Pitcher A walks Batter X. Pitcher B comes into the game and gets Batter Y to hit into a force play with X being out and Y on 1st base. Y later scores. Which pitcher gets charged with the run. A or B?
Pitcher B. Once Batter X was out, Pitcher A ceased being the pitcher of record.
Incorrect. Rule 9.16(g) says “When pitchers are changed during an inning, the Official Scorer shall not charge the relief pitcher with any run (earned or unearned) scored by a runner who was on base at the time such relief pitcher entered the game, nor for runs scored by any runner who reaches base on a fielder’s choice that puts out a runner left on base by any preceding pitcher” (bolding mine).
“Rule 9.16(g) Comment: It is the intent of Rule 9.16(g) to charge each pitcher with the number of runners he put on base, rather than with the individual runners.”
I may have been incorrect on the “pitcher of record” bit, but my statement about Pitcher A not being charged for Runner Y is correct.
Then who gets charged with the run? It has to be Pitcher A or B, and the rule says that B isn’t being charged with the runner/run.
Pitcher A gets charged with the run.
You’re right. I misunderstood the question.
Yes, it’s Pitcher A. Fielder’s Choice means that the batter (Y) should have been out but the defense chose to get out Runner X instead. It wouldn’t make sene to charge Pitcher B with the run. Imagine that instead the defense chose to get the batter out (runner Y) and let X get to second - why should that change who gets the run assigned?
@Ponch8 has the exact rule called out above.
There is an example here (9.16 Earned Runs and Runs Allowed - Baseball Rules Academy) that shows it clearly. It’s example (2) under the 9.16(g) comment section).
I thought it was pitcher A. My friend was playing a computer game and thought the computer was wrong when it gave the run to Pitcher A. He thought it should have been Pitcher B. I thought that A was correct.
Now I get to have some fun and tell him that I was right and he was wrong. It’s the little things that make life worth living.
I’d still like to see that rule adjusted, because it gives the impression statistically that the reliever in question was just some innocent schlub who had nothing to do with those runs. I wish they used some sort of table, because there is a significant difference between a runner on 3rd and no out, and one on 1st and 2 outs. C.f.:
Legend: P = Original pitcher, R = Reliever
Outs\Bases
…1…2…3
0…P…P…P
1…R…P…P
2…R…R…P
But I realize this adds needless complexity. Maybe just a blanket rule that anybody on 1st is charged to the reliever, no matter how many outs.
If there are inherited runners and the reliever gives up a HR, it’s clear that R is responsible for the batter and P is responsible for the rest. How does a fielder’s choice change any of that? I don’t think your adjustment is needed.
I’m not concerned with the OP’s scenario here per se, but who deserves blame for the runs, and yes I am also well aware of how the sport has done things for decades now. Tl;dr it isn’t likely to be changed no matter how “unjust” it is if the reliever in question can’t keep that guy at first stranded if he is given just one out to close the deal.
Any inherited runners who score are tracked in a reliever’s stats, as are inherited runners who don’t score. There’s an advanced stat called ‘Inherited Runs Allowed Percentage (IR-A%)’, which is calculated by dividing the inherited runs scored against a pitcher by the total number of runners he has inherited.
A reliever with a high IR-A% won’t be around for long, even if his ERA is low.