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An Error on a Ground Ball

When there are runners on base, and the batter hits an infield ground ball, there are generally four potential failure points that could lead to an error:

• the defender who tries to field the ball, but boots it
• a throw from a fielder to a base going wild
• a throw not getting caught
• the ball being dropped by a fielder attempting to make a tag

If any of these elements of the play are not made, the scorekeeper could charge whomever screwed up with an error. As with any error, the key is if the play in question would require “ordinary effort” by the fielder. Ball hit directly to an infielder, and they just fail to grab it? Usually an error. Ball gets hit to the very edge of an infielder’s range, and it ticks off of their glove? Not an error. The same goes for drops: if a fielder swipes at a runner and the ball flies out of their glove, it’ll probably be an error. If the ball comes loose during a fielder/runner collision, probably not an error.

Most of the errors in this situation will just result in the runner being safe at their base, with other baserunners deciding whether or not they should try to continue advancing, depending on where the ball winds up; if a throw to a base goes horribly awry and there aren’t any fielders around who can corral it, the runners can just keep running. If the defense gets control of the ball again, they can always attempt to get one or more runners out, though at this point, the force play no longer applies, and they would have to get that out via the tag. If a throw really goes awry, it can land out of play, possibly in the dugout. Once this happens, the play is dead, and the batter/runner is awarded two bases¹, with other baserunners moved up accordingly.

There’s one additional scenario that can result in an error on a ground ball: a position infraction. MLB rules state that the defensive team can have no more than two infielders on each side of second base— the third baseman and shortstop on one side, second baseman and first baseman on the other. The fielders can range anywhere within their side, but they must be within the dirt part of the infield, and they cannot cross second base until the ball is hit. If the umpires (or a replay review) spot a fielder out of position before the pitch, and that fielder is the first to touch the ball, the offensive team is given a choice: the batter either gets to take first base, or if the offense was able to get multiple bases, and/or a run out of the play, they can just take the result as it stands. If they take the first option, the offending fielder is charged with an error².