Catch? Out?

[BoomerSooner]

I almost didn't want to dignify the previous misinformation with a response, but I found this and thought it would directly disprove PWL's ideas. Here goes...

MLB Rule 2.00 (Catch) Comment: A catch is legal if the ball is finally held by any fielder, even though juggled, or held by another fielder before it touches the ground. Runners may leave their bases the instant the first fielder touches the ball. A fielder may reach over a fence, railing, rope or other line of demarcation to make a catch. He may jump on top of a railing, or canvas that may be in foul ground. No interference should be allowed when a fielder reaches over a fence, railing, rope or into a stand to catch a ball. He does so at his own risk.


MLB Rule 7.08 (d) He fails to retouch his base after a fair or foul ball is legally caught before he, or his base, is tagged by a fielder. He shall not be called out for failure to retouch his base after the first following pitch, or any play or attempted play. This is an appeal play;

I just pulled MLB.com's Rule Book for the citations because I'm at work at 3am and didn't feel like going out to the car to pull other books.

[SanDiegoSteve]

I thought you were Jim Evans.

[SanDiegoSteve]

And you're still wrong. Notice that there is no distinction between fair and foul under Rule 2.00 CATCH. The runners may leave their bases the instant the first fielder touches the ball. If a the ball then becomes an uncaught foul, then the runner(s) must return.

However, they may leave as soon as the ball is touched, whether in fair or foul ground. Otherwise, the reason the rule is there in the first place would be useless.

The rule is there to prevent shenanigans that outfielders used to pull back in the days prior to the rule. They would juggle the ball all the way in to the infield, so that the runners could never score on sacrifice fly situations, both fair and foul.

By your logic, the fielders could do the same BS manuevers they did way back when. Just tip the ball in the air as they ran in from the outfield.

That is why you are wrong, and everyone else is right.

[BigUmp56]

Baaaa, baaaaa, baaaaa...............


LMAO at your expense.


Tim.

[BigUmp56]

Originally Posted by PWL

Where do you come up with this crap? Did I cite the 2.00 the definition of a catch? NO. I cited 7.08(d). Why wouldn't the rule simply say a caught fly ball? It says fair or foul ball is caught. It doesn't say touched. Their is a difference between a fair and foul ball. Runners can and are forced to do different things on a fair and foul ball.

I also pointed out that it is one of the poorly worded rules of baseball. Now if anybody cares to find out the real answer, I gave you a very viable option.

Steve, this is why you are wrong and you and everyone else are sheep.

Well, since it says both fair or foul the passage is inclusive of any fly ball. It's not poorly worded. It's just a ruling you need to make by combining two different rules. Something good umpires have to do. It's amazing that you just cannot ever accept the fact that you're wrong. I'll bet the coaches and protest committees love you.


Tim.

[lmathews19]

just leave it alone guys. This guy obviously cannot see the light and is too proud too admit he made a mistake. However, PWL, you made all of us get a good laugh today. Thanks alot !!

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by PWL

Where do you come up with this crap? Did I cite the 2.00 the definition of a catch? NO. I cited 7.08(d).

I came up with this "crap" by studying the history and customs and usages of the rules throughout the history of baseball.

The runners can leave the base as soon as the fielder touches the ball. That is just as simple as it can be stated.

I agree that 7.08(d) is poorly written, but the runners don't have to "wait and see" if the ball is eventually caught in fair or foul ground. If it is foul, and not caught, the umpire will call, "Foul" and then the runner(s) will return to his(their) original base(s).

[Dave Hensley]

Originally Posted by PWL

Where do you come up with this crap? Did I cite the 2.00 the definition of a catch? NO. I cited 7.08(d). Why wouldn't the rule simply say a caught fly ball? It says fair or foul ball is caught.

There is also a rule elsewhere in the rulebook that refers to a "lefthanded or righthanded pitcher." Is there any other kind?

As you said yourself, the rule is poorly worded. It says "legally caught" when it should say "first touched and then legally caught." Lots of rules in the rulebook are poorly worded, which is why we have clarifications in the form of Casebook Comments, and official and authoritative interpretive manuals. The rulebook is like a really important contract written by a really bad lawyer.

In this particular case, the cliche "in a fight between you and the world, back the world" is completely applicable. You're in a minority of 1 in your erroneous intepretation.

