Welcome baseball fans! Errors are a big part of the game of baseball. While we all love to see those spectacular diving catches and long home runs, errors are inevitable in this great sport. In this article, we will take an in-depth look at what exactly constitutes an error in baseball, the rules around errors, how errors impact the game, and some interesting facts and stats related to errors. Whether you’re a casual fan or baseball nut, read on to improve your understanding of this unique facet of America’s pastime.
An error in baseball occurs when a fielder fails to make a play that an average fielder at that position would make, and that failure allows a batter or baserunner to advance safely or otherwise extends the time at bat. Errors are charged by the official scorer and count as defensive statistics.
What Constitutes an Error in Baseball?
For a defensive play to be ruled an error, it must meet certain criteria set out in the Official Baseball Rules. The first factor is that the fielder could have made a play with ordinary effort. Outfielders, for example, are not charged with errors on balls hit over their head that they chase down but fail to catch. The second criteria is that the play, if made, would have resulted in an out being recorded. This means the runner must have still been forced to run to the next base. Lastly, the fielder’s failure to make the play must allow the batter to reach base or advance further, or allow another runner(s) to advance.
Ordinary Effort
A key determination is whether the play could have been made with “ordinary effort”. This means the effort an average fielder at that position would have made. Exceptional or spectacular plays that are missed are not errors. However, if a routine groundball goes through a fielder’s legs, that is ordinarily makeable with average effort and would be called an error.
Would Have Resulted in an Out
The second factor in determining an error is if making the play would have produced an out. The runner must have still been required to run to the next base. For instance, if a ground ball goes under the first baseman’s glove but the batter-runner beats the throw anyways, it is considered a hit and not charged as an error.
Allows Advancement
Lastly, the fielder’s miscue must allow runners to advance further than they otherwise would have or extend the batter’s time at the plate. So if a routine ground ball is booted but all runners only advance as many bases as they would have on the play, it would not be considered an error. The failing to make the out has to materially impact the runners’ advancement.
Common Types of Errors in Baseball
While the basic criteria for an error are straightforward, they can occur in many different ways on the field. Here are some of the most common types of errors in baseball:
- Muffed balls – A muffed ball is when a cleanly fielded ground ball or fly ball is dropped. This could be booting a routine grounder or having a pop fly fall out of the fielder’s glove.
- Misplays – This covers any misplay on a batted ball that should have been fielded cleanly. Examples include balls going under the fielder’s glove, between their legs, or glancing off the edge of their mitt.
- Wild throws – A wild throw occurs when the fielder fails to make an accurate throw to the intended target at a base. These errant throws allow runners to advance extra bases.
- Missed catches – When a fielder fails to catch a ball they should reasonably be expected to catch, it’s ruled a missed catch error. This includes pop flies or line drives that could ordinarily be caught.
- Mental mistakes – Errors can also be charged for mental lapses, like missing a force out at a base or failing to tag a runner after a dropped third strike.
Impact of Errors on Statistics
When an error is charged, it impacts several statistical categories beyond just the fielder who committed it:
- Fielding percentage – Errors negatively impact a fielder’s fielding percentage, which is calculated as putouts + assists divided by total chances (putouts + assists + errors).
- Earned runs – Runs scored after an error are unearned to the pitcher. So errors often lead to higher ERAs for pitchers.
- Hits – Batters are not charged with a hit if they reach base safely on a fielding error. A misplayed ball counts as a hit if the scorer judges the fielder could not have caught the ball with ordinary effort.
- RBIs – Batters do not get credited with an RBI if a run scores as a result of an error.
So while errors negatively impact a fielder’s individual stats, they can benefit batters and pitchers in some ways by not counting as hits or earned runs respectively.
Error Rules and Scoring Judgment Calls
While the basic criteria for an error may seem clear, the official scorer has significant judgment in application. The scorer must decide if the play could have been made by an “average fielder” with “ordinary effort”. This allows for some interpretation based on the scorer’s assessment of the play.
Some common scoring judgment calls include:
- Boundary calls – If a fielder gets close to catching a ball near the stands or wall but cannot quite get there, should it be a hit or ruled ordinary effort? This is often a judgment call.
- Tough plays – If a sharply hit ground ball or line drive is deflected or just missed, was it reasonably makeable? The scorer must make that determination on bang-bang plays.
- Mental errors – Deciding if a misplay on the bases is ordinary effort or a mental lapse also rests with the scorer. Being indecisive or missing a play not in the fielder’s direct area of responsibility may factor in.
While the official scorer’s ruling is final, reasonable cases can be made on many close plays whether a hit or error was the right call.
