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Originally Posted by kycat1
If home plate is in fair territory, then why is a pitched ball that hits the plate dead for a base runner to steal? I know it is in the rule book, but what was their thinking? Any thoughts?  |
Fair territory has nothing to do with it.
Stealing aside, the ball which hits the plate most likely does not pass through the strike zone and the plate is an easy demarcation for the umpire. Theoretically, it is also a ball that has not passed the batter, so you don't want the catcher to be forced to step into a possible swing to get a breaking runner and, as Steve noted, balls which hit the plate take some funny bounces.