4 assists in one inning

[fabio61]

Last night Bud Norris of the Astros struck out 4 batters in the 3rd inning. This has happened about 60 times in ML history.

So it got me thinking.... I have never seen anyone address this. It's theoretically possible to get 4 (or more) assists in one inning.

If someone hits a slow grounder between 1B and 2B and the 2B fields it and throws to the pitcher covering and he drops the thrown ball, the pitcher gets an error, but the 2B still gets an assist. Three more grounders to 2B and cleanly caught throws by the SS or 1B and the 2B has 4 assists.

While it seems a bit unlikely, it might have happened once in 100,000+ games, but I don't know of any player that has gotten credit for 4 assists in one inning.

[ipitch]

Baseball-almanac.com has some one-inning assists records, but they don't have any record of anyone having four.

[brett]

Last night Bud Norris of the Astros struck out 4 batters in the 3rd inning. This has happened about 60 times in ML history.

So it got me thinking.... I have never seen anyone address this. It's theoretically possible to get 4 (or more) assists in one inning.

If someone hits a slow grounder between 1B and 2B and the 2B fields it and throws to the pitcher covering and he drops the thrown ball, the pitcher gets an error, but the 2B still gets an assist. Three more grounders to 2B and cleanly caught throws by the SS or 1B and the 2B has 4 assists.

While it seems a bit unlikely, it might have happened once in 100,000+ games, but I don't know of any player that has gotten credit for 4 assists in one inning.

Could a catcher get an assist on a throwout on a steal attempt if the ball is dropped? Also what if the pitcher in your scenario misses the bag with his foot? Could that be ruled an error? Do outfielders typically get an assist if they throw home but the catcher loses the ball on contact with the runner?

[Brooklyn]

Could a catcher get an assist on a throwout on a steal attempt if the ball is dropped? Also what if the pitcher in your scenario misses the bag with his foot? Could that be ruled an error? Do outfielders typically get an assist if they throw home but the catcher loses the ball on contact with the runner?

An assist is only credited when there is a put out or would have been a put out except for an error. Any of your cases could be an assist if the official scorer deems an error on the play, but you rarely, if ever, see an error on a steal attempt and you won't on a bang bang play at home.

[brett]

An assist is only credited when there is a put out or would have been a put out except for an error. Any of your cases could be an assist if the official scorer deems an error on the play, but you rarely, if ever, see an error on a steal attempt and you won't on a bang bang play at home.

What about the pitcher mis-stepping the bag?

[Brooklyn]

What about the pitcher mis-stepping the bag?

Same. If they call an error, there is an assist. No error, no assist.

[Gee Walker]

In a really badly played rundown of a baserunner, you can get a lot of assists on just one play. A pickoff might go 1-3-6-3-6-3-6.

[brett]

OK one more. Can't a fielder get more than one assist for a given putout? Lets say that a ball is lined to the shortstop and ricocet's to the second baseman who's momentum is going hard toward third, he flips it to the shortstop who throws out the runner going to first.

[ipitch]

In a really badly played rundown of a baserunner, you can get a lot of assists on just one play. A pickoff might go 1-3-6-3-6-3-6.

It would be one assist for each player.

10.11 An assist shall be credited to each fielder who throws or deflects a batted or thrown ball in such a way that a putout results, or would have resulted except for a subsequent error by any fielder. Only one assist and no more shall be credited to each fielder who throws or deflects the ball in a run down play which results in a putout, or would have resulted in a putout, except for a subsequent error.

[brett]

It would be one assist for each player.

10.11 An assist shall be credited to each fielder who throws or deflects a batted or thrown ball in such a way that a putout results, or would have resulted except for a subsequent error by any fielder. Only one assist and no more shall be credited to each fielder who throws or deflects the ball in a run down play which results in a putout, or would have resulted in a putout, except for a subsequent error.

Can someone get an assist on his own putout?

[Jackaroo Dave]

Can someone get an assist on his own putout?

Yes. The criteria for assists call for that, and there is nothing in the rules that says otherwise. On Willie Mays's 4-5-6-1-6-4 rundown against the Phillies on 7/11/63, Tony Taylor gets an assist and the putout.