How to Keep a Scorebook in Baseball // Baseball Scorekeeping Basics Explained

*Mistake Fix* - at minute 8:15, "6-1" should be "6-3". SS to 1B is "6-3", not 6-1. (Shout out to @JWorks for finding that and commenting, thank you!)
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Baseball scorekeeping can be so confusing! When you look at a baseball scorebook, it's very easy to get overwhelmed and not even know where to start. But I can assure you, once you have the basics of scorekeeping down, it's not nearly as complicated as it looks.
Today's BBB Timeout explains how to keep a scorebook in baseball. You'll learn exactly how to navigate all the areas in the scorebook, along with what to write in every situation - so you can make sure that you're on point with every game. This video is perfect for you if you're a new scorekeeper, or if you're a veteran and you'd like a quick refresher!
#baseballscorekeeping
#howtokeepabaseballscorebook
#baseballscorebook
#howtokeepscoreinbaseball
#baseballrulesexplained
#baseballexplainedforbeginners
#youthbaseball
#buildingbetterbaseball

[@buildingbetterbaseball]

~ Need help finding the perfect baseball equipment fit? Grab your free baseball equipment sizing guide right here: www.buildingbetterbaseball.com/equipmentguide ~ Youth Coaches, grab your free 2-Hour practice plan for more efficient practices right here: www.buildingbetterbaseball.com/practiceplan

[@jworks3428]

Just FYI, at about 8:15 you say “6-1” is short to first but that should be “6-3”. Thanks for the vid.

[@buildingbetterbaseball]

Oh man you're so right! Wow, that was a huge fail on my part lol. Thank you so much for pointing that out, I'll have to see how I can fix that.

[@adamwedlund2954]

I was also questioning that?

[@biffwellington823]

I would read "6 - 1" as the ball was hit to short (6) and he threw it to the pitcher.(1). Maybe the pitcher was covering first base...?

[@ashleyh9214]

Very helpful. This is the first video I've watched that explained what to do in the book if a team bats around. Thank you!

[@Altosax227]

You showed 6-1 when it should have been 6-3.

[@buildingbetterbaseball]

Yupp! Thanks for the heads up - I put a note in the top of the description about it.. totally dropped the ball on that one!

[@mikenorton9970]

I just noticed that to.

[@Denise-jt8sr]

Thank you so much for this great tutorial! I will be keeping my 11 y/o grandson's team book and haven't done so since I was in HS! This was the perfect refresher!!

[@user-in5zh5dp9c]

Great video! I watched a lot of them, and this has been one of my favorites! You remind me a lot of my older son's former coach. He's a great guy and loves baseball! ❤️ ⚾️

[@satvirvia1561]

Scorekeeping tomorrow for my kids first travel team tournament, I’m less nervous because of this video. Thanks 😂

[@buildingbetterbaseball]

Best of luck, Satvir - you’ll do great!

[@joeharlan2990]

Excellent video. I’m looking forward to trying this summer of 2023.

[@narutoman5740]

Thanks so much for the help I don’t know much about baseball but the baseball coach wanted me to be the manager of the team

[@buildingbetterbaseball]

You’re welcome, glad I was able to help. I understand how baseball can be overwhelming a little, but just like anything else take it one step at a time, you got this! Let me know if you need anything else 👍

[@dogpatch75]

Very helpful video. Look around for better scorebook designs. An 18-player score sheet wastes a ton of real estate on the page. Nowhere outside of perhaps Tee Ball/Coach Pitch are 18 batters in a batting line-up. Eleven batter/9 or 10 inning style books are common, much easier to use, and are adequate for most leagues.

[@rachellee1170]

This is a clear and helpful explanation. Thank you!

[@brianbisesi4706]

Awesome video. Great combination of being thorough yet succinct.

[@cadesandefer4783]

Very helpful

[@godofnothinglol]

Question - let’s say player 8 starts the new inning (we’ll say inning 4) Player 8,9, 10 goes when it’s player 1’s turn do we start it on a new inning column or same inning? (4th inning column)

[@buildingbetterbaseball]

Great question Veronica! You would keep it in the same inning. You always want to mark the book in the inning you’re playing. You would only switch to the next inning if they batted around the lineup. Hope this helps!

[@naturallynorthwest9748]

Definitely feel like I can do this now. Thanks for the tutorial.

[@buildingbetterbaseball]

You got this!

[@user-td4zp4gq2p]

Know your rule book and the major league rule book inside out. Get the book baseball scorekeeping by Andres Wirkmaa.

[@mtmollytaylor]

Thank you. Brand new and very easy to understand.

[@indianajones7197]

Review today, l've learned the last situation, thank you so much

[@hairyterry5829]

Great explanation

[@philipeben2851]

this was awesome... great explanation... i learned a lot...thanks much

[@skiddwister9143]

In the example at 8:50 why isn't the short to first base throwout 6-3 instead of what you exampled as 6-1? It seems many people have their own variations. Thanks for the video.

[@buildingbetterbaseball]

Yupp, You’re totally right - it should’ve been 6-3. I put a note in the top of the comments, just dropped the ball on that one. Must’ve not had my coffee yet when I created it 😂

[@skiddwister9143]

@@buildingbetterbaseball Thank you. I’m new to scoring, I wasn’t sure.

