Foul Tip Fundamentals

[BSBAL18]

So i got my handy dandy 2018 Preseason Guide for NFHS baseball and i had a question regarding foul tip.

The guide states in a OP:

With a 1-1 count, the batter swings at a pitch, which is tipped and goes directly to the catcher's glove and then rebounds to the catchers chest protector. The catcher secures the ball with his bare hand and makes a legal catch. Ruling1: This is a foul tip, so long as the ball first went directly to the catchers glove.

My question is "this is a foul tip, so long as the ball first went directly to the catchers glove"

So what about a foul tip that goes directly to the catchers glove, rebounds off his helmet and goes straight up in the air... and the catcher looks up and catches it. I have had this happen multiple times.... Would this be a foul tip and subject to "Strike 3 batter is out" ???

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by BSBAL18

So i got my handy dandy 2018 Preseason Guide for NFHS baseball and i had a question regarding foul tip.

The guide states in a OP:

With a 1-1 count, the batter swings at a pitch, which is tipped and goes directly to the catcher's glove and then rebounds to the catchers chest protector. The catcher secures the ball with his bare hand and makes a legal catch. Ruling1: This is a foul tip, so long as the ball first went directly to the catchers glove.

My question is "this is a foul tip, so long as the ball first went directly to the catchers glove"

So what about a foul tip that goes directly to the catchers glove, rebounds off his helmet and goes straight up in the air... and the catcher looks up and catches it. I have had this happen multiple times.... Would this be a foul tip and subject to "Strike 3 batter is out" ???

Did it go directly to the hand or glove? Was it legally caught? Is this the requirement?

[BSBAL18]

I am no "Tenured" official, but i have been reading for nearly 40 years, lol. From the wording, it states..

2-16-2 A foul tip is a batted ball that goes directly to the catcher’s hands and is legally caught by the catcher. It shall be called a strike and the ball is in play.


So to me..... a tip that first goes to the hand/glove of a catcher, can be juggled and bumped up and everything as long as it gets legally caught.


So with all that, as long as the first contact is with the hand/glove from the foul tip, it would be (to me) a strike 3 call if the catcher ends up legally catching the ball.

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by BSBAL18

I am no "Tenured" official, but i have been reading for nearly 40 years, lol. From the wording, it states..

2-16-2 A foul tip is a batted ball that goes directly to the catcher’s hands and is legally caught by the catcher. It shall be called a strike and the ball is in play.


So to me..... a tip that first goes to the hand/glove of a catcher, can be juggled and bumped up and everything as long as it gets legally caught.


So with all that, as long as the first contact is with the hand/glove from the foul tip > batted ball , it would be (to me) a strike 3 > whatever it is call if the catcher ends up legally catching the ball.

Slight mod to your answer but you have basically figured it out. It's not a foul tip until it is legally caught and it's strike whatever it is.

[john5396]

I think people get hung up on "directly". This is in the rule to separate the foul tip from the pop-up. A pop up does not have any restriction on the glove being the first touch. On a pop-up, F2 can start by heading the ball back into the air like a soccer player and it would be ruled a catch when he finally controlled the ball.

[teebob21]

Originally Posted by john5396

I think people get hung up on "directly". This is in the rule to separate the foul tip from the pop-up. A pop up does not have any restriction on the glove being the first touch. On a pop-up, F2 can start by heading the ball back into the air like a soccer player and it would be ruled a catch when he finally controlled the ball.

And, the pop-up in foul territory is an out when caught, whereas the foul tip is a live-ball strike.

[Middleman]

Originally Posted by john5396

I think people get hung up on "directly". This is in the rule to separate the foul tip from the pop-up. A pop up does not have any restriction on the glove being the first touch. On a pop-up, F2 can start by heading the ball back into the air like a soccer player and it would be ruled a catch when he finally controlled the ball.

The ball becomes dead and is a foul ball (can't be caught, can't be a third strike) if it goes straight from the bat to the catcher or his equipment without first touching his hand or glove.

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by john5396

I think people get hung up on "directly". This is in the rule to separate the foul tip from the pop-up. A pop up does not have any restriction on the glove being the first touch. On a pop-up, F2 can start by heading the ball back into the air like a soccer player and it would be ruled a catch when he finally controlled the ball.

No. Once it touched the catcher (other than glove/hand first) it's dead and a foul ball. That's what the rule means when it says it's not a catch if it's a rebound.