Famous Errors in Baseball History
While any routine mistake in the field can be costly in a baseball game, some monumental errors have gone down in history:
- 1986 World Series Game 6 – Boston Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner lets a routine ground ball go through his legs, allowing the Mets to score the winning run in the 10th inning. This extended the series to Game 7, which the Mets won.
- 2003 NLCS Game 6 – With the Cubs leading the series 3-2, Steve Bartman, a fan, tries to catch a foul ball over Cubs outfielder Moises Alou, potentially preventing him from catching it. The Cubs then unraveled in a 8 run Marlins inning.
- 1925 World Series Game 7 – Pirates second baseman Eddie Moore slipped fielding an easy grounder, beginning a string of miscues that allowed the Senators to score 4 runs and win the championship.
- 1978 AL East Playoff Game – Yankees shortstop Bucky Dent misplays an easy ground ball, opening the floodgates to a Red Sox comeback win to clinch the division.
While not necessarily outcome changing on their own, errors are memorable for their excruciating timing in crucial games throughout baseball history.
Famous Fielders with the Most Errors
While no player strives to lead the league in errors, some legendary fielders also top the record books in this category:
- Derek Jeter – The Yankee great committed 260 errors over his Hall of Fame career. His most (24) came in 2000.
- Omar Vizquel – Long revered as a defensive wizard at shortstop, Vizquel remarkably made 272 errors in his 24 seasons.
- Brooks Robinson – This human vacuum cleaner won 16 straight Gold Gloves at third base. But even Robinson wasn’t perfect, committing 267 career miscues.
- Cal Ripken Jr – “The Iron Man” tallied 266 errors over 21 seasons with the Orioles. The most (26) came during his record-setting 1990 season.
- Ozzie Smith – “The Wizard of Oz” is known for his acrobatic defense, but the 15-time Gold Glove shortstop totaled 281 errors in his 19 seasons.
So while not necessarily a dubious distinction, even the very best fielders aren’t immune from having an off day resulting in the dreaded “E” beside their name.
Interesting Error Stats and Records
Beyond individual achievements, errors have played a significant role across MLB history in some interesting statistical ways:
- Single Season Team Errors – The 1899 Cleveland Spiders committed a staggering 867 errors, the most ever in a season.
- Lowest Season Errors – The 2016 Chicago Cubs only committed 66 errors for an MLB record fielding percentage of .9910.
- Unearned Runs in a Season – The 1950 St. Louis Browns allowed 291 unearned runs, the most ever, largely due to their horrific .9609 fielding percentage.
- Most Errors in a Game – Shortstop Alfredo Griffin of the Blue Jays committed 4 errors in one inning on July 4, 1984.
- Errors in a Career – 19th century infielder Bill Dahlen committed 975 errors over his 21 year career from 1891-1911.
- Errors in a Season – Outfielder John Gochnauer of the 1889 Cleveland Spiders made 90 errors.
So while teams strive for errorless defense today, record books show just how prominent miscues used to be in eras of less precise gloves, equipment and playing surfaces.
Conclusion
Errors have always been an integral part of baseball, despite the best efforts of fielders to play flawless defense. While simple in definition, determining what constitutes ordinary effort for MLB caliber players allows reasonable judgment calls by the official scorer. Despite some famous blunders that live in infamy, errors are usually just a routine part of the game. In the end, even the best fielders can have a tough day with the leather. For the true baseball fan, errors do as much to enrich the lore of the game as towering home runs and pitching gems. So fear not the “E” dear fans, it’s simply part of the fabric of our national pastime.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a fielding error in baseball?
A fielding error occurs when a defensive player fails to make a routine play that an average player at that position should make. This must also allow runners to advance further or extend a batter’s time at the plate to be ruled an error.
What are the most common fielding errors?
The most frequent types of errors are muffed balls, misplays of batted balls, wild throws, missed catches, and mental mistakes. These include dropped balls, balls going under a fielder’s glove, errant throws, or lapses in judgment.
Who decides if a play is scored an error?
The official scorer makes all judgments on whether a misplay should be ruled a hit or error based on if an average effort would have resulted in an out. The scorer’s ruling is final.
How does an error impact batter and pitcher statistics?
Batters don’t get credited with a hit if they reach base safely on an error. Pitchers do not get charged with earned runs that score after an error occurs. So errors can benefit batters/runners and pitchers statistically.
What player has committed the most errors in MLB history?
Bill Dahlen, an infielder from 1891-1911, committed the most career fielding errors with 975 over 21 seasons. The single season record belongs to outfielder John Gochnauer of the 1889 Cleveland Spiders, who made 90 errors.
