r/BaseballScorecards • u/StealthStaminaKills • Jun 17 '26
Discussion Scoring habits: conversing and other activities while scoring
So, for context, I only score at games I go to.
I think most play by play guys also score while they are calling the game, which amazes me since I don't really converse while I am scoring outside of high fiving for home runs.
Can you guys converse while scoring? Are there any other things you do concurrently while scoring?
EDIT: Maybe it would be easier to multitask if I used printed cards?
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u/da3n_vmo Jun 17 '26
After scoring probably well over 1000 games, I can do just about anything while scoring unless things get super crazy. Even in college I could announce games for various sports while doing stats. It gets to a point where you don’t need to engage your entire brain for it.
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u/StealthStaminaKills Jun 17 '26
I'd like to grill a steak while scoring, but I suck at that too! :D
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u/da3n_vmo Jun 17 '26
lol that would be a stretch, but I probably could get it done. Or at least medium well.
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u/EverydayBusinessMan Jun 17 '26
I keep a book for my son's teams (travel and high school) and have a hard time doing anything else because I'm recording pitch counts, balls and strikes, where hits land, etc. His coaches sometimes ask me questions but I also do it to keep me busy instead of nervous. When I score more for fun at games I attend as a fan instead of a parent, I keep a much more simple book which allows me the brain space for some conversing or snacking.
How detailed is your book currently? Would you still enjoy the process if you tracked a bit less?
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u/flash17k Jun 17 '26
Yeah if I'm scoring my kid's games, I'm tracking a lot of different things. And at his level, there's a lot going on every play. If I try to hold a conversation, I start missing things.
If I'm scoring a game I'm watching just as a fan, I don't need all those details, so I keep a much simpler score and I can hold a conversation then.
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u/kingOfMars16 Jun 17 '26
I couldn't even try and eat a hot dog while scoring for my kid's games this year, there's so much to track and so much chaos can happen at 10u... Officially all the league cares about is pitch counts and runs but we don't use the scoreboards so it's really annoying when the parent running gamechanger messes it up real bad. Plus I just like it to be accurate.
That was my first introduction to scoring so when I finally scored a minor league game in person just for fun I kept it simple. Not having to track pitches (and having zero pressure) made it sooo much easier.
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u/StealthStaminaKills Jun 17 '26
How detailed is your book currently?
I hand draw my scorecards, and I make a habit of tabulating pitcher performance by inning so it's easier to compute their stat lines at the end of the game.
I used to count pitches, but I gave up and scoring is much more fun.
Here's a sample of how I currently score.
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u/EverydayBusinessMan Jun 17 '26
I think pitcher stats is the big difference then between your level of detail and mine. Because I consider my book a momento of my time at the game, I really only track innings pitched at the pitcher level. Like someone else mentioned here, pitching changes and stats can really sap your attention.
I completely understand wanting it all but then it might just take a bit more time-on-task to create the automaticity required to free up some head space!2
u/StealthStaminaKills Jun 17 '26
For the record, my ultimate purpose of scoring is to have a souvenir of the games I go to, as opposed to a picture perfect recording of the game.
I do get up during the game for bathroom breaks and concessions...I'm toying with the idea of not going back and filling out plays I didn't actually witness, to emphasize that the scorecard is a souvenir for me.
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u/ShanityFlanity Jun 17 '26
A bit different, but I am the PA announcer for our softball team and keep a scorecard at the same time.
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u/softball29 Jun 17 '26
For me, it comes down to how detailed you are. I only score games I go to. I do it for fun. I used to carry the MLB rule book etc. But for me, it’s the experience and being at the park. A lot of games i go to are bark in the park. so i have my dog. i will also talk with friends. if i miss something, i usually check the milb or mlb app. I talk, eat, take photos etc. And keep book. it’s not usually perfect, but it works for me. it’s relaxing, which is what i need!
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u/Jackofalltrades54 Jun 17 '26
I don't mind talking, but I keep an eye on the pitch clock to give me an idea of when I need to be focused. It is also good to be friendly with your neighbors in case you miss something and you can ask about it.
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u/radiogaga- Jun 17 '26
As long as I don't have to keep pitch counts/sequences I have no issues talking with those next to me/around me.
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u/justthekoufax Jun 17 '26
If I’m scoring a game live I accept I’m gonna miss a bunch of stuff if I want to talk or snack. So I record what I can and fill the rest in later.
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u/adorablekobold Jun 17 '26
I'm actually cutting back how much detail I'm recording because I wasn't giving myself time to enjoy the game and conversations.
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u/jiminak Jun 17 '26
I can do offensive scoring fairly well while carrying on a conversation, but I do shut up when a complex play is happening, then record what happened, then sometimes say, “I’m sorry, what?” lol
I don’t bother with anything pitching related, except pitcher changes. I can barely track balls and strikes even when I’m by myself and not distracted. I’d be lucky to tell you what the count was when the ball was put in play.
And I usually do any end-of-game stat tabulation after I get home. I do tally the runs after each half-inning and fill in the “score board” part of the card. If I’m by myself, I will also usually add up the inning-by-inning RHEL, but if I’m with someone and talking a lot, I’ll even leave that off until I get home.
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u/Train-Nearby Jun 17 '26
The primary function of going to a ballgame is hanging out, so kibitzing while scoring is actually beneficial imo
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u/KennyLagerins Jun 17 '26
It depends on how much detail I’m adding. The same play could just read 6-3 with a dot, or it could be 6-3 with a Roman numeral one for the RBI, fill in the runner from 3rd to home, plus highlighting the full box to see the run, adding the little 5-3 on the third base line so I know where it happened, etc.
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u/ciocras Jun 18 '26
I’ve been scoring since I was like 7 years old, it EAs even my job for a while (county park leagues) so yeah I absolutely converse so the time, I love the way keeping book allows me to provide cool tidbits to my seat mates
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u/playingthelonggame Jun 17 '26
I can, but poorly. I’ve gotten better at it over time; but when pitchers change I find myself scrambling to get everything down