Putout & Assist
PO / AA putout credits the fielder who records an out; an assist credits each fielder who handled the ball before it.
A putout (PO) goes to the fielder who physically records the out: the one who catches the fly, tags the runner, or receives the throw at the base for a force. An assist (A) goes to every fielder who handles the ball before the putout.
There are a few rules that keep the credit clean. The fielder who gets the putout does not also get an assist on the same play, even if they touched the ball earlier. A pitcher does not get an assist on a strikeout; they get the strikeout credit instead. On a deflection, a fielder gets an assist only if they made an ordinary play on the ball, not if it merely glanced off them.
This is the bookkeeping behind a scored play like 6-4-3: the shortstop and second baseman get assists, the second baseman and first baseman get the two putouts.
Bleacher Notes builds the putout and assist list from the throw sequence automatically and flags the play if the sequence is ambiguous.
Who gets the assist on a double play?
Every fielder who handles the ball before a putout gets an assist, except the fielder who records that putout. On a 6-4-3 the shortstop and second baseman get assists.
Let the scorebook keep itself.
Bleacher Notes scores every play from a single spoken sentence, applying these rules for you. In beta now, free for parents.