This month, I’m trying to figure out the nuanced art of scoring a game. So far, it’s been easy to draw the little baseball diamonds, fill them in with runs, and abbreviate almost every single play that can happen over nine innings. However, when I reach the end of the game and go to “prove” the box score, something inevitably goes wrong.
Today’s question:
I’ve heard that in order to make sure you scored a game correctly, you must figure out how many players were left on base (the team LOB). How do you figure out if a player has been put out or left behind?
Leave your answer in the comments below!
I’ve always found it easiest to count the number of players to have a plate appearance in an inning, subtract 3 (outs) and number of runs scored in the inning. Ex: Six players make PAs in an inning – 3 outs – 1 run scored = 2 LOBs.
MoreSplashHits
http://moresplashhits.mlblogs.com/
There is actually two different LOB designations…..LOB and Team LOB.
The regular old simple LOB consists of when a baserunner is said to be left on base when the 3rd out is recorded for his batting team. He has not scored, plus he has not been put out. This includes a batter/runner who has hit into a fielder’s choice, causing another runner to be put out as the 3rd out.
But during a walk-off game scenario, if a batter hit a game-winning single with the bases loaded to break the tie. He might seem like he apparently left three men on base after the game-winning hit. the 3 men left of base after the single game winning run do not count as LOB in the final game statistics.
When the batter hits a fair ball, his plate appearance ends and he becomes a runner. “Stranded” is sometimes used to mean LOB.
Team LOB totals are commonly reported in a baseball box score.
Team LOB is used in “proving” a box score. The number of a team’s plate appearances is to equal the sum of that team’s runs, that team’s LOB, and the opposing team’s putouts. In other words, every batter who completes a plate appearance is accounted for by a run scored or by being put out or by being LOB.
An individual accumulates LOB stats no matter how many outs in the inning. Team LOB, however, counts only those left standing on the bases when the third out of an inning occurs.
Accordingly, adding together the individual LOB for all players will usually exceed team LOB.
As you can see, baseball has done everything in their power to make this “stat” as confusing to the layman, but obvious to the long time watcher or participant. Hope this made it a bit easier to figure out LOB…But it also could have made your mind melt.
Rays Renegade
http://raysrenegade.mlblogs.com
Thank you both so much for the explanations! I think I had been switching the two stats (individual and team LOB) and that’s what messed me up when scoring a game. Seems like the more I find out about baseball, the more complex it gets… but that’s half the fun!