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Originally Posted by Linknblue
The ASA rule book says "sharply or directly" to the catcher's hands. I interpret this as being "straight" back with no perceptible direction change at all. Anything that changes direction that I can see is a foul ball.
Is my interpetation too strict? I've never seen one go "straight back" in slowpitch....they always have a slight change in direction.  |
For SP, I look at it as "as directly as is possible in SP." The rule used to be that a foul tip was a foul ball hit to the catcher that was no higher than the batter's head. Rather than letting the height of the batter govern whether or not it was a foul tip, ASA, in my opinion, changed the rule so that umpires could "use common sense." If it bloops, it's a foul ball (and out, if caught). If the catcher had to make an amazing, diving leap, ring 'em. If it goes straight back to the catcher, foul tip.
In 15 years, I've only seen maybe 4 actual foul tips.