Baseball is a game of failures. You can fail seven times out of ten and end up in Cooperstown with a bronze plaque. But for the people who obsessively refresh the New York Times crossword or spend their afternoons scouring the box scores of a Tuesday day game, there’s a specific kind of frustration that comes from a play that looks like one thing but is officially ruled as another. We’re talking about the hit and run but not error nyt conundrum—that weird middle ground where the ball is live, the runner is moving, and the official scorer is holding a literal eraser.
It’s messy.
Think about a standard hit and run. The runner on first takes off with the pitch. The middle infielders scramble to cover the bag, leaving a massive hole in the defense. The batter pokes a grounder right through that vacated spot. It’s a beautiful, tactical piece of "small ball" that makes purists weep with joy. But then things get weird. Maybe the outfielder bobbles the ball. Maybe the throw to third is high. Suddenly, you're looking at the scoreboard trying to figure out if that extra base was earned or gifted.
The Official Scorer’s Headache
Official scorers are the unsung, and often hated, judges of the diamond. According to the MLB Rulebook—specifically Rule 9.12—an error is only charged when a fielder fails to make a play that requires "ordinary effort."
Ordinary effort is a vibes-based metric. Seriously.
What's ordinary for Francisco Lindor isn't ordinary for a backup utility man playing out of position in September. When a hit and run is on, the chaos factor triples. If a batter hits a sharp grounder that the shortstop should have had, but he was leaning toward second base because of the runner, it’s almost always ruled a hit. Why? Because the fielder wasn't in a "normal" defensive position.
This is where the hit and run but not error nyt search usually begins. Crossword enthusiasts often run into this logic when trying to decode sports-themed clues. They want to know why a play that looked like a total defensive meltdown didn't result in an "E" on the scorecard.
The reality is that baseball favors the hitter in these gray areas. If there’s any doubt—any doubt at all—you give the hit. Scorers don't want to be the ones to ruin a batting average because a play was "kinda" makeable.
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When the NYT Crossword Collides With Sabermetrics
The New York Times crossword is a beast of its own. When Will Shortz or the editorial team approves a clue involving baseball, they aren't just looking for "ERA" or "RBI" anymore. They’re digging into the nuances of the game.
Sometimes the clue refers to a "fielder's choice."
A fielder's choice is the ultimate "it’s not an error, but it’s not really a hit" moment. Imagine this: Runner on first. Hit and run is on. The batter smacks a ball to the shortstop. The shortstop realizes he has no chance at the lead runner, so he throws to first. Or, more likely, he tries for the lead runner and fails, but does so without a physical "miscue" like dropping the ball. The batter reaches base safely.
Is it a hit? No.
Is it an error? No.
It’s a statistical void that leaves the batter with a 0-for-1 and a frustrated look on his face. Honestly, it's one of the most punishing rules in the game for a guy trying to keep a hitting streak alive. You did your job, you put the ball in play, you reached base, and yet your stats take a hit.
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The Evolution of "Ordinary Effort"
We have to talk about Statcast. In 2026, we aren't just guessing anymore. We have "Outs Above Average" (OAA) and "Catch Probability."
If a ball has a 90% catch probability and the fielder misses it, the old-school scorer might still call it a hit if the sun was in the fielder's eyes. But the data says otherwise. This creates a massive rift between the "official" record and the "analytical" record.
When people search for hit and run but not error nyt, they are often looking for the term "Hit" in a context where the defense clearly looked shaky. In the modern game, the hit and run has become rarer because teams are terrified of giving away outs. However, when it does happen, the defensive shifting (even with the new restrictions) makes the scoring even more complex.
If the defense is in a "bunt defense" and a guy slaps a hit past them, it’s a hit. It doesn't matter if they would have caught it in a standard alignment. The official scorer judges the play based on where the players were standing at the time of the pitch.
Why It’s Almost Never an Error
- The "Mental Mistake" Rule: You cannot be charged with an error for a mental mistake. If a fielder throws to the wrong base during a hit and run, it’s a "mental error," which officially counts as... nothing. It’s just a play.
- The Double Play Pivot: On a hit and run, the turn at second base is hurried. If a player drops a ball while trying to transition to a throw for a double play, scorers are notoriously lenient. They call it a "neighborhood play" or simply rule that the runner would have been safe anyway.
- Wild Throws: If a catcher tries to nail a runner stealing during a hit and run and throws the ball into center field, that’s an error. But if the batter hits a ball that the pitcher deflections? All bets are off.
Real-World Examples That Broke the Box Score
Take a look at a game from a few years back—Cardinals vs. Cubs. A classic hit and run was called. The batter swung through the pitch, but the catcher’s interference was called. Is that an error? No, it’s "catcher's interference." It’s a separate category entirely.
Or consider the "infield hit" that occurs because the third baseman was sprinting toward the bag to cover a steal. The ball trickles into the grass where he was standing.
Fans scream.
"That’s an error!"
No, it’s just bad luck.
The hit and run but not error nyt phrase highlights the gap between what we see with our eyes and what the record books allow. Baseball is a game of rigid categories, and sometimes "the truth" doesn't fit into a column.
The NYT Connection: Crossword Clues and Trivia
If you’ve landed here because of a crossword clue, you’re likely looking for words like:
- CHOICE (as in Fielder’s Choice)
- SINGLE (the most common result)
- BUNT (often used in hit and run scenarios)
- SAC (Sacrifice)
The New York Times likes to get clever with these. They might use a clue like "Result of a successful hit-and-run, maybe." The answer isn't always "HIT." Sometimes it’s "RUNS" or "SAFE."
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How to Analyze These Plays Yourself
Next time you’re watching a game and a hit and run breaks out, look at the feet of the middle infielders. If they start moving before the ball is hit, any ball that goes through their original zone is a guaranteed hit.
The official scorer is looking for a physical miscue. A ball hitting the glove and falling out? Error. A ball going between the legs? Error. A ball that a player just couldn't reach because he was running the wrong way? That's a hit, every single time.
It feels wrong. It feels like the defense failed. But in the world of baseball stats, failure isn't always an error.
Actionable Steps for Baseball Fans and Crossword Solvers
If you want to master the nuances of scoring or finally beat that Sunday crossword, here is how you should approach the hit and run but not error nyt logic:
- Study Rule 9.12: Read the definition of "ordinary effort." It will change how you view every bobbled ball in the infield.
- Check the "H/E" Column Immediately: Don't wait for the replay. The official scorer usually makes the call within 30 seconds. Watching how they rule live plays develops your "scorer's eye."
- Look for the "Fielder's Choice" Signal: If the umpire doesn't signal a hit and the runner is out at another base, it’s a FC. This is the most common "not an error" result of a hit and run.
- Use Statcast for Context: If you’re arguing with a friend about whether a play was an error, look up the "Expected Batting Average" (xBA) on that specific exit velocity and launch angle. If the xBA was .900, it’s a hit. If it was .050 and the fielder missed it, you have every right to complain.
Baseball is a game played by humans and judged by humans. The official scorer is the final word, even if that word makes your favorite pitcher's ERA skyrocket. Understanding the "why" behind the "not an error" ruling doesn't just make you a better fan—it makes you a better student of the game's weird, beautiful history.