Mental E-5

10.12 Errors
The official scorer shall not score mental mistakes or misjudgments as errors unless a specific rule prescribes otherwise.

While watching the Rockies (Ian Stewart) butcher their way to a loss to the Angels last night PengoSports got to thinking, "why the fu*k not score something as a mental error?" Huh?! If you screw up you screw up. Mentally or physically should not matter. Why punish the pitcher for the brain-fart of another? It is time for the 'MENTAL ERROR' to be added to official scoring in baseball.

To the game:

In the 8th, with a man on first and no outs, Stewart fielded a sacrifice bunt, checked second base, saw no play, looked to first, double clutched and threw late to Todd Helton at first. No outs and men on first and second. That's a Mental E-5, or E-5 m. He spaced the speed of the batter and the double clutch caused the runner to be safe.

Next batter and another sacrifice bunt. Jimenez makes a great play off the mound, fields it, and whips it to an unprepared Stewart who fumbles his feet around, but not on, the bag and the runner is safe. Mental E-5. The rest is vintage old Rockies and that was the end of another win streak.

This is not a rant against Ian Stewart or any one fielder. It is a rant against a crappy rule. Make a bonehead play and get an 'E'. The ball drops between two slack jawed fielders, shortstop and second base for example, the team gets a Team Mental Error, or E Team-6/4. Pitchers would be happier, fielders are accountable, stat whores have a field day, and the truth is finally told.