Can The Sun Cause An Error In Baseball? (& How To Block Sun)

When you think about outdoor sports and the weather, there can and will be many reasons and situations making the sport harder or impossible to

play. One thing that can make baseball harder and more confusing is the sun! Imagine fielding and losing the ball into the sun. Can this cause an error?

Generally, the sun can’t cause an error in baseball even when losing the ball in the sun’s glare isn’t the player’s fault. The error is caused to the sun, and the official scorer can’t credit it because it isn’t on the lineup card.

However, there can be instances where the official scorer may charge the fielder with an error. This is sometimes done if the Official Scorer believes the ball would be caught with ”Ordinary Effort” without the sun’s glare.

Rule 10.12a states:

If a ground ball goes through a fielder’s legs or a fly ball falls untouched and, in the scorer’s judgment, the fielder could have handled the ball with ordinary effort, the official scorer shall charge such fielder with an error.

Therefore, the fielder may gain an error. What makes this difficult is to determine whether the ball would be caught without the sun.

A great way to determine this, in my opinion, is one said by an official scorer David Freeman who said, ”that should be caught 100 times out of 100 times. If you think about it, that’s the correct answer because if the play would be an error thanks to the sun, the ball should have been caught with certainty other times.

Related: Can You Blow On A Baseball To Make It Go Foul?

What Causes An Error In Baseball?

There are many different situations causing errors in baseball. However, what is the definition of it?

An error is defined as an error as a statistic charged against a fielder whose action has assisted the team on offense, as outlined in this Rule 10.12.

Let’s take a couple of examples about when the official scorer gives an error to a fielder;

1. Whose wild throw permits a runner to reach a base safely, when in the scorer’s
   judgment a good throw would have put out the runner, unless such wild throw
   is made attempting to prevent a stolen base;
2. Whose wild throw in attempting to prevent a runner’s advance permits that
   runner or any other runner to advance one or more bases beyond the base such
   runner would have reached had the throw not been wild
3. Whose throw takes an unnatural bounce, touches a base or the pitcher’s plate,
   or touches a runner, a fielder or an umpire, thereby permitting any runner to
   advance.

These examples certainly aren’t all the instances where a fielder should be given an error. If you want to learn all of them, read section 10.12 from the Official Baseball Rulebook.

How Common Are Errors In Baseball?

Errors are known to baseball players, yet they aren’t as common as you think. But how common are errors?

In 2019, approximately 1.5% of plate appearances resulted in an error from the total of 74.8 plate appearances per MLB game. That’s an average of 1,12 errors per game, which is 0,56 errors per game per team.

That being said, errors aren’t that common in baseball, as a team doesn’t necessarily score any errors in a game. Naturally, there are games where both teams score an error and games where neither one does. However, either of the teams is likely to score an error per game, on average.

Should Baseball Players Wear Sunglasses?

So if the sun generally can’t cause errors in baseball, should you wear sunglasses as a player?

You should wear sunglasses in baseball if the sun’s glare is disturbing your vision. However, your sunglasses’ lenses can’t be mirrored because of distribution for the umpire and other players. In addition, you should wear athletic sunglasses so they will be secure on your head.

You should know that wearing disturbing sunglasses is legal, and you should take advantage of it if the glare is shining too well.

Wearing sunglasses makes sure that you won’t lose any balls in the sun, which can save you and your team from hassle, uncertainty, and even points.

What Sunglasses Do Baseball Players Use?

Generally, Athletic Oakley Sunglasses are worn by most baseball players in the minor and pro leagues. Athletic Oakley Sunglasses are great for baseball as the lenses won’t mirror glare to other people, and they will remain on your head when fielding, batting, or running.

My recommendation for baseball sunglasses are the Oakley Flak 2.0 XL

Features;

• 100% UV protection
• Prizm Lens technology to enhance color, contrast & detail
• O-Matte Frame for comfort & durability
• Unobtanium grip nosepads & earsocks for Improved grip & comfort
• 30+ color options

Many organizations have rated these sunglasses the best baseball sunglasses year after year, worn by many famous baseball players such as Joe Kelly. I must agree, they are great.

The optical quality of these glasses is fantastic, which is required for baseball if you don’t want to lose balls in the sun even when wearing sunglasses. That would take the idea of wearing a pair right.

I like the lightweight of these glasses, yet they aren’t weak from the earpieces or anywhere else, which tells the quality.

Finally, when you run, swing, dive, flex, or whatever, the glasses will stay on very well, which is so great. I don’t need to adjust or lose focus on thinking when they fall because of it. The pads and lightweight really add to the comfort too.