SCOREKEEPING CLINIC

Brentwood Pony League - BPBL Introduction

 Allen Hammond  Baseball Geek  Learned to scorekeep as a little leaguer  BPBL Parent of two sons who have played in the league (in-house and Blast); and scorekeeper for their teams for the last 8 years  Currently scorekeeping for Blast 14U team

Rule 14: 2013 PONY and Regulations Rule 14: Scorekeepers A. The official scorekeeper shall record at-bats, hits, runs, errors, , bases on balls, pitched in by each and scheduled starting time of games, or actual starting time if game is delayed more than two hours.

Rule 14: 2013 PONY Baseball Rules and Regulations Rule 14: Scorekeepers B. It is recommended that in order to be considered the winning pitcher, should complete at least three (two in MUSTANG) full innings and leave a lead that stands up for the remainder of the game

Rule 14: 2013 PONY Baseball Rules and Regulations Rule 14: Scorekeepers C. The official scorekeeper shall communicate only with the Tournament Director and/or Home Plate Umpire Clinic Outline

 Scorebook Sheet Components  Abbreviations, Definitions  Responsibilities of the Official Scorekeeper – Before, During, and After a PONY game  BPBL In-House Rules Pertaining to Scorekeeping  Simulation  Tips-n-Tricks  Resources

Scorebook Sheet Components Line Score

Runs Scored By Teams 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E

Visitor

Home (2) Scorebook sheets for one game: one for your team, and one for your opponent. Scorebooks designed to Flip back-n-forth. 1. Team Names 2. Inning by Inning Totals 3. Game Totals: Runs – Hits – Errors

Scorebook Sheet Components

1. Scorebook Sheet Header: Team Name- Home or Visitor; Field, Date, Start Time, End Time 2. Lineup – Use Last Names, Uniform Numbers Most Important. Position, with exception of Pitchers, not important 3. Batter Game Totals

Scorebook Sheet Components

1. Use the diamond to track the progression of the runner around the base path 2. Balls and Strikes Batter 1 Batter 2 3. RBI’s – Runs Batted In 4. Outs

Batter 3 Batter 4 Scorebook Sheet Components

1. Inning Totals: Runs, Hits, Errors, Left on Base 2. Pitching Record: Uniform #, Last Name, # of Pitches and Innings. Your Pitcher’s records should be under your opponents Scoresheet boxes

Abbreviations and Definitions Positions

1. Pitcher 2. 3. First Basemen 4. Second Basemen 5. Third Basemen 6. Shortstop 7. 8. Center Fielder 9. Right Fielder DH/EH Designated/Extra Hitter

Abbreviations and Definitions Ways to Get On Base

How Abbreviation 1B 2B 3B HR Walk BB or W Fielders Choice FC By HBP or HP Catcher CI or I Intentional Walk IBB or IW Abbreviations and Definitions More…Ways to Get On Base

How Abbreviation

Wild Pitch on 3rd Strike WP Uncaught 3rd Strike

Passed Ball on 3rd Strike PB Uncaught 3rd Strike “Dropped 3rd Strike” GRD

Error E Abbreviations and Definitions Ways to Get At-Bat

How Abbreviation - Swinging K or Ks Strikeout - Called or Kc Uncaught 3rd Strike K w/ 2-3 Fly Out F (ex. F7) Foul Out FO (ex. FO9) Line Out L (ex. L5) Unassisted Put-Out U (ex. U3) Ground Out – (ex. 5-3) Fly Rule IFR Abbreviations and Definitions Ways to Get Out as a Runner

How Abbreviation CS Forced Out or Assist-Putout (ex. 6-4 Tagged aka “pickle” Assist-Assist-Assist-Putout (ex. 2-4-3-4) Runner Interference RI (closest defensive player gets Putout – ex. RI4) Hit By Ball H (closest defensive player gets Putout – ex. H6) Missed Base MB Abbreviations and Definitions Other Symbols

How Abbreviation BK PB WP SF (ex. SF9) Sacrifice SH SB Double-Play DP (ex. DP 6-4-3) Before the Game

