2017 SCOREKEEPING TIPS FOR PEARLAND LITTLE LEAGUE

One of the great things about baseball is the fact that you can make your own record of the game you are watching. What seems like idle amusement often becomes a lifetime passion for fans that save the scorecards of games and can open them years later and be able to relive the game.

While many dedicated scorekeepers can cram an amazing amount of detail into those tiny boxes, our goal is far less demanding: Keep it simple, clear and complete

Your task is one of the most important aspects of each game. You are recording what has happened during the game so that we have something to refer to if any questions arise or if the game is suspended and needs to be completed at a later date.

You are NOThere to worry about if it is a hit or an error.

You are NOT here to interpret rules.

You are here to record what happens in the game.

Use a pencil, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. If something has changed on the field that does not match what the book shows as far as pitchers and catchers in pitching leagues please ask the umpires or coaches for a clarification if a change was made. If we don’t ask right then, no one will remember later when you try to reconstruct things.

There is no reason to fear being the scorekeeper.

BASIC TIPS:

FILLING OUT YOU SHEET

Each game needs to be filled on ONE sheet, with the visiting team on the front and the home team on the back. The reason for this is the visiting team will bat first. The reason to use just one sheet is that it allows one page to be the record of that game. If for any reason the sheet is lost, we lose one game. If the front is used for one game and the back for another, you potentially lose two games. PLEASE REMEMBER TO USE THE FRONT AND BACK OF ONE SHEET. If you find that the previous scorekeeper did not follow this, DO NOT compound the problem by filling out the back of a sheet with the visitor. Start a new sheet.

You will be asked to complete several required sections on the score sheet. These include:

  • Names of BOTH teams

Date of the game

  • Names of the players (minimum first and last initial if players have the same name)

Names of the pitchers who appear in the game and total number of pitches thrown – KID Pitch games only

Names of the catchers who appear in the game and total number of pitches thrown – KID Pitch games only

  • Final score of the game

Baseball has a language that makes it easy to record what happens in those tiny boxes. Numbers are assigned to each defensive position on the field:

You will record the lineups for each team from the lineup cards that each manager will provide you. Managers and coaches have been instructed to have the lineups to the scorekeepers no later than 15 minutes prior to the start of the game. If the line-ups are not to you 15 minutes prior to the game – announce over the speaker system that you need the line-ups. Do not let the games start until you have everything written in the score book. If they lose playing time it is the coaches fault not yours. You start the clock when the umpire tells you. WE BAT THE WHOLE LINEUPS AT ALL LEVELS DURING THE REGULAR SEASON; you record the line up as it is written down. The Manager should indicate which players are starting (usually by indicated the positions of those players). KID PITCH LEAGUES must tell you who is pitching and catching. The easiest way to show who started is to circle the positions where they began the game. Whenever replacements come into the game, you need to indicate this by writing the inning in next to the player name and circling it, then recording the position without circling it.

It is VERY important that you record when players enter the game if the coach tells you, so that there is a record of this in case a question arises if a player has played or not. If the coach does not tell you – do not worry about it.

DEFENSIVE PLAYS

Whenever an out is recorded in an inning, indicate by putting a 1, 2 or 3 in a circle in the square that says OUT.

You will use the position numbers to indicate who handled the ball to record an out. For example, if the batter grounds a ball to third (Player 5) who then throws him out at first (Player 3), the play is recorded as a 5-3. If a double play is recorded and more than two players are involved, record them in the order the ball was thrown. If a batter grounds to third (Player 5) who throws to the second baseman (Player 4) for one out and he then throws on to first (Player 3) for the second out, you would record it as 5-4-3. If a player fields a grounder and makes the play himself, you would record his position number. I always add a “U” because this tells me this was a grounded ball, as opposed to a fly ball. NOTE: On throws to second base, be sure to see if it was the shortstop (player 6) or second baseman (player 4).

