Would This Act of Parent Intervention Be Justified?

You aren't serious are you? It's one play in a meaningless childrens baseball league, yet you come to a running website to vent. Get a life. With a father like you, your kid is going to have enough problems growing up.

Just drop it. Not worth it. I did the GameChanger app for my daughters' travel softball team. I did it more just because I liked doing and wasn't anything official. At first it was open to all to see. That was until all the typical softball dad's started wanting to know why I scored it the way I did. Used to try and compare batting averages, etc to try and make a case that their daughter should be playing over other players.

Yes that should have been scored a hit, and yes you should ask the scorekeeper to change it.

I've seen MLB players lay down a sacrifice bunt, end up safe at first without an error, and still have the at bat ruled a sacrifice. I think it's the scorers discretion as to whether it should be a sacrifice or a hit. Either way its not a fielders choice.

And I really hope you're a troll, if you're not, don't contact the scorer.

Go away, far far away wrote: You aren't serious are you? It's one play in a meaningless childrens baseball league, yet you come to a running website to vent. Get a life. With a father like you, your kid is going to have enough problems growing up.

Not a meaningless children's game. It's competitive high school sports at the largest high school in the state. And while I acknowledge that this is a running website, people post all sorts of "NRR" questions here, so I don't know why you're calling me out in particular (unless you're just a tool).

A father like me? You mean a father who thinks his kid ought to get credit for his accomplishments? Look, I don't gripe to the actual coaches. I don't whine about playing time or anything else. I don't share my concerns with my kid, instead allowing him to fully experience the reality that life ain't always fair. He's going to be just fine; he'll certainly grow up to be a better and more decent human being than you, apparently.

B1G wrote:

Just drop it. Not worth it. I did the GameChanger app for my daughters' travel softball team. I did it more just because I liked doing and wasn't anything official. At first it was open to all to see. That was until all the typical softball dad's started wanting to know why I scored it the way I did. Used to try and compare batting averages, etc to try and make a case that their daughter should be playing over other players.

I'm inclined to follow your advice. I guess my only defenses are (A) that this would be an easily correctible mistake - and even pro scorekeepers correct mistakes after the fact - and (B) that I think the varsity coaches ought to have access to accurate statistics as they evaluate dozens of players who all are trying to earn a starting job. And I know I'm displaying myself in the worst light with this question, but the absolute truth is that I never gripe to coaches or anyone else about this sort of stuff. This one just sticks in my craw because it wasn't even a close call. The dad/scorekeeper just made an honest mistake that he should correct.

Scoring is weird sometimes wrote:

I've seen MLB players lay down a sacrifice bunt, end up safe at first without an error, and still have the at bat ruled a sacrifice. I think it's the scorers discretion as to whether it should be a sacrifice or a hit. Either way its not a fielders choice.

And I really hope you're a troll, if you're not, don't contact the scorer.

Not a troll, but the general consensus is that I should let it go. And I probably will, if for no other reason than the dad/scorekeeper is only human...and if I gripe then he might be inclined to screw over my kid then next time there is a close play or judgment call.

But for the record, I'd be less frustrated if he had scored it a sacrifice because that would have eliminated the at-bat and not negatively impacted my kid's batting average. I already described the play, and he miss-scored it altogether.

Have you ever volunteered to do something (like run a football pool at work) and then received crap from someone that wasn't satisfied with your effort? Volunteering is a thankless job. Give the guy a break. He made an honest mistake. In reality, a better defensive player probably would have thrown her out. You know whether she has the skill to lay down the 'perfect bunt' or just got lucky. Do you think this is the thing that will keep her from getting a scholarship to college? If one hit has that much of an effect on her batting average it means she doesn't have that many 'at bats.' I think you said it lowered it by 32?

old guy 73 wrote:

Have you ever volunteered to do something (like run a football pool at work) and then received crap from someone that wasn't satisfied with your effort? Volunteering is a thankless job. Give the guy a break. He made an honest mistake. In reality, a better defensive player probably would have thrown her out. You know whether she has the skill to lay down the 'perfect bunt' or just got lucky. Do you think this is the thing that will keep her from getting a scholarship to college? If one hit has that much of an effect on her batting average it means she doesn't have that many 'at bats.' I think you said it lowered it by 32?

