Scorekeeping is a great way to stay involved during a game. It is not a hard task but does require you to pay attention to every pitch. Each scorekeeper develops their own methods and notations on how they keep stats. As long as you illustrate each play accurately and can go back to a play and recall what happened; then you have done your job. Remember, the scorebook is the official artifact in the game. What you depict in the book is considered the authoritative document. The scorekeeping video provided will illustrate how to keep score from the basics of Farm to the more detailed information in Majors. Below you will find the link to a tutorial video with common scenarios and how to document them followed by additional information that are not only helpful, but scorekeeping need-to-knows.
Arrival Time: Please arrive at least 30 minutes before game time so that you have enough time to get the coaches lineups and transfer them to the scorebook. Sometimes coaches fill their lineups in last minute, so you may have to ask them for it.
Location of Scorebook: All scorebooks are located in the Majors score booth. At the end of your game, please make sure to leave your scorebook in the Majors booth for the next scorekeeper.
Lineups: The lineup should be provided to the scorekeeper once the scorekeeper is in the score booth. The lineup should include the players first, last names and numbers in batting order. If scorekeeping Minors or Majors, the manger MUST add the position numbers for each player.
Pitching Affidavit: Each coach MUST provide a pitching affidavit with their lineups. As pitchers come in and out of the game, the scorekeeper should be updating the pitching affidavit with the required information (i.e. pitches thrown, league age, player rest days). **ALL INFORMATION MUST BE WRITTEN IN PEN - NO PENCILS ON PITCHING AFFIDAVIt** At the end of the game, both coaches MUST sign off on each affidavit. Return the completed affidavit to the correct coach once the game is complete.
If an affidavit is not provided by a coach with the previous game's stats, they will have to forfeit.
Score booth Occupancy: Official scorekeepers (and announcers) are the only persons allowed in the score booths during games. Farm, minors, and majors games require one to two scorekeepers from the home team. If you have children at the field, please make sure you have someone to watch them while you are scorekeeping. As stated earlier, scorekeeping requires your full attention. It is easy to get distracted with folks coming in and out of the score booth. If any persons outside of the official scorekeepers are in the booth your team may be subject to a forfeit.
Score booth Behavior: It is the job of the scorekeeper to keep a neutral position during the game. Please do not yell at or argue with the umpire if you feel they made a bad call. Do not yell at a player or a coach while scorekeeping. Your job is to document the game as it happens; let the coaches coach, the umpires ump and the players play.
Batting Out of Order: It is NOT the umpire or the scorekeeper's job to call out a team batting out of order. It is the job of the managers to catch this. If a manager catches the out of turn batter, then the batter who should be up is considered out and you return to the correct order. If the incorrect order is not caught by any manager, the scorekeeper will mark the pitches and play against the player that should be batting. This will continue until the order is corrected.
Pitch Counts: The scorekeeper is the official pitch recorder. You have the final decision on the pitch count. A manager may dispute the pitch count at the end of each inning only. A manager cannot dispute past inning pitches. It is very important that you pay close attention to the pitcher's pitch count as the number of pitches will affect the following scenarios: a) when a pitcher should be relieved in a game b) how many rest days the player needs before they can pitch again or c) if the pitcher can catch during a game (see note below for guidance)
* If a pitcher throws 41 pitches, the pitcher cannot catch during the game
* If the catcher catches in the 4th inning, they cannot pitch during the remainder of the game.
Threshold: If a pitcher meets their allotted pitch count during an at bat, then the pitcher can finish the at bat and the scorekeeper should document the complete number of pitches followed by a "T" on the pitching affidavit.
Scorebook: At the end of the game, please make sure to write across each page the score and which team won. Before returning the scorebook to the Majors score booth, please make sure all information is complete and accurate. Lastly, please have the Head Umpire sign both home and away pages.
Score booth Clean-Up: Score booths must be disinfected before and after every game. At the end of each game, it is your responsibility to make sure the score booth is clean and tidy and ready for the next scorekeeper. Please make sure your food, drinks, lineups, trash, etc. is picked up and remember NO SEEDS!
Score booth Lock-Up: If you are the last game of the day, please make sure the score booth is locked. Generally, coaches or board members will do this. However, if you do leave before the coaches, please verify with them or the board member on duty that they will lock the score booth.
Below is a link to a video on scorekeeping. If you have any other questions, please feel free to reach out to a Board Member. We are here to help and answer any of your questions. If you need assistance during the game, please let us know. We look forward to a great 2025 season!
(Video)
Ages
11-12 - 85 pitches per day
9-10 - 75 pitches per day
7-8 - 50 pitches per day
Pitchers league age 14 and under must adhere to the following rest requirements:
If a player pitches 66 or more pitches in a day, four (4) calendar days of rest must be observed.
If a player pitches 51-65 pitches in a day, three (3) calendar days of rest must be observed.
If a player pitches 36-50 pitches in a day, two (2) calendar days of rest must be observed.
If a player pitches 21-35 pitches in a day, one (1) calendar days of rest must be observed.
If a player pitches 1-20 pitches in a day, no (0) calendar day of rest is required.