| Have you ever thought about how many ways a | | | | batter is awarded the results of the swing or first |
| batter can safely reach first base? I have | | | | base. The manager of the offense may advise |
| pondered the question and I have come up with | | | | the plate umpire that he elects to decline the |
| 10 different ways for a batter to safely reach | | | | interference penalty and accept the play |
| first base. | | | | 6) Fielders choice - A fielder`s choice is a play |
| The ways that I thought of include the following: | | | | made on a ground ball in which the fielder chooses |
| 1) Base Hit - Batter swings the bat and hits a | | | | to put out an advancing base runner, thus allowing |
| base hit. In baseball statistics a base hit is credited | | | | the batter to reach first base safely. |
| to a batter when the batter safely reaches first | | | | 7) Batter-Runner Interference - Once the batter |
| base after hitting the ball into fair territory. | | | | hits the ball the batter becomes a base runner. |
| 2) Walk or Base on Balls - A base on balls or walk | | | | The batter becomes a runner and is entitled to |
| is credited to a batter when the batter receives | | | | first base without interference by a defensive |
| four pitches that the umpire calls balls. The walk | | | | player. If interference occurs, the manager of the |
| can be intentional or not intentional. | | | | offense may advise the plate umpire that he |
| 3) Error - A batter reaches on an error when, in | | | | elects to decline the interference penalty and |
| the judgment of the official score book keeper, a | | | | accept the play. |
| fielder misplays a ball hit by the batter allowing the | | | | 8) A Sacrifice - The batter hits a sacrifice fly or |
| batter to reach first base. The ball misplayed is | | | | executes a sacrifice bunt. |
| one that the official scorer judges to be a play | | | | 9) Double Play - The batter reaches first on a |
| that should have been made with reasonable or | | | | double play by the defense that did not involve a |
| ordinary effort. What this means is that the | | | | throw to first base. |
| fielder misplayed a routine play. | | | | 10) Hit by a Pitch - The batter is hit by a pitch |
| 4) Passed Ball on a Strike Out: The batter strikes | | | | thrown by the batter. The batter must be in the |
| out but the catcher misses the ball. The batter | | | | batting box and in the judgment of the umpire did |
| becomes a batter-runner and reaches first base | | | | not "lean" into the pitch. |
| safely. This play should be officially scored as a | | | | I am sure that you may think of one or two |
| strikeout and passed ball, a strikeout and wild | | | | more. These are what came to my mine because |
| pitch or a strikeout and a fielders choice. | | | | they are the 10 ways that occur most often. I |
| 5) Catcher Commits Interference - Catchers | | | | hope that you found this article to be informative. |
| interference is called when contact is made by | | | | Thanks for taking the time to read it. I wish you |
| the bat of the batter. With catcher interference, | | | | and your team good luck in the coming season. |
| the result is the same as with all interference, The | | | | Have a great day! |