What Is Fielders Choice In Baseball?

Fielders Choice in baseball is when the defense decides to allow the batter to reach first base even though there could have been an out.

Definition of Fielder’s Choice

The term “fielder’s choice” is used to describe a play in baseball where the fielder makes a decision on which base to throw the ball, depending on the situation.

For example, if there are runners on first and second base and the batter hits the ball to the shortstop, the shortstop will make a decision on which base to throw the ball to. If he throws to third base, it is called a “fielder’s choice.”

There are no definitive rules on how a fielder must make his decision, but typically, fielders will make the choice based on who they think is the most likely to be safe.

For example, if there is a runner on first base and a slower runner on second base, the fielder may choose to throw to first base in an attempt to get the out.

Fielder’s choice plays can be tricky for scorekeepers because it is not always clear what the fielder’s intentions were. For this reason, some scorekeepers will simply not credit any player with an RBI (run batted in) on a fielder’s choice play.

How Fielder’s Choice Is Scored

In baseball, fielder’s choice is a situation when the batter reaches first base on a fielder’s error, and another baserunner is put out due to the fielder’s attempted play. Fielder’s choice can also refer to a batter who safely reaches first base due to the defensive team’s obstruction of a runner.

In order to score a fielder’s choice, the official scorer must first determine whether the batter would have been safe at first base had the fielder not made an error. If the answer is yes, then the play is scored as a hit. If the answer is no, then the play is scored as an out.

The next thing the scorer must determine is whether another baserunner was put out due to the fielder’s attempted play. If so, then that baserunner is also ruled out on the play. If not, then no other baserunners are affected by the fielder’s choice.

Once these two factors have been determined, the official scorer can record the play accordingly. For example, if a batter reaches first base on a fielder’s error, and another baserunner is thrown out at second base due to the fielders attempt to throw him out, then the play would be scored as follows: “Batter reaches first on fielding error by shortstop, out at second,” with “FC” being notation for “fielder’s choice.”

It should be noted that in order for a play to be scored as a fielder’s choice, it does not necessarily have to involve errors by fielders. A play can still be scored as a fielder’s choice even if all fielding plays were made cleanly.

Fielder’s Choice vs. Error

Fielder’s choice is when the defense chooses to record an out at any base, even if it means the runner advances. This is usually done to prevent the runner from scoring. An error is when the defense makes a mistake that allows the runner to advance.

Fielder’s Choice vs. Hit By Pitch

There is some confusion surrounding the terms “fielder’s choice” and “hit by pitch.” While they are similar, there are some important differences.

Fielder’s choice occurs when the defense makes a play on a batter who is not attempting to steal a base. The batter is out, but the runner(s) advance to the next base. This can happen if the ball is hit to the infield and the defense makes a play on an infielder, or if the ball is hit to the outfield and the defense makes a play on an outfielder.

Hit by pitch occurs when a batter is hit by a pitch while he is batting. The batter is awarded first base, but no runners advance.

Fielder’s Choice vs. Other Situations

Fielder’s choice is a term used in baseball statistics for a situation where the batter reaches first base on a fielder’s choice. This can happen when the fielder tries to make a play on another runner and the batter is safe at first. It can also happen when the defense tries to make a double play and the batter is safe at first.

Fielder’s choice is different from other situations where the batter reaches first base, such as a hit, walk, or error. In those cases, the batter is not credited with a fielder’s choice.

There are two types of fielder’s choices: infield and outfield. Infielder’s choice happens when the defense tries to make a play on another runner and the batter is safe at first. Outfielder’s choice happens when the defense tries to make a double play and the batter is safe at first.

In both cases, the fielder is charged with an error if he makes a mistake that allows a runner to advance.