[@dezerttim]

I bought a score book and I am going to try keepong score at home warching games on tv before i attempt to try in person. My question is, how do you score the ghost runner in extra innings? Also regarding extra innings and when a team bats around in an inning and you end up using extra columns, do you just move on to the next page in the book for later innings?

[@buildingbetterbaseball]

Hi Tim! To your last question, yes you would just continue onto the next page and mark the proper areas (like title, game, time, etc…) saying it’s a continuation. Your first question is a great question! I honestly never thought about that, so I don’t have a concrete answer for you, but I can look on the mlb website to see if they say anything about it - but if I were keeping score, I would just mark a runner on 2nd in the first box of the inning. So the first batter of the inning would automatically have a runner on 2nd. I’ll see if I can find that answer for you, hope this helps!

[@dogpatch75]

The last batter in the previous inning would be that runner, per the international tie-breaker rule. If you are figuring full player stats, make a note as to who that runner is so he can be properly credited with a run scored or a stolen base.

[@ytube0412]

Do you have a printable for this score sheet?

[@rohanpai3726]

Helpful thanks

[@NicoleStowe]

What would you put in the book if the catcher drops the ball on the 3rd strike and the batter gets on first?

[@buildingbetterbaseball]

Hi Nicole - I would track exactly what happened on the sheet. In the box, I would write “K” because it still counts as a strikeout for the pitcher and batter - then I would draw a line from home to 1st signifying the batter ran to 1st and is now on 1st. Then at the bottom I would write “D3S” for drop 3rd strike. Or really you can write anything you’d like so when you refer back to it you know what happened. Hope this makes sense!

[@NicoleStowe]

@@buildingbetterbaseball thank you so much!! You video was very helpful!!

[@kaylerobben1879]

When a batter makes contact and grounds to first. The first baseman has an unassisted out. Does that qualify as a hit? Or is a hit only when they successfully make it on base?

[@buildingbetterbaseball]

Hi Kayle - you’re right! A hit is only when the runner gets on base safely, besides in situations where the defense made an error or a “fielder’s choice”. A ground out to first base would be marked “GO - 3” (ground out 1st base). Hope this helps!

[@seanmorter4917]

So because the pitcher is 1 and say for some reason the first baseman couldn’t go back in time to cover the base and the pitcher was the one who recorded the out at first. Would that denotation be 6-1 because of the pitcher’s assigned number or still 6-3 because the out was recorded at first base?

[@seanmorter4917]

Also another question (because I do this in MLB the show lol) what if the batter hits it in the outfield and they have a single but they get greedy and try make it a double but get thrown out; would that be marked as a single still or no? In MLB the Show, in that instance it still credits me as getting a hit even though I was thrown out. Thank you!

[@buildingbetterbaseball]

Hi Sean - you’re correct in both questions! Let’s say the first baseman throws it to the pitcher for the out at first - that would be 3-1 GO (ground out). You can even draw a little line on the paper signifying the pitcher ran to cover first. In the second question- you would mark the “1B” on first base as the single, then mark him out at second base, let’s say RF - SS would be 9-6. You can draw lines on the sheet to help with clarification of where the ball went. Hope this helps!

[@seanmorter4917]

@@buildingbetterbaseball yes thank you very much!

[@andreasaldana5758]

how would it be done if a player that is on base gets out? 😅😅 it will be my first time doing this for my nephews game this thursday so i’m trying to learn now and practice before 😂

[@dogpatch75]

Usually this is a "Fielder's Choice". Example: If the batter hits a ground ball and the runner on 1B is put out at 2B by the shortstop throwing to the second baseman, it would be "6-4 FC" along with the out number MARKED ON THE RUNNER. The shortstop gets credit for an assist and the second baseman gets credit for the put-out and the proper offensive player is indicated as being "out". The batter does NOT get credit for a hit because it was the defense's choice to play on the runner instead of the batter. Notation for the batter would be simply "FC" with no out number since they reached base because of the fielder's choice.

[@barrytone6581]

My dad taught me that if you were to go across all 9 batters and the inning isnmt over, you can go on it with a new color, which is why I never fill the stuff in all the way

[@buildingbetterbaseball]

That’s an amazing idea, thanks for sharing Barry!

[@bebetiux]

isn`t 6 - 1 from SS to pitcher?

[@buildingbetterbaseball]

Yes it is lol. Totally my fault, dropped the ball on that one - should’ve triple checked before filming! That’s why I have the correction as the first line in the description. Great catch Marian 👍

[@bebetiux]

@@buildingbetterbaseball it happens to the best 🫶🏻⚾️

[@t-lowe]

So, you don’t keep score for both teams, just your team?

[@buildingbetterbaseball]

You’re right! You usually keep both scores because you compare the scorebook with the other scorekeeper whenever there’s a question or discrepancy. But it’s the same method of scoring for both 👍

[@dogpatch75]

Keep score for both teams. The home team's scorebook is considered the "official score", but the visitor's scorekeeper should confer with the home scorekeeper to verify events or resolve discrepancies, especially with the actual score. Accurate books become important in the case of games suspended and restarted because of bad weather. Good scorekeeping becomes very important in older leagues, especially high school, as stats become a criteria for post-season player honors.

[@sarahgarcia2850]

If only people paid as much attention to their politicians as they did here in scorekeeping we'd be in much better position as a country....aye yeye yeye

[@banks412gmailcom]

Can’t thank you enough! My son is playing coach pitch right now at little league and parents have to keep score and run the scoreboard, but there’s no help on how to learn. Much appreciated!