Errors and RBIs

[Childress]

I'm seeing batters credited with RBIs after reaching base on error. Like just now.... Is this an outlier or a running problem with 13?

[MizzouRah]

Explain the situation...

The question of whether you get the RBI is not a matter of whether the BATTER reaches via error, but whether the guy who scores, SCORES because of the error.

[BIG17EASY]

There are many situations where a player can reach base because of an error and get an RBI. Just an example: runner on third, nobody out, infield back, shortstop makes an error on a ground ball. The runner on third would've scored even if the shortstop throws the runner out at first, so even with the error there's still an RBI. The idea is not to penalize the hitter from getting credit for an RBI when the fielder makes an error.

[Childress]

Here it is, the batter is Whitaker:

[cblacker]

So, 2nd and 3rd, no outs and a groundball to the 2nd baseman if I'm reading that right? Definitely should be an error and RBI in that situation.

[Childress]

Whitaker was credited with 3 RBIs in the game. He hit a solo homer in the 8th.

[OldFatGuy]

Originally Posted by Childress

Whitaker was credited with 3 RBIs in the game. He hit a solo homer in the 8th.

Then yeah, it's wrong. He should've only had two RBI's, assuming that's all the other possible AB's he could've had an RBI in. If they gave him 3, one for the solo HR and TWO for that AB above, then that's wrong. He should only have received one for that AB above, not two.

[Childress]

Interestingly, the opposing pitcher, who went the full 9 innings, was charged with only one earned run in that inning. He gave up 4 runs in the game, 2 earned. Both the pitcher and Whitaker were inaccurately assessed: a twofer. There was only that single error. So OOTP still suffers from glitches in this arena.

[DCG12]

Never mind. Thought there where two out but I see there was only one. So Whitaker should get 1 Rbi if official scorer thought the run would have scored on the groundout

[OldFatGuy]

Originally Posted by Childress

Interestingly, the opposing pitcher, who went the full 9 innings, was charged with only one earned run in that inning. He gave up 4 runs in the game, 2 earned. Both the pitcher and Whitaker were inaccurately assessed: a twofer. There was only that single error. So OOTP still suffers from glitches in this arena.

Well, the problem with earned runs is that OOTP will never get them 100% right as long as they have to be charged earned or unearned the instant they score, as is done now. Because it is literally IMPOSSIBLE to get them right in that case. There are many, many, many scenarios where a run that has scored can't be determined as earned or unearned until later AB outcomes.

In this case, the RBI determination could be decided immediately, and therefore, OOTP should have gotten it right. The runs being earned or unearned however could not be correctly determined at the moment they scored. The first one could be determined as earned, but the second one could've been earned or unearned.

Just as an example. In this situation, had the batter immediately following the error hit a home run, then BOTH of the runs that scored on the error play would be earned. In this case the batter immediately following the error made an out, so that made the third run of the inning unearned. So the pitcher actually gave up 3 earned runs and 1 unearned, but was charged with only 2 earned.

So obviously as long as OOTP marks a run as earned or unearned the moment it scores, it can't possibly get it right.