# Baseball: Is the Official Score Keeper Biased? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [July 30, 2022, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-is-the-official-score-keeper-biased/968830 "2022-07-30T14:27:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2022, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-is-the-official-score-keeper-biased/968830/61 "2022-08-06T02:35:57Z")
It does sound rather like in a football game, electing to kick instead of receive on winning the coin toss. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2022, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-is-the-official-score-keeper-biased/968830/62 "2022-08-06T07:54:43Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > It does sound rather like in a football game, electing Except there is an weather related situation where it is rational to do that. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2022, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-is-the-official-score-keeper-biased/968830/63 "2022-08-06T15:37:47Z")
> [@ThatCanadianGuy](#): > > On the other hand, I recall a play a few years ago where the outfielder (Mookie?) ran a long way just to get to the ball but it hit the end of his glove and he didn’t make the catch. The scorer charged him with an error when most people disagreed as it was extraordinary effort. That is a really unusual decision. > [@hajario](#): > > Why didn’t Bickford get the win? Martin pitched better but Bickford didn’t give up any runs. Scorer’s discretion but it wasn’t like Bickford stunk the place up. Because Martin pitched better. That’s just what the rulebook says; it is supposed to go to the reliver who was judged to be “the most effective.” Martin was more effective. The official scorer really had no other choice. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2022, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-is-the-official-score-keeper-biased/968830/64 "2022-08-06T20:26:59Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Because Martin pitched better. It’s clear that wins aren’t a statistic. Stats are supposed to represent objective data. “Wins” then are as useful as measuring “quality starts” or “highlight plays”. I wonder when they’ll start quoting every player’s “coolness factor”? 😆 ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2022, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-is-the-official-score-keeper-biased/968830/65 "2022-08-06T20:34:56Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > It’s clear that wins aren’t a statistic. Stats are supposed to represent objective data. “Wins” then are as useful as measuring “quality starts” or “highlight plays”. Well, in probably 98% of the cases, they _are_ an objective (if fairly useless) stat. It’s the odd corner-case like this one in which it’s subjective. That said, as the sport evolves, and as starting pitchers increasingly pitch less than the five-inning minimum to qualify for the win, the stat is becoming at least somewhat less objective, overall. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2022, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-is-the-official-score-keeper-biased/968830/66 "2022-08-06T20:51:45Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > The pitcher has a very significant effect on how well the fielders can do their jobs. Well, sure, but even if we credit the entire defense to the pitcher, that’s still only half the game. If one team allows only a single run all game, while scoring none of their own, and another team allows eight runs, but scores nine, which pitcher is deserving of more credit? ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2022, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-is-the-official-score-keeper-biased/968830/67 "2022-08-06T21:47:08Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > It hasn’t always been that way though, IIRC. Seems to me the MLS games started that maybe 10-15 years ago? College games changed later (if at all, I don’t really know, mostly because last I checked college soccer was still a bastardization of the game) and I’m not sure if international matches started before or after the MLS. I’m only talking about US television production of soccer. Most (all?) broadcasts from outside the USA have always listed the home team first. I believe you are correct. ---
**Author:** ![SacFly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@SacFly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SacFly)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2022, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-is-the-official-score-keeper-biased/968830/68 "2022-08-06T21:49:06Z")
Responding to the OP, I’ll often check after a play to see if it was called a hit or an error. It’s extremely rare that I disagree with the call. I can’t even remember the last time I think they got it wrong. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2022, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-is-the-official-score-keeper-biased/968830/69 "2022-08-06T21:56:16Z")
And as I am sure you are aware, hit/error calls can be changed after the fact. I rarely watch sports anymore but many years ago I was watching a Dodger game and the scorer made such a bad call the Vin Scully burst out laughing and the cameras showed the fielders looking up at the where the scorer sat with confused expressions. The call was quickly changed. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-is-the-official-score-keeper-biased/968830/70 "2022-08-07T13:33:23Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > It’s clear that wins aren’t a statistic. Stats are supposed to represent objective data. “Wins” then are as useful as measuring “quality starts” or “highlight plays”. I disagree with your definition of “statistic” but agree wins aren’t a good one in any case. Baseball has a number of stats that have a subjective element - errors, passed balls versus wild pitches, some sacrifice hits, etc. Defensive Indifference has no objective criteria and I’ve seen it wipe out a stolen base when it was clearly not the correct call. I don’t like them. Quality Starts are **entirely** objective, though. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-is-the-official-score-keeper-biased/968830.md?page=3)