Jun 22 2009
Scoring a Baseball Game: Introduction and Setup
Scoring a ball game is a great way to stay involved in a game. Also, it’s an invaluable skill to have if you have youngsters playing baseball. Teams always need someone to score the game, and volunteering to score is a good way to support your kid(s) without undertaking the huge time commitment that coaching requires.
The need for fans to score MLB games themselves has decreased as JumboTron® displays and TV broadcasts are able to display the results of the batter’s previous plate appearances. Accordingly, there are less people (in my experience) who know how to score a game.
The first thing you need is a scorecard. These are usually available at the ballpark for Major League games. Also, you can go out and buy a book of scorecards,or even buy them online. There are different options to choose from. I prefer ones with an empty box as opposed to ones with a diamond already there.
Once you have the scorecard, you need to do all the pregame work. It’s pretty obvious where to put the starting lineups. Just remember that almost all scorecards have two lines per lineup spot so that subs can be inserted in the correct part of the batting order. Any other information you want to add is really a matter of preference. I usually put the date on the scorecard, and maybe the time of game. Some people add comments about the weather and the umpires.
Before the game is also a good time to remember/learn the numerical representation for the defensive positions. 1-Pitcher, 2-Catcher, 3-First baseman, 4-Second baseman, 5-Third baseman, 6-Shortstop, 7-Left Fielder, 8-Center Fielder, 9-Right Fielder.
Now you just have to wait for the game to start.
