[Carbide Keyman]

Originally Posted by CoachJM

Thanks to all who responded. I've been away from my computer since this morning.

A couple of things.

As Steve pointed out in his first post on this thread, "Situation A" is definitely a "foul tip". Since the ball remains live, the runners keep their advance bases.
And strike two is added to the batter's count.

NIump50,

the bit about the ball going over fair territory was purely "distracting" information. It has no bearing on the call. I just wanted to make the point that once the batted ball hit the catcher over foul territory, there is no way it could become fair. I also set up the sitch so that if someone did think it became fair, they might think an IFF call was appropriate. Didn't appear that anyone went down that path.

The reason I included "Situation B" is because I am confused about the correct answer. I am positive it is NOT a "foul tip", but I still can't decide if it is properly ruled a foul, dead ball (as SD Steve suggests) or whether it is a legally "caught" batted foul fly, with the ball in play and the runners in jeopardy until they retouch.

Now Steve posted the text of the relevant rules and made a good case for treating my "Situation B" as a dead ball, foul. He may very well be correct.

The reason I am not sure is that the ball DIDN'T go "...sharp and direct from the bat to the catcher's hands...". It went sharp and direct to (let's say, the top) of the catcher's helmet. The batter's "nick" of the ball changed the path of the ball away from the area of the catcher's hands. So it didn't meet the "sharp and direct" criteria necessary to be covered by the Foul Tip rule. Or did it? Am I thinking about this the wrong way?

What say you?

JM

If it does not touch the catcher's hand(s), it is a foul ball.



Doug