The Sac Fly

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Mar 28, 2016
164
18
Just my opinion, but I think this should be removed from the scoring. I have always thought it was wrong to not give a 0 for 1 when a batter does this. It doesn't make much sense to me. If the middle infielders are playing deep, why not score a ground ball that scores a run as a Sac Groundball?
I think that 90% of batters are just trying to hit the ball square and not intentionally trying to hit a medium-deep flyball.
The sac-bunt is legitimate because you are giving yourself up, but the sac-fly is completely different.
 
Aug 29, 2011
2,581
83
NorCal
How many SF do you typically see? I read an article about MLB SFs and they occur about every once every 143 ABs or roughly 0.7% of the time. The SF didn't always exist in MLB there were times it didn't count. That said keeping or getting rid of it probably won't change overall statistics in any appreciable way.
 
Jan 27, 2019
141
28
I must be an oddball because I have hit a medium depth fly ball on purpose with a runner on 3 and less than two outs. I was credited with a sac fly and RBI which was my intention.
 

sjw62000

just cleaning the dugout
Sep 1, 2018
93
33
North Carolina
It is important to remember the sac fly allows a runner to tag-up and advance, this is not possible on a sac bunt. Generally speaking, even if it is unintentional, the goal of hitting is to advance runners, score RBIs and with a good bit of luck hit safely.

To dovetail WVSteven, I have hitters that intentionally hit deep fly balls with the goal of allowing a runner on 3B to tag and score. Of course it helps if the OF misplays the fly ball and I get a free baserunner.
 
Oct 4, 2018
4,611
113
I like it the way it is. It rewards the batter for doing the right thing.

Yes, hitting a grounder to the right side to score a run or advance runners is a fine piece of hitting as well. You make a good point.

But hitting a fly ball into the outfield is a much safe way to bring that runner in from third than a grounder is.
 
Mar 28, 2016
164
18
It is important to remember the sac fly allows a runner to tag-up and advance, this is not possible on a sac bunt. Generally speaking, even if it is unintentional, the goal of hitting is to advance runners, score RBIs and with a good bit of luck hit safely.

To dovetail WVSteven, I have hitters that intentionally hit deep fly balls with the goal of allowing a runner on 3B to tag and score. Of course it helps if the OF misplays the fly ball and I get a free baserunner.

Why not just have them hit HR's?
 
Jul 14, 2018
982
93
The commentators on an MLB game I was watching recently had a discussion along these lines. There was a runner on first, third baseman was playing way behind the bag with a left hander at the plate. Batter drops a bunt and busts it down to first base, out by a step. Runner advances to second. Commentator #1 says, "Do you give him a sacrifice on that?" Commentator #2 (Keith Hernandez, if you're wondering), says: "No, there's no sacrifice. The batter was trying to get a base hit, so that's just an out."

I couldn't help but think that everyone who hits a fly ball with a runner on third is trying to get a base hit. They may adjust their swing to try and be sure to hit it in the air, but they'd much prefer that it falls in than gets caught. No?
 
Jun 6, 2016
2,714
113
Chicago
I guess the counter argument is that a sacrifice fly actually scores a run, which is certainly better than just making an out on purpose to move a runner from first to second.

Also, a sac fly does count against OBP whereas the sac bunt does not, so in terms of penalizing the hitter's rate states, the sac fly is worse.
 
Mar 14, 2017
453
43
Michigan
The commentators on an MLB game I was watching recently had a discussion along these lines. There was a runner on first, third baseman was playing way behind the bag with a left hander at the plate. Batter drops a bunt and busts it down to first base, out by a step. Runner advances to second. Commentator #1 says, "Do you give him a sacrifice on that?" Commentator #2 (Keith Hernandez, if you're wondering), says: "No, there's no sacrifice. The batter was trying to get a base hit, so that's just an out."

I couldn't help but think that everyone who hits a fly ball with a runner on third is trying to get a base hit. They may adjust their swing to try and be sure to hit it in the air, but they'd much prefer that it falls in than gets caught. No?

So if he dogged it down to first and didn't try for the hit then Keith would've called it a sac?
 

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