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Should a Tooled Block be Considered a Point Lost?
tl:dr
A tooled block, or block out, is when an attack attempt rebounds off a block attempt and the blocking team cannot keep the ball in play as a result and most scouts and pro teams consider tooled blocks as a point lost (-1)
Points lost should include unforced errors and I consider tooled blocks as forced errors since I consider the attacker as earning the point, thus tooled blocks should not be considered as points lost.
This may cause issues in the future as I code tooled blocks as B/ in DataVolley when I may want to use B/ to code missed blocking assignments in the future
Should a Tooled Block Be Considered a Point Lost?
A tooled block, or block out, is when an attack attempt rebounds off a block attempt and the blocking team cannot keep the ball in play as a result, i.e. the ball deflected too far for the defending team to keep the ball in play. Most scouts and pro teams consider tooled blocks as a point lost or -1 to the blocker (B= code in DataVolley) while the attacker will be charged with a kill or +1 (A# code in DataVolley). However, should this be the case? when an attack attempt rebounds off a block attempt and the blocking team cannot keep the ball in play as a result, i.e. the ball deflected too far for the defending team to keep the ball in play. Most scouts and pro teams consider tooled blocks as a point lost or -1 to the blocker (B= code in DataVolley) while the attacker will be charged with a kill or +1 (A# code in DataVolley). However, should this be the case?
Points Lost Should Include Unforced Errors and Not Forced Errors
Based on Mark Lebedew’s logic that earned points (+1) lead to forced errors (+0), or unforced errors (-1) lead to unearned points (+0), either a player won the point (+1) or a player lost the point (-1). It cannot be both. So we ask ourselves did the attacker earn the point (+1) which led to a forced error by the blocker (+0) or was it an unforced error by the blocker (-1) which came from an unearned point by the attacker (+0)?
I would make the case that the attacker, through their spiking action, won the point (+1). While the blocker could have done better with their lateral movement, timing, hand placement etc, I would still consider tooled blocks as a forced error therefore not a point lost (+0).
It also sounds silly to argue the other way that the attacker gets an unearned point (+0) via an unforced error by the blocker (-1). In this version, it’s like the attacker didn’t do anything to earn the point.
Each Rally Should be Worth 1 Point But Tooled Blocks are Worth 2 Points
You want each rally to be worth 1 point only; it’s either +1 to one team or -1 to the other team. With a tooled block, it is worth 2 points because it is simultaneously -1 to the blocking team and +1 to the attacking team. These double points can skew the point-scoring stats, especially in the men’s game where there are a lot of tooled blocks.
DataVolley Consideration
For this reason, I separate block errors (e.g. net contact, blocking the setter) and tooled blocks as B= and B/, respectively. This makes it easier to calculate point-scoring stats. This may cause issues in the future when I eventually learn to fully grade the block (see link). I may want to use blocking grades that Joe Trinsey, former USA Women’s Scout, uses (see below).
Joe Trinsey uses B/ to mean missed block assignment, which I assume means a block attempt but no block touch. This is something I want to eventually stat down the line because you can get a real count of blocking attempts that includes block touches AND no touches, rather than block touches only as it is currently statted. However, if B/ is currently being used for tooled blocks, then I would need to fit it somewhere else. B#, B! and B= are set in stone. This means I could use tooled blocks as B+ or B- but surely you want to distinguish a block touch whether it was positive or negative.
Final Thoughts
For me, a tooled block or block out is a clear forced error thus not a point lost (+0). While the blocker could have done better with their movement, timing, hand placement etc, I would say the attacker earned the point. You can’t really say the blocker made an unforced error, thus a point lost, which means the attacker did not earn the point. So I do not consider tooled blocks as a point lost.
This may cause issues in the future. I currently code tooled blocks as B/ in DataVolley but I may want to use B/ as missed blocking assignments in the future. I will cross that bridge when I get to it.
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