We talk wild pitches and passed balls with guest host Bill Mathews, Major League Baseball official scorer. Bill covers Tampa Bay Rays games, and joined us previously in Episode 8.

 

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Definition of terms: A WILD PITCH is one so high, so low, or so wide of the plate that it cannot be handled with ordinary effort by the catcher.

Rule 9.13 Wild Pitches and Passed Balls

A wild pitch is defined in the Definition of Terms (Wild Pitch). A passed ball is a statistic charged against a catcher whose action has caused a runner or runners to advance, as set forth in this Rule 9.13.

(a) The official scorer shall charge a pitcher with a wild pitch when a legally delivered ball is so high, so wide or so low that the catcher does not stop and control the ball by ordinary effort, thereby permitting a runner or runners to advance. The official scorer shall charge a pitcher with a wild pitch when a legally delivered ball touches the ground or home plate before reaching the catcher and is not handled by the catcher, thereby permitting a runner or runners to advance. When the third strike is a wild pitch, permitting the batter to reach first base, the official scorer shall score a strikeout and a wild pitch.

(b) The official scorer shall charge a catcher with a passed ball when the catcher fails to hold or to control a legally pitched ball that should have been held or controlled with ordinary effort, thereby permitting a runner or runners to advance. When the third strike is a passed ball, permitting the batter to reach first base, the official scorer shall score a strikeout and a passed ball.

Rule 9.13 Comment: The official scorer shall not charge a wild pitch or passed ball if the defensive team makes an out before any runners advance. For example, if a pitch touches the ground and eludes the catcher with a runner on first base, but the catcher recovers the ball and throws to second base in time to retire the runner, the official scorer shall not charge the pitcher with a wild pitch. The official scorer shall credit the advancement of any other runner on the play as a fielder’s choice. If a catcher drops a pitch, for example, with a runner on first base, but the catcher recovers the ball and throws to second base in time to retire the runner, the official scorer shall not charge the catcher with a passed ball. The official scorer shall credit the advancement of any other runner on the play as a fielder’s choice.

See Rules 9.07(a), 9.12(e) and 9.12(f) for additional scoring rules relating to wild pitches and passed balls.

 

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The Ordinary Effort Podcast is about official scoring in baseball. Our website is http://ordinaryeffortpodcast.com. You can email us at ordinaryeffortpodcast@gmail.com. We’re also on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ordinaryeffortpodcast) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/ordinary_effort). If you have questions about official scoring, please contact us!

— Dennis and Jason