Catch and Carry

[greymule]

In my neck of the woods, "catch and carry" refers to a fielder catching a batted ball on the field of play but then carrying it into DBT, usually across a demarcation line, though it could be over a fence.

Various codes call this play differently. In OBR, for example, (unless things have changed) the fielder can still throw the ball from DBT, unless he falls down in DBT. I remember one MLB umpire years ago noting that a fielder could make a running catch of a fly ball, hurdle the fence, and, if he remained on his feet, throw from "Row F" of the stands. Not easy to do. I believe that in Fed baseball it's a dead ball, and runners are awarded 1 base from TOP.

I don't recall ever actually reading the phrase "catch and carry" in any rule book. I think, like the infamous "one plus one," it just became a saying that keeps getting repeated.