# Understanding The Fielder's Choice **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [May 7, 2023, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-the-fielders-choice/983716 "2023-05-07T23:37:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2023, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-the-fielders-choice/983716/21 "2023-05-09T00:12:11Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > Neither. It’s a putout, scored 7-5. > > It’s essentially the same play as if the ground ball was to deep short. Shortstop has no chance to throw the batter out at first, but throws to third to force out the slow runner from second. Of course it’s a fielder’s choice, as would be the same play if made by the shortstop. A force out allowing the batter to reach first is always a fielder’s choice. > [@Ponch8](#): > > IIRC, [defensive indifference](https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Defensive_Indifference) is also considered a fielder’s choice. No, it’s not… I mean, I guess it a choice made by a fielder, but it is not a Fielder’s Choice in the scoresheet. A fielder’s choice, by rulebook definition, is always when a batter-runner safety reaches first base on a batted ball because the defense attempts to make an out on another runner. The FC rule is, in my opinion, a flawed part of baseball record keeping, in that it will (once in a great while, it’s not very common) result in a batter being recorded in his stats as making an out that never actually happened. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2023, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-the-fielders-choice/983716/22 "2023-05-09T00:31:26Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Of course it’s a fielder’s choice, as would be the same play if made by the shortstop. Yes, I corrected myself, thanks to @Freddy_the_Pig. > [@RickJay](#): > > it is not a Fielder’s Choice in the scoresheet. A fielder’s choice, by rulebook definition, is always when a batter-runner safety reaches first base on a batted ball because the defense attempts to make an out on another runner. No, it’s actually a Fielder’s Choice in the scoresheet. I just learned that by perusing the rules. > The Official Scorer shall not score a stolen base when a runner advances solely because of the defensive team’s indifference to the runner’s advance. The Official Scorer shall score such a play as a fielder’s choice. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2023, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-the-fielders-choice/983716/23 "2023-05-09T01:32:00Z")
Huh, that’s odd. It does contradict the definition. Oh well! ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2023, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-the-fielders-choice/983716/24 "2023-05-09T05:11:57Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > When the preceding runner is _safe_, only then does the likely outcome of a hypothetical play at first come into play. If the defense likely had no play at first, then the batter gets a hit; if he likely would have been out, then a FC. Thus, the official scorer makes a subjective decision just as he/she does with an error vs. a hit? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-the-fielders-choice/983716/25 "2023-05-12T14:53:13Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > Thus, the official scorer makes a subjective decision just as he/she does with an error vs. a hit? Yes. Rule 9.05a says a hit should be awarded if (among other things): > [@](#): > > a fielder unsuccessfully attempts to put out a preceding runner and, in the Official Scorer’s judgment, the batter-runner would not have been put out at first base by ordinary effort. “Ordinary effort” is the same standard for distinguishing between a hit and an error, and it has no clear definition because it depends on what the normal defensive standard would be at that position, in the league in question, and based on the effects of weather and field conditions. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-the-fielders-choice/983716/26 "2023-05-12T14:56:35Z")
Yes, but normally it’s the case that the catcher doesn’t even bother to throw the ball, so it’s obvious that they are indifferent to the runner advancing. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-the-fielders-choice/983716/27 "2023-05-12T15:11:19Z")
Fielder’s Choice could also be used to describe any decision made be Cecil or Prince. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-the-fielders-choice/983716/28 "2023-05-12T15:27:51Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Fielder’s Choice could also be used to describe any decision made be Cecil or **Prince** Especially when it comes to a mid-game snack: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT7FGQls0KM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT7FGQls0KM) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-the-fielders-choice/983716.md?page=1)