#29---All-Star Game, 7/15/2008

Not only do I score spring training games, I also score the All-Star Game. It’s actually not as bad as you might think. What I do is keep another piece of paper handy so that I can write down all the substitutions there before putting them on the scoresheet itself. If you have a question about which batting order position a substitute is playing, you can just hold off putting him on the sheet until you figure it out.

Anyway, this game was recent enough that most of you will remember it and I won’t need to make any explanatory comments about the game itself. It was a classic, if any meaningless game can be considered such.

#28---CIN @ MIL, 4/10/2008

Here is a fairly mundane, early season 4-1 Reds victory that I scored off a radio broadcast (Jeff Brantley is no better than he was in 2007, I’m sorry to report) using a sheet with dots representing the four corners of the diamond. This is a way to use the diamond style of scoring without having to write over the diamonds. The dots are small and fairly light and serve as a guide for tracing the diamond out as necessary. Of course, you could always just draw the sides of the diamond yourself as the situation requires, but for some of us, this would result in the ugliest looking scoresheet in history (I have zero artistic ability, even to draw equal-sided diamonds).

Personally, I prefer just using a box and using the four corners of the box to represent the bases. The only time I use diamonds is when I attend an OSU game live (only because I wanted to use a scorebook for that rather than just loose sheets, and it’s darn hard to find a cheap scorebook that does not have diamonds), or when I have the occasion to score for a slow-pitch softball team (since no one cares about keeping the stats, the action moves fast, and there are dozens of baserunners per game, it is a lot easier to just follow runners’ progress by tracing the diamond). Some people swear by them, though, and that’s just as well.

Bonus--Scott Lewis' MLB Debut, CLE @ BAL 9/10/2008

Tonight, Scott Lewis became (at least) the 48th Buckeye to pitch in the majors. This was exciting enough for me--but then he went out and tossed eight shutout innings, scattering three hits, walking none, and fanning three while making 97 pitches in the Indians' 7-1 win.

#27---CLE @ LAA, 4/8/2008

For this game, I used a Project Scoresheet scoresheet. I did not adhere to Project Scoresheet methodology; I used my own codes for hits, baserunner advancement, and the like. Of course, there are similarities between what I did and the official Project Scoresheet system. If you’d like to know more about their system, go to the sites of David Cortesi or Alex Reisner.

One need not use the exact syntax of Project Scoresheet to get an idea of whether their system suits you or not. I suppose I should point out for those who may not know that PS was an organization started by Bill James in 1984 to collect play-by-play data for all major league games. Initially, they accepted scoresheets of all kinds from fans, but eventually the organization adopted Craig Wright’s scoring system as its standard. The organization collapsed some time in the late 80s or early 90s, but its influence can still be seen in organizations like STATS, Baseball Info Solutions, and Retrosheet.

The system was certainly innovative, and its influence can be seen today beyond the people who still score using the method. MLB gametracker inputters use Project Scoresheet notation, or at least a derivative thereof, and Alex Reisner’s situational system was based on combining Project Scoresheet and traditional scoring methods.

Cosmetically, the scoresheet does not provide space for each batter to bat in each inning. Since most boxes in a 9x9 grid go unused, this allows for a more efficient use of space, and people have applied this concept to traditional scorekeeping. The scorebox itself is divided by three horizontal lines. The top line is used to record things that happen before the conclusion of the at bat, such as a runner advancing on a wild pitch or being caught stealing. The middle line is used to record the outcome of the at bat, and the bottom line is used to record things that happen after the at bat ends or the ball is put in play (baserunner advancement, stolen base on strike three, and the like).

The sheet I used here is a copy of one from one included in the 1987 Great American Baseball Stat Book, a short-lived annual that included data culled from the efforts of Project Scoresheet. It includes boxes to record each pitch, which I did, and so let’s start there. I used dots, dashes, and other symbols to record each pitch, whereas the official PS system uses descriptive letters (B for ball, S for swinging strike, etc.). I prefer symbols since I think the use of letters clutters the sheet and draws your focus to reading them. The symbols I used are somewhat similar to those that Alex Reisner uses, but his were designed for separate ball/strike columns and thus double up usage.