Not an "honest" mistake. I played ball for over 20 years and it's unacceptable for anyone to assume responsibility for the box score without proper knowledge of the game. The guy should be corrected to keep him from committing the same mistake again in the future, but I would even consider finding somebody else to do the job.

Go with your gut instinct that told you this is petty and whiny. Listen to your conscience. Grown A$$ Men don't allow themselves to let little s#it bog them down. Little neurotic s#hit, obsessing on meaningless trivialities. See the big picture.

Rise above, brother. Make the right choice and be strengthened by your good choices.

Don't complain to the dad, get over it. Your kid is embarrassed by you

Your life will be happier if you let this go.

I see it both ways...

"old guy 73" makes a couple of valid points. One, I do genuinely appreciate that this dad volunteers to run scorebook app. He's been doing it for years, having had two boys play in the high school system, and he generally does a very good job. I would never "give him crap" so to speak. Yesterday I politely asked him why he scored it as fielder's choice, he hemmed-n-hawed for an answer, so I laughed it off and dropped the subject.

Two, it is true that the season is young and a couple of good games will bring up my son's batting average in a hurry. But in fairness, my son is a JV player on the brink of a varsity call-up, and the varsity coach ought to be able to look at the JV box score/stats and see accurate information as he evaluates players.

I'm not sure I'd be as hardnosed as "Veteran Ballplayer" but, volunteer or not, the scorekeeper/dad does have a responsibility to the team and players to do the job to the best of his ability. As I said, the guy usually does a great job.....the way he botched scoring the play was so egregious compared to the usual quality of his work that I believe he might have gotten distracted.....he ought to be willing to correct his mistake.

Ultimately, I think the people here who have suggested that I let it go are probably right. Making an issue of it in the short term would probably be more harmful than any long-term negative impact.

Dromano19 wrote: Don't complain to the dad, get over it. Your kid is embarrassed by you

You're half on the money. I should let it go and the frustration will fade. My kid is not embarrassed by me; I do nothing to embarrass him. The fact that you would even make such ill-willed speculation speaks worse of you than me.

If the fielder has a potential play at first, but instead decides to play it safe and hold the ball to keep any runs from scoring, could that be considered a fielder's choice?

Assuming this matters to your son... If you want your son to grow up thinking you don't have his back, then let it go. If you want him to know that you'll always do what's right for him, face the problem. The scorekeeper messed up, and how egregious does the mistake need to be to warrant a conversation? As parents, it's our responsibility to identify wrongdoings whenever they're committed. I would respectfully address the situation: "Sir, baseball means a great deal to my son, and I know he's really excited by the prospect of moving up to varsity. In one of his at-bats yesterday, he successfully executed a bunt and you scored it as a fielder's choice. Based on my understanding of the rules, it should have been scored as a hit. It would mean a great deal if you could adjust the box score, as my son's really committed to solidifying his batting average and making the varsity squad."

In the end, you probably want to be the kind of dad your son can count on. If you let this slide, again if it's important to him, he'll inevitably feel that you and his coaches let him down.

Not a Helicopter wrote:

Dromano19 wrote: Don't complain to the dad, get over it. Your kid is embarrassed by you

You're half on the money. I should let it go and the frustration will fade. My kid is not embarrassed by me; I do nothing to embarrass him. The fact that you would even make such ill-willed speculation speaks worse of you than me.

Why would the old man go out of his way to rule it a fielder's choice?

Does he have something against your son or something?

prob just drop it wrote: If the fielder has a potential play at first, but instead decides to play it safe and hold the ball to keep any runs from scoring, could that be considered a fielder's choice?

No, not by the rules of the game. To be scored a fielder's choice, the fielder would have had to make an attempt to throw out one of the other runners on base. At worst, the play maybe...maybe...could have been scored a sacrifice bunt (which would not have counted as an at-bat). But my son has pretty good wheels and he was probably 5 feet from 1st base by the time the fielder even got to the ball. It was a great bunt, the fielder simply didn't have a play, and it was a hit. But, yeah, I will just drop it.

To the people who responded with legit advice instead of just insulting me and my qualities as a father, I appreciate your input. Maybe I just needed to vent and type my way out of the frustration.

prob just drop it wrote:

If the fielder has a potential play at first, but instead decides to play it safe and hold the ball to keep any runs from scoring, could that be considered a fielder's choice?

No.