Scoring: 2-U, How Often Has it Happened?

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Posted By: Lee Behrens

I was at the Twins game to tonight and they have a game called Twingo, it's bingo played with how the game is scored. One of them was 2-U, catcher unassisted. The only realistic way I could come up with this happening is if there is a play in front of the catcher and tags out a runner coming from 3rd. Is there any others (That aren't way out there)? I don't believe that a player thrown out at home trying to steal would be 1-2.

For the stats freaks, can you find out how many times this has happened in the history of the game? I can't believe it has happened to many times.

Lee

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Posted By: Charlie

I have actually seen this happen several times when a batter hits the ball right in front of home plate and doesn't run b/c they think it's foul. So the catcher just picks up the ball and tags them out.

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Posted By: warshawlaw

what am I missing?

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Posted By: Keith O'Leary

Is it because the pitcher's first touch of the ball is left out of the scoring book once the bat touches it?

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Posted By: Lee Behrens

A foul out or pop up to the catcher is scored F-2. This first response is on the right track but that sure doesn't happen too often either.

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Posted By: barrysloate

I think I'm missing something too. With each strikeout the catcher gets credit for a putout (since he could conceivably drop the third strike and be charged with an error). And that putout is unassisted. Also, with the bases loaded, if the batter swings and just hits a chop that barely leaves home plate, the catcher can pick it up and just stand on home plate for the putout.

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Posted By: Lee Behrens

Barry, The proper way to score a strike out is k-2. Your second scenario is very close to the scenario I gave. Where are our stats geeks, there has to be some stats for this.

Lee

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Posted By: barrysloate

I once saw a play at Yankee Stadium where the Yankees had two men on base and the batter hit one in the gap. Both runners rounded third but at that point the lead runner slowed down and both were only about twenty feet apart. When the throw from the outfield came in to Carlton Fisk he was able to tag out both of them successively, about a second apart. How would you score that? He got two outs with two consecutive tags on one play (assuming the centerfielder threw the ball, is it your standard 8-2-2 double play?) I remember one of the runners was Dale Berra; I forget the other.

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Posted By: Lee Behrens

What are the chances, I was watching the Twins game Saturday night and what happens, a 2-U. The bases were loaded, the batter hitters a chopper in front of the plate, Mauer is able to get the ball and go back and touch the plate, 2-U. I don't think I will see many of them in my lifetime.

Any chance of getting the stats on how often this has happened?

Lee

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Posted By: Andrew Parks

Scenarios:

1) Runner on third. Pitcher throws passed ball or wild pitch. Runner breaks for home, catcher retrieves ball and tags out runner to home. Scored - 2-U.

2) Batter steps out of the batter's box or on the plate, swings and hits a fair ball. Batter is called out. Scored - 2-U.

3) Batter hits swinging bunt, bunt, or chopper in front of plate, catcher fields ball and tags batter-runner out. Scored - 2-U.

4) Batter hits swinging bunt, bunt, chopper or pop up where catcher can make a play on it. Batter runs into him. Scored - Batter's Int. - 2-U.

5) Bases loaded. Batter hits a fair ball where catcher can get to it. Catcher retrieves it and steps on home. Scored - 2-U.

6) Bases loaded, 2 outs, 2 strikes on batter. Batter swings and misses or takes third strike. Catcher drops ball and steps on home plate. Scored - K-2-U.

It's not as uncommon as it seems. "2-U" has most likely happened many times in MLB.

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Posted By: Lee Behrens

I believe your #4 is scored more than just a U-2, I may be wrong, not sure exactly how it is scored.

#6 does not fall into the category for the reason you scored it k-2-U, not just K-2.

The other 4 are scenarios but certianly not very common scenarios. I know that was the first time I had ever seen it watching a game.

Where are those stats geeks out there, I know there is an answer.

Lee

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Posted By: Jerry Ficchi

The second idiot that Fisk tagged out on that play was Bobby Meachum. Sad part of Yankee history.

Here's one for you to ponder - There are no outs, a ball is put in play and three outs occur without a defensive player ever touching the ball. How can this happen? Answer to come later if nobody gets it.

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Posted By: Anonymous

Three outs can be made when a preceding runner on base is passed by three others.

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Posted By: Jerry Ficchi

True, but let me clarify. There are no outs and runners on first and second.

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Posted By: Scott Elkins

The hit ball hits the runner that was on second. The batter runs past the runner that was on first while running too far out of the baselines???????????

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Posted By: identify7

Everyone runs out of the baselines or the ball careens off one to the next and next runner. Or batter passes the two runners only to get hit in the head with his own pop fly.<br />(edited to add - you forgot the infield fly rule, silly)

Ok - lets hear one with a greater liklihodd of happening. So far I like Scotts guess.

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Posted By: Anonymous

Scott's couldn't happen because once it hits the runner, the ball is declared dead.

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Posted By: Anonymous

Gil,

Runners are only out of the baseline when a fielder attempts to tag them. Also, the batter-runner is automatically out when he hits the infield pop-fly. (which I think you edited to write in)

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Posted By: Jerry Ficchi

From what I've been told, this actually happened in the late 70's or early 80's in the minor leagues. No outs, runners on first and second. The batter hits a pop up to short and the infield fly rule is called, batter out. In the mean time, for some strange reason, the runner on first takes off, rounds second, and passed the lead runner. Runner on first called out. Lastly, the pop up lands and hits the runner off of second, third out. I can't confirm that it happened, but if it did, it must have been single "A" ball. Even Bobby Meachum would know better not to ge involved in a play like this!!!