Baseball Roundtable Talks with MLB Official Scorer Sarah Johnson

Johnson added that an official scorer needs to have a thick skin.

“In addition to being detail-oriented and having a love of the game – so you can pay attention to every pitch as long as the game lasts – you have to have a thick skin and calm demeanor,” Johnson said. “You’re constantly making judgment calls and, no matter what the call, there’s a chance someone might be upset. You have to remain calm – and be able to articulate why you called a certain play the way you did.”

Asked for any advice she’s give to prospective scorer, Johnson suggested :

Get a copy of MLB’s official rules and read it, especially the section on official scoring; and
Get experience in scoring whenever and wherever you can – high school, town ball, college, the minor leagues.
Johnson strongly stressed the importance of knowing and relying on the rule book. “No matter what level you are scoring, use the rule book to work through situations as they come up during a game,” she said. “I frequently pull mine out – even when I’m at home watching a game.”