Fly balls almost always involve just one player, so the simplest thing is to just record the number of the player who caught it. So a fly ball caught by the right fielder is recorded as a 9. If you choose to use the lone number of the player for an unassisted ground ball out, be sure to then add an “F” to fly ball outs (F9), so there is no confusion as to what it was.

In baseball, strikeouts have always been recorded with the letter “K”. This is all you need for our purposes, however some people will add an “S” to show if the third strike was because of a swing (KS) and opposed to looking (K). You do not record these plays as a 1-2 (pitcher threw it, catcher caught it).

If a player is caught stealing, you record it the same way as you would any fielding play, except you record it beginning with the catcher. So if the catcher (Player 2) throws to the shortstop (Player 6) to catch the runner stealing, record it as a CS2-6. The only reason you would record a pitcher for a CS is if he throws the ball to a base to get the out, not first to the catcher.

If there is a rundown (or “pickle”), do your best to record who handled the ball, but just be sure to at least get the number of the player who made the tag.

OFFENSIVE PLAYS

The safest way to approach this is if the ball is hit, it’s a hit. Don’t worry about errors, unless they result in multiple extra bases. This is not to say you can’t charge errors. It’s just not worth you worrying over and perhaps missing something else.

Each player has a box for each potential inning. If he bats in that inning, you MUST account for him. You will see two rows of smaller boxes, the first with three, and the second with two. This is for keeping track of pitches in the pitching leagues. It is a requirement to keep pitches since that is the way pitchers eligibility is now measured.

To the LEFT of those boxes, you will see the 1B, 2B, 3B, and the letters HR. Circle the appropriate one to indicate what type of hit allowed the batter to reach base (1=single, 2=double, 3=triple, HR=home run). Since we award pins for out-of-the-park home runs, please only indicate HR for those balls that are hit out of the park. You will also see the letters BB, HP, SF and FC. Circle BB if a player walks and HP if he is hit by the pitch. SF is to indicate a sacrifice fly. FC is for a fielder’s choice if a player gets someone out besides the batter.

When a player reaches base, first circle the designation mentioned above, then draw a line on the diamond provided to indicate where he was at the conclusion of the play. As he continues to move around, you need to show that movement, and when he scores, color in the completed diamond. If he is thrown out because of a ball hit by another batter, record the fielding play that retired him. So if the runner is thrown out at third (Player 5) by the Pitcher (Player 1), write 1-5 into the space between second and third, so it shows he was retired there.

In all leagues below Majors, there is a 5-run limit in all the innings unless there is an over the fence homerun. This means an inning will end before three outs are recorded. Remember that once the fifth run is scored, no other runs that might score on that same play will count, unless they come as the result of an out-of-the park home run, in which case all the runs count.

PITCHING RECORDS

For those of you keeping score in leagues with pitching, it is ABSOLUTELY important that you keep a record of each pitcher who appears in the game and the TOTAL NUMBER of pitches that they throw in the game.

There is a spot below the roster where you can do this. Simply write in the number of the starting pitcher, and then add the numbers of those who follow him on the following lines. When a pitching change is made during an inning, the easiest way to show this is to draw a line along the top of the box of the first player hitting that the new pitcher will face or you can circle the letters that say PC in the box. I recommend drawing a line – it shows up better.

PITCH COUNT SHEETS

Pitch count sheets are kept by each team in the stands as well as the person running the scoreboard. We do not keep the pitch count sheets when the game is over. They go in the trash when the game is done (UNLESS THE GAME IS PROTESTED OR SUSPENDED). Some coaches like to keep them for their records. The coaches verify the final pitch counts with the umpires on the field and sign the pitch count card which is then input into the website with the score by the home team manager.

CATCHING RECORD

Little league now has a rule where players who catch 4 or more innings are not allowed to pitch in a game at the point they catch their fourth inning. This means that you must keep track of who catches and the number of innings that the player catches. For our purposes – one pitch is considered to equal to 1 inning. Write the name and number of the player who catches and the total number of innings that they catch that day. This is important as teams that violate this rule will forfeit the game if the opposing team protests this rule infraction. You, as a scorekeeper, are not allowed to inform the manager of either team that someone has violated this rule. You are to answer a manager who asks the number of innings that a player has caught.

