Let me try at clearing this up. The only thing different about a pitch that hits the ground before getting to the plate is that it "cannot be a called strike". Everything else that could happen on a pitch is still in effect.

jl

Nice try, but if the batter swings at a pitch that hits the ground it can be called a strike.

I think he meant a CALLED STRIKE. If the batter offers and misses, that's a SWINGING STRIKE.

Well, it also cannot be a "caught" 3d (swinging) strike, EXCEPT [per Evans & (revised) Roder] when it is foul-tipped.

I'm still going to teach my catcher to tag the batter. Just to be sure. That would be a tough one to argue with an ump.

I think what vhs was saying is that it cannot be called a strike after hitting the ground. The batter swung at the pitch, therefore not called a strike but was swung at by the batter, therefore a swinging strike.

A pitch that hits the ground and then enters the strike zone cannot be called a strike!