Editing Stolen base (section)

==Statistics==
[[File:An out at 2nd (36554976006).jpg|thumb|[[Tim Locastro]] steals second base for the [[Oklahoma City Dodgers]] during a 2017 game]]
In [[baseball statistics]], stolen bases are denoted by "SB". Attempts to steal that result in the baserunner being out are ''[[caught stealing]]'' ("CS"). The sum of these statistics is ''steal attempts.'' Successful steals as a percentage of total steal attempts is called the ''success rate''.

The rule on stolen bases<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/official_rules/official_scorer_10.jsp|title=Official Rules: Rule 10.07(g)|publisher=[[Major League Baseball]]|access-date=2007-05-17|archive-date=2016-01-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160123050608/http://www.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/official_rules/official_scorer_10.jsp|url-status=dead}}</ref> states that:
*Advances that are credited to some other play are not steal attempts. For example, on a wild pitch or a passed ball, the [[official scorer]] must notice whether the runner broke for the next base before the pitch got away.
*As usual, statistics in the case of a defensive [[Error (baseball)|error]] are based on error-free play.  If a runner would have been out, but for the error, it is scored as "caught stealing, safe on the error." A catcher does not commit an error by throwing poorly to the destination base, but if any runner takes an extra base on the bad throw, it is "stolen base plus error."
*There is no steal attempt on a dead ball, whether the runner is sent back to the original base (as on a foul ball) or is awarded the next base (as on a hit batsman). On a base award when the ball is live (such as a walk), the runner could make a steal attempt beyond the base awarded.
*{{anchor|Defensive indifference}} Cases where the defense intentionally allows the runner to advance without attempting to put him out are scored as ''defensive indifference'', also called ''fielder's indifference'', and do not count as stolen bases.<ref name="jackcurry">Curry, Jack [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/23/sports/baseball/23score.html?ref=sports "Safe at Second, but No Stolen Base to Show for It"] ''The New York Times'', Wednesday, September 23, 2009</ref> This is usually only scored late in games when it is clear that the defense's priority is getting the batter out. The lack of a putout attempt does not by itself indicate defensive indifference; the official scorer must also factor in the game situation and the defensive players' actions.

Relative skill at stealing bases can be judged by evaluating either a player's total number of steals or the success rate. Noted statistician [[Bill James]] has argued that unless a player has a high success rate (67–70% or better), attempting to steal a base is detrimental to a team.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/stats.shtml |title=Offensive Stats 101|publisher=Baseball-almanac.com |access-date=2014-04-22}}</ref>

Comparing skill against players from other eras is problematic, because the definition has not been constant.  Caught stealing was not recorded regularly until the middle of the 20th century. [[Ty Cobb]], for example, was known as a great base-stealer, with 892 steals and a success rate of over 83%. However, the data on Cobb's caught stealing is missing from 12 seasons, strongly suggesting he was unsuccessful many more times than his stats indicate.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/c/cobbty01.shtml |title=Ty Cobb|website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=2014-04-22}}</ref> [[Carlos Beltrán]], with 286 steals, has the highest career success rate of all players with over 300 stolen base attempts, at 88.3%.