Defensive Indifference

[uncdrew]

I'll continue to score it "defensive indifference". I haven't seen convincing reason to do otherwise. I'd change my mind if some fastpitch governing body made a statement on it.

My reason is that Game Changer is used by the coach to see how his team is doing.

Crediting a steal when someone waltzed into 2B doesn't help show the player's ability to steal a base.

Dinging the catcher doesn't show the catcher's ability to throw out runners.

 

[LEsoftballdad]

It appears it is in the rule book.

https://static.soconsports.com/custompages/socon/members_only/rules/2013-14/softball_stats_manual.pdf

 

[Eric F]

It appears it is in the rule book.

https://static.soconsports.com/custompages/socon/members_only/rules/2013-14/softball_stats_manual.pdf

I stand corrected. Thank you for the clarification. We now have a definitive answer.

 

[CoachJD]

I stand corrected. Thank you for the clarification. We now have a definitive answer.

This only refers to a specific scenario where the winning run is on third base, so the runner advancing to second is meaningless to the score.

In other first/third situations, it's a stolen base if the defense doesn't make a throw.

 

[CoachJD]

I'll continue to score it "defensive indifference". I haven't seen convincing reason to do otherwise. I'd change my mind if some fastpitch governing body made a statement on it.

My reason is that Game Changer is used by the coach to see how his team is doing.

Crediting a steal when someone waltzed into 2B doesn't help show the player's ability to steal a base.

Dinging the catcher doesn't show the catcher's ability to throw out runners.

The "convincing reason" is the scoring rules don't leave this up for interpretation. This has been decided and you've decided to just ignore established scoring rules because you don't like them.

Defensive Indifference is only for advancement that doesn't have any "bearing on the outcome of the game." It's not a matter of scorekeeper judgment.

 

[JayW]

 

[uncdrew]

The "convincing reason" is the scoring rules don't leave this up for interpretation. This has been decided and you've decided to just ignore established scoring rules because you don't like them.

Defensive Indifference is only for advancement that doesn't have any "bearing on the outcome of the game." It's not a matter of scorekeeper judgment.

Every single thing about Game Changer is "scorekeeper judgment".

 

[Nimrod]

In research that I did from WCWS play by play from 1997 to 2021, there are 0 examples of defensive indifference being scored on an advancement of a runner. Every case of advancing on a pitch was scored a stolen base (or wild pitch or passed ball). I won't attempt to interpret the rule, and whether the rule is different from one governing body to another, but I can testify that WCWS official scorers are scoring it a stolen base 100% of the time.

I also don't have a problem w/ coaches scoring however they please if the book is only for them and their team (ie, player evaluation) But if you're submitting statistics to the media or MaxPreps or a league office, etc., then that's when following the rule book becomes important, IMO.

 

[slagothar]

I also had a hard time believing this should be scored a stolen base, but that is what the rules say it is. Defensive Indifference is a rare call.

 

[Nimrod]

I also had a hard time believing this should be scored a stolen base, but that is what the rules say it is. Defensive Indifference is a rare call.

A stolen base in this case is similar to an intentional walk. Batter gets credit for the walk, even though the batter was given the walk as a gift, essentially. Similarly, base runners get the gift of a stolen base when the defense decides it's not worth the risk of throwing down to second with a runner on third. The logic is that just because you concede something doesn't mean you're indifferent to it.