(03-22-2013 06:24 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(03-21-2013 08:22 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  Well, yeah, but isn't that the point. Squeezes, sac flies, scoring on an infield ground out are all a very important part of the game; especially at the college level.

Actually, at the MLB level at least, they're a smaller part of the game than many expect. The average MLB team last year scored 701 runs and had 41 sacrifice flies and 49 sacrifice hits (bunts), with the bunt numbers varying because of the DH--33 in the AL, 64 in the NL. Obviously every sacrifice fly leads to a run, but not every sacrifice bunt, so overall probably something like 10% of total runs scored were affected by one or both.

Agree that because there is a bigger premium on making worse defenders handle the ball, there is probably more importance at this level.

I'm a football guy, not a baseball guy, but I don't think the premise in bold is correct. As I understand it, if a runner advances after the ball is hit, whether it is a fly or a bunt, it counts as a sacrifice. No run required. So a sac fly can get a runner from 1st to 2d or 3d or from 2d to 3d, just like a sac bunt would. If I'm wrong, please tell me and I'll put it on the list of things I've learned today!

MLB Official Rule 10.08 Wrote:The official scorer shall ...
(d) Score a sacrifice fly when, before two are out, the batter hits a ball in flight handled by an outfielder or an infielder running in the outfield in fair or foul territory that
(1) is caught, and a runner scores after the catch, or
(2) is dropped, and a runner scores, if in the scorer’s judgment the runner could have scored after the catch had the fly been caught.

So yes, a runner must score for a SF to be awarded.

(03-22-2013 02:41 PM)RiceDoc Wrote:  

(03-22-2013 06:24 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(03-21-2013 08:22 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  Well, yeah, but isn't that the point. Squeezes, sac flies, scoring on an infield ground out are all a very important part of the game; especially at the college level.

Actually, at the MLB level at least, they're a smaller part of the game than many expect. The average MLB team last year scored 701 runs and had 41 sacrifice flies and 49 sacrifice hits (bunts), with the bunt numbers varying because of the DH--33 in the AL, 64 in the NL. Obviously every sacrifice fly leads to a run, but not every sacrifice bunt, so overall probably something like 10% of total runs scored were affected by one or both.

Agree that because there is a bigger premium on making worse defenders handle the ball, there is probably more importance at this level.

I'm a football guy, not a baseball guy, but I don't think the premise in bold is correct. As I understand it, if a runner advances after the ball is hit, whether it is a fly or a bunt, it counts as a sacrifice. No run required. So a sac fly can get a runner from 1st to 2d or 3d or from 2d to 3d, just like a sac bunt would. If I'm wrong, please tell me and I'll put it on the list of things I've learned today!

You're a football guy and you're wrong - - LOL

I wouldn't feel bad about it, you're far from the first person to make that assumption. But for clarification - see NoodleOwl's post.