I used an open circle for a ball, a square for a pitchout/intentional ball (which was not used in this game), a triangle for a hit batter, a dot for a called strike, a dash for a foul, a plus for a swinging strike, and a x for a ball hit in play. I also put “b” to indicate a bunt attempt or show of a bunt coupled with a strike. Additionally, “N” stands for no pitch, and is used as a timing device. For example, the N in Gary Matthews’ first inning at bat tells us that the throwing error occurred between the third and fourth pitches. If an event occurs on a particular pitch, then the symbol for that pitch is circled (see Sizemore’s third inning at bat--the third ball is circled indicating that it was the wild pitch).

Let me just go through the sheet and point out some events and how the PS system (or at least my variation of it) records them. I will refer to the location on the scoresheet by the box number.

* Cleveland #4--Martinez singled, but the bottom line tells us that the runner was thrown out at home (1 indicates the runner was from first, X indicates an out, H indicates that it was at home), right to first to catcher [1xH(932)].

* Cleveland #9--[SB2] indicates that second base was stolen (one could write [1-2(SB)], but it should be obvious that it was the runner from first who stole second. This is written on the bottom line of the box since it occurred on the last pitch of the at bat, and thus there is no need to circle that pitch.

* Cleveland #10--The runner moved from second to third on a wild pitch [2-3(WP)].

* Cleveland #17--Blake's single advanced the runner at first to second [1-2].

* Cleveland #20--Cabrera's single scored runners from second and third [2-H, 3-H and I box the Hs to make runs easy to spot], and the batter (Cabrera) advanced to second on the throw [B-2(T)].

* Cleveland #30--Hafner hit into a double play, 361. This is marked as 36(1)1--the (1) indicates that the runner at first was retired 36.

* Cleveland #39--Hafner's home run not only scored the runner from first [1-H], but it scored the batter as well [B-H]. The principle is that the batter’s advancement is not marked unless it is beyond what is indicated by their event outcome (as in Cabrera hitting a single but advancing to second on the throw) or the batter scores (so that runs are easy to spot).

As I see it, there are two main strengths of the PS method. The first is that it is very easy to note substitutions, since each box has its own number. There’s no need to worry about what inning it is or which lineup slot is at the plate; instead, you just jot down the appropriate box number and you’re on your way.

The other main strength is that it is that there is no recording backtracking whatsoever. However, this is also the main weakness of the system in my eyes, because it makes reading the account of the game back a real chore. Baserunners are identified by the base on which they started the PA, so if you want to know who actually scored a run, or got caught stealing, you have to work backwards through the sheet to trace that runner’s progress to his PA-initial base.

On the game, note that Francisco Rodriguez was not pitching in the ninth; he had some minor injury and missed this game at the beginning of a season in which he would make a play for Bobby Thigpen's save record.

#26---CLE @ OAK, 4/6/2008

Just for fun, I tried using a variation of L.L. Bean’s scoring system for this game. Unfortunately, I don’t have a lot of information on Bean’s system, only what was described by Paul Dickson in The Joy of Keeping Score, which does very helpfully reproduce a sample game scored by Bean.

Bean stated that his system was designed for night-scoring; I guess maybe fans in the 1950s felt that the lighting was sub-standard and their scorebooks were harder to read for the new-fangled night games. It seems like an anachronism now to need or even entertain thoughts of having a special “night scoring” system.

Bean’s system did not note individual fielders at all; that was unacceptable for me, even for one game, so I included position numbers when they were necessary. Often, they are not; the vast majority of groundouts to second go 43, so I only wrote the numbers down when it was something more unusual, like 41. I also added symbols to indicate line drives or fouls instead of just flyouts, and of course I tracked baserunner advancement and pitch sequence, neither of which were in Bean’s system.

The basic symbol for an out in the system is an “O” or a circle. The location of dots or lines around the circle indicate which fielder made the play and whether the ball was hit in the air or on the ground. Rather than spelling out all of the details, I will go through the play-by-play for this game, and you should be able to figure out the basics yourself.

TOP 1

Sizemore singled to center.

