ground ball directly to the shortstopShortstopShortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
. Although he could easily throw the batter-runner out at first base, the shortstop chooses to throw to the second basemanSecond basemanSecond base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
who is covering second base, in an attempt to force out the runner advancing from first. Meanwhile, the batter-runner reaches first base safely.- This play is commonly referred to as "grounding into a force out". Fielder's choice is recorded for the batter-runner (6-4Baseball positionsThere are 9 fielding positions in baseball. Each position conventionally has an associated number which is used to score putouts...
or 6-4-3, depending on whether an attempt was made to put him out), and he is not credited with a hitHit (baseball)In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
. - A 6-4 FC would be recorded if the preceding runner is put out for the third out, regardless of where the batter-runner is on the basepaths when this occurs.
- This play is commonly referred to as "grounding into a force out". Fielder's choice is recorded for the batter-runner (6-4
- With a runner on second base, the batter sends a base hit to the outfieldOutfieldThe outfield is a sporting term used in cricket and baseball to refer to the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield...
. The outfielder, playing shallow in anticipation of such a hit, throws to home plateHome PlateHome Plate is the fifth album by Bonnie Raitt, released in 1975 .-Track listing:#"What Do You Want the Boy to Do?" – 3:19#"Good Enough" – 2:56#"Run Like a Thief" – 3:02...
in an attempt to put out the runner trying to score. The batter-runner may decide to advance to second base since he can see that there will not be a play there. This play is scored as a singleSingle (baseball)In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
for the batter-runner regardless of the outcome of the attempt to put out the runner trying to score. The term on the throw is often used to describe the outcome of any plays in this situation.- If the batter-runner safely reaches second base regardless of the outcome at home plate, his single still stands, but he is said to have taken second on the throw, or on fielder's choice.
- If the batter-runner is thrown out at second base regardless of the outcome at home plate, he is still credited with a single, since the put out was a consequence of his attempt to take second on the throw.
- If the runner attempting to score is put out, he is said to be out at home plateHome PlateHome Plate is the fifth album by Bonnie Raitt, released in 1975 .-Track listing:#"What Do You Want the Boy to Do?" – 3:19#"Good Enough" – 2:56#"Run Like a Thief" – 3:02...
on the throw. If he is put out for the third out, no advance on the throw is recorded for the batter-runner, and the batter-runner is left on baseLeft on baseIn baseball, a baserunner is said to be left on base when the half-inning ends, he has not scored, and he has not been put out. This is to include a batter-runner who has hit into a fielder's choice, causing another runner to be put out as the 3rd out...
since he is credited with a single.
- With a runner on first base, the batter hits a ground ball back up the middle. The shortstop dives for the ball and saves it from going into center field. Realizing he has no time to throw out the batter-runner at first base, the shortstop tosses the ball to the second baseman covering second base in an attempt to force out the runner coming from first. However, the throw is not in time, and both runners are safe. Assuming the official scorer agrees the shortstop could not have thrown the batter-runner out at first with ordinary effort, this play will be scored as a base hit and not FC.