SCOREBOOKS

Each scorebook will be marked on the outside with the division and what field the games are being played on. Use the scorebook for the field you are on. If one is not in the score booth – then announce for the Director on Duty (DOD) to come up to your score booth and he will get you a book. Do not use a book for another division. Please DO NOT tear out the score sheets in the binders.

POST GAME

When your game is completed, please leave the score book in the booth. There is ONE current score book for each division for each field. The score books are kept in date order; therefore, make sure that the date is clearly written on the scoresheet as well as the time the game was scheduled to start. When the score book is full, inform the director who will get a new one and clearly mark it.

SUSPENDED GAMES

In the event that a game is suspended because of time, or because of weather, it is essential that you record the exact situation at the time the game was halted. This includes the position of any base runners, the count on the batter, and who the pitcher was as well as how much time remains in the game. Both mangers must sign this score sheet, even though the game has not been completed, because your book will be used to resume the game at the same point. Please collect the pitch count sheets from the stands for each team as well as the scorekeeper for suspended games only so that they are available when the game is resumed. This policy is also to be followed for games that are protested – seek guidance from the Director on duty if you are unsure what you need to do for Protest situations.

YOUR ROLE AS A SCOREKEEPER

ITB and Tee Ball Only– The scorekeeper shall inform the manager that a player has batted out of order at the time it occurs. If it is caught after multiple batters have batted – there shall be no penalty and that player shall not have another turn at bat, but shall resume the normal position next time up. Green book rule

Pitching leagues Only – The pitch count recorder must provide the current pitch count for any pitcher when requested by either manager or any umpire. The manager is responsible for knowing when his pitcher must be removed. The announcer should announce the pitch count for each pitcher at the end of each half inning and when the pitcher has reached his pitch count limit. Managers and coaches have been reminded that the scoreboard could have the wrong pitch count and that it is their responsibility to make sure that the pitch count is correct.

Scorekeepers are not to inform the umpire, coaches, or parents if players are about to bat out of turn or have batted out of turn (EXCEPTION IS ITB and TB). If a coach or umpire asks - they can inform them who should be batting according to the score book.

Always watch the entire play until it is over – if you look away you may miss what happened. Score it after the play is complete. Write notes to the side if you have questions and then get some help if needed.

If a player has to leave the game due to injury, ejection, sickness, or other reason – then he is skipped when his turn comes up to bat. Put a note in his box why he did not bat (SKIP-SICK, SKIP-EJECTED, SKIP-INJURY,SKIP-LEFT, ETC) There is no penalty when this occurs. The player may be able to resume playing later in the game unless ejected – that is allowed and he resumes in the same spot in the order.

If a manager protests a game – you treat it like a suspended game – write the situation at the time the game is protested to include pitch counts at the time down for future reference.

If a player is not playing due to injury, absence, or suspension when the game starts – that should be documented in the scorebook. If a player is late to the game he can be added to the bottom of the line-up if he arrives prior to the team’s leadoff hitter batting a second time.

Every member of the Pearland Little League Board of Directors appreciates your time spent as a scorekeeper and is ready to help if you have any questions or problems. There is no wrong question – if unsure, ask. The most important thing is to record the game correctly for everyone involved.

FIRST INNING: John struck out swinging. Josh singled. Josh advanced to second on a wild pitch. Cole doubled, scoring Josh. Brett popped out to short. Brandon ground out short to first.

SECOND INNING: Landon walked. Bryce was hit by a pitch, Landon advanced to second. Trey reached on an error by the second baseman, Landon advanced to third, Bryce to second. Jake singled, Landon and Bryce scored, Trey advanced to third, Jake was thrown out by the centerfielder at second after over-running the base. Pitching change and new catcher. Clay fouled out to the first baseman. Jonathan walked and advanced to second on a steal. Nate struck out looking.

THIRD INNING: Mason struck out swinging. John grounded out third to first. Josh flied out to center.

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