Cabrera flied to right.

Hafner grounded to second; Sizemore to second.

Garko walked.

Peralta hit into fielder’s choice at third; Garko out 54 at second.

BOT 1

Buck flied to left.

Ellis flied to left.

Barton grounded to first.

TOP 2

Dellucci grounded to first.

Michaels doubled to left, line drive.

Marte flied to center.

Shoppach grounded to second.

BOT 2

MSweeney grounded to second, deflected by pitcher.

Brown lined to right.

Crosby grounded to short.

TOP 3

Sizemore grounded to first, pitcher covering.

Cabrera flied to left.

Hafner singled to third.

Garko popped to second in the outfield.

BOT 3

Hannahan grounded to first, pitcher covering.

Suzuki singled to center, line drive.

Suzuki advanced to second on passed ball; RSweeney singled to second, Suzuki to third.

Buck flied to left, sacrifice; Suzuki scored.

Ellis flied to right.

TOP 4

Peralta singled to left, line drive.

Dellucci struck out.

Michaels flied to center.

Marte hit into fielder’s choice at third; Peralta out 54 at second.

BOT 4

Barton flied to right.

MSweeney singled off third, groundball.

Brown popped to third.

Crosby hit into a fielder’s choice at short; MSweeney out 64 at second.

TOP 5

Shoppach struck out looking.

Sizemore lined to left.

Cabrera popped to short.

BOT 5

Hannahan struck out.

Suzuki singled to second.

RSweeney struck out looking.

Buck hit into fielder’s choice at short; Suzuki out 64 at second.

TOP 6

Hafner grounded to second.

Garko flied to center.

Peralta singled to center, groundball.

Dellucci flied to left.

BOT 6

Ellis struck out looking.

Barton struck out.

MSweeney fouled to first.

TOP 7

Michaels grounded to third.

Marte singled to right.

Shoppach singled to left; Carroll to second.

Sizemore walked; Shoppach to second, Carroll to third.

Cabrera grounded to first, pitcher covering; Sizemore to second, Shoppach to third, Carroll scored.

Hafner intentionally walked.

Garko walked; Hafner to second, Sizemore to third, Shoppach scored.

Peralta struck out.

BOT 7

Brown flied to warning track in left.

Crosby walked.

Hannahan lined to second.

Suzuki flied to right.

TOP 8

Gutierrez flied to left.

Michaels struck out.

Carroll popped to second in the outfield.

BOT 8

Cust struck out looking.

Buck grounded to first, pitcher covering.

Ellis flied to center.

TOP 9

Shoppach lined to right.

Sizemore walked.

Cabrera flied to left.

Hafner grounded to short, deflected by pitcher.

BOT 9

Barton struck out.

MSweeney walked.

Brown flied to center.

Crosby hit into fielder’s choice at third, Murphy out 54 at second.

If you are more of a visual person, I suppose you might enjoy this system. I am not, and I vastly prefer traditional numbers rather than drawing 54 circles every game. I tried it because I like to at least try scoring a game by most of the systems that I come across, just to say I did and to be able to offer semi-informed opinions on the merits of each system.

This is an excellent opportunity, then, to re-emphasize that scorekeeping is all about your own personal preferences. When I critique various scoring methods or scoresheet designs here, it is always from my own perspective. I do not in any way hold it up as “right” or the one true way or the “best” or anything of the such.

This will be important to keep in mind as the next few sheets I post will be from different scoring systems than what I generally use. I will be commenting on them in the spirit of the above paragraph, and if you disagree, I celebrate that. Scorekeeping is a pursuit where individuality should be flaunted.

For a brief word on the game, the Indians were able to scrap out a couple of runs in the seventh inning to win it 2-1. With the bases loaded and one out, Asdrubal Cabrera hit a grounder to first. While the sheet does not necessarily reflect it, Daric Barton rushed in his attempt to turn an inning-ending DP, and bobbled the ball. He was left with only a flip to first to get the out there, and the game was tied. The A’s intentionally walked Travis Hafner to load the bases, and Ryan Garko worked out of a 1-2 hole to draw a walk that would account for the game-winning run.