 Get Your Team’s Lineup From The Manager  Exchange Lineup Slips With The Other Team’s Scorekeeper  Fill Out Your Scorebook With The Team’s Names, Date, and Scheduled and Actual Start Times, Lineup – with Last Names and Numbers. During the Game

 Pay Attention! Game Action Can Move Very Fast For a Scorekeeper. Events Occur in Bunches  Total Up All The Runs, Hits, and Errors After Each Half-Inning, and Update Your Inning Run Totals.  Keep Track of any Substitutions in the Order (most PONY Division Teams will bat the entire Lineup)  Don’t Worry About Defensive Substitutions, Except for Pitchers. (Very Important to Keep an Accurate Pitching Record for Both Teams During the Game…There’s More?

 Keep Track of the Elapsed Time and Update the Managers and Umpires When the Time Limit is Nearly Reached.  Ask the Umpire for Time-Out if you need to Notify either Manager of an Improper Batter (batting out- of-order).  Keep Track of Pitch Counts After the Game

 Complete the Line Score Totals in your Scorebook for both the Visiting and Home Teams: Runs, Hits, and Errors  Complete the “Scorecard” which includes the Date, Scheduled Time, Final Score, and Pitching Record (Last Name and Number of ) for both Teams  The Manager, Coach, or Scorekeeper must Call or E-mail the Final Score to your Division Commissioner within 24 Hours BPBL Official Scorecard BPBL In-House Rule

 You should read the In-House rules for the Division that you will be scorekeeping. Especially divisions Pinto and up – as pitching restrictions begin.  Also, good to familiarize yourself with the PONY National Rules and Regulations. Scoring Simulation

 Top of the order – 1st Inning Scoring Simulation

 Smith Singles to Left-Center Field.

 Lawson Strikes Out - Swinging Scoring Simulation

 While Henry is Batting, Smith Steals Second Base

 Henry draws a Walk Scoring Simulation

 Jones is batting and hits a grounder to the Shortstop, who throws it to the Second Basemen, who tags the base, and throws to First Base to get Jones Out – A Double-Play

 What Happens to Henry?

Scoring Simulation

 Jones hits into a Double-Play and make’s the 3rd Out of the Inning

Scoring Simulation

 Indicate the last out of the inning with a Slash; so you know where to start the next Inning. Additional Scoring Actions

 Substitutions: Note the Inning that the substitution was made; with a vertical line between the previous Batter and new Batter Additional Scoring Actions

 Pitching Change: Note the Inning and/or Batter that a Pitching Change was made; with a Horizontal line between the previous Batter and the Batter the new Pitcher will face Tips-N-Tricks

 USE A PENCIL! Tips-N-Tricks

 Make a small tic mark for every 2-Strike pitch that is fouled off to keep an accurate pitch of your pitchers. Tips-N-Tricks

 If you wish to indicate hit locations and type of hits.  Use an Arc for fly balls  Straight line for line drives  Squiggly line for grounders Tips-N-Tricks

 Shade in the diamond for runs scored. This will make it easy to total-up runs Tips-N-Tricks

 Keep a of all your pitchers and mark the totals for each inning in the unused boxes at the bottom of the scorecard. Tips-N-Tricks

 Write down the scheduled start time (ex. 6:00pm) for pitching rest rules purposes and the actual start time of the game (ex. 6:07pm) for time limit purposes. Tips-N-Tricks

 “Does the run count?” – When in doubt check with the umpire.  Be near the action – away from distractions Tips-N-Tricks

 If you missed something significant – and you will – go to the other team’s scorekeeper immediately after the half-inning is over for help, and reconcile your books on the spot.  Don’t put this off… You will likely not have the time later, and the game details become even less clear. Tips-N-Tricks

 Don’t wait until the end of the game to complete the pitching records. Update the pitching record in your scorebook, and “Scorecard” after each substitution. Resources

 Brentwood Pony Baseball League  http://www.brentwoodpony.org  PONY National Website  http://www.pony.org  Scorekeeping advice, downloads and tutorials (site has not been maintained since 2004)  http://www.baseballscorecard.com  Me: [email protected] CREDITS: Don Ford – A lot of source content was available from prior scorekeeping clinics of the BPBL www.baseballscorecard.com – Many of the graphics, and game simulation content