[SanDiegoSteve]

From the BRD:

FED: A baserunner may leave his base as soon as a fly ball is touched by the first fielder. (8-2-4)

NCAA: Same as FED. (8-6a-1)

OBR: Same as FED. "Runners may leave their bases the instant the first fielder touches the ball. (2.00 Catch CMT 1)

Carl goes on to point out the inconsistencies contained in OBR, and again in this case, Rule 7.10(a) is in place only to make sure that the runner does not get a "running start" from a point behind the base, IOW, he must start in contact with the base. It also states "after the ball is caught" but it too should read "after first touched by a fielder."

[ctblu40]

Look at the comment attached to rule 2-
Rule 2.00 (Catch) Comment: A catch is legal if the ball is finally held by any fielder, even though juggled, or held by another fielder before it touches the ground. Runners may leave their bases the instant the first fielder touches the ball.

There are many problems with the official rules, but this one seems to be one such problem that everyone I've ever talked to agrees upon.

I'm failing to understand where you're coming from with thi PWL. I'm not trying to be a smarta$$, but help me understand your logic...

[BigUmp56]

Originally Posted by PWL

Hopefully, I'm talking to to some one who can look at things in a little different perspective. Just leave the rule to the side for a minute. If a ball is hit in fair ground you do not need the definition of a catch to advance, only a touch is required. If the ball is hit into foul territory, a fielder may bobble it five times and then drop it and no advance will take place. You need a legal catch to advance. Now 7.08(d) refers that a fair or foul ball be caught legally.

I have offered a solution to anyone that wants to take me up on the offer. I have spoken to Mr. Evans on this subject and this is answer he gave me. He stated that only a touch is required in fair territory, but a catch is required in foul territory. Never was a first touch brought up in the conversation, but he did imply that the rule was written incorrectly. So to me a definition of catch must be meet before a runner can legally tag when a play is being made on him in foul territory.

I finally see where you're coming from. What you've been trying to say is that on a foul fly ball it's a moot point as to whether or not the runner can advance on first touch if the ball is dropped. Simply put it's a foul ball dead ball. However, the play we've been discussing has the ball being legally caught, although it's been caught by a second fielder over foul territory where the ball remains live and in play. This means that the defintion of a legal catch has to be looked at to make a proper ruling. And we all know that on a legal catch the runner can advance on first contact.


Tim.

[ctblu40]

Originally Posted by PWL

Hopefully, I'm talking to to some one who can look at things in a little different perspective. Just leave the rule to the side for a minute. If a ball is hit in fair ground you do not need the definition of a catch to advance, only a touch is required. If the ball is hit into foul territory, a fielder may bobble it five times and then drop it and no advance will take place. You need a legal catch to advance. Now 7.08(d) refers that a fair or foul ball be caught legally.

I have offered a solution to anyone that wants to take me up on the offer. I have spoken to Mr. Evans on this subject and this is answer he gave me. He stated that only a touch is required in fair territory, but a catch is required in foul territory. Never was a first touch brought up in the conversation, but he did imply that the rule was written incorrectly. So to me a definition of catch must be meet before a runner can legally tag when a play is being made on him in foul territory.

Okay, I think I'm starting to see the logic here... perhaps there are 4 ideas that need to be explored in parallel:

1. When is a runner called out for not properly retouching after a batted ball is caught in flight?

2. The definition of a catch.

3. The definition of "in flight."

4. When does a batted ball become fair (or foul)?

Okay... I think I'm starting to understand your logic a little more. Perhaps there are 3 ideas/definitions we need to explore with this:
1. When is a player out for not properly retouching after a batted ball is caught in flight.

[ctblu40]

Originally Posted by PWL

According to the rule book 7.08(d) he can only advance when the ball is caught. Too many people are trying to merge the definition of a catch into a completely different situation altogether.

Where does 7.10(a) have anything to do with this?

Does not anybody think with 237 errors (or more) in the rules of baseball, you could be looking at least two of them.

You have to merge the def of a catch with this sitch because a runner can only advance when the ball is caught. Try to look up the correct application of the rule as though you have no prior knowledge of the rules. After seeing d) He fails to retouch his base after a fair or foul ball is legally caught before he, or his base, is tagged by a fielder. He shall not be called out for failure to retouch his base after the first following pitch, or any play or attempted play. This is an appeal play;


The next logical step would be to find out what a catch is and then you read ...Rule 2.00 (Catch) Comment: A catch is legal if the ball is finally held by any fielder, even though juggled, or held by another fielder before it touches the ground. Runners may leave their bases the instant the first fielder touches the ball.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by PWL

WAY TO LIE SDS.......

FED RULE 8-2-4 reads...if a fair or foul batted ball is caught, other than a foul tip, each base runner shall touch his base after the batted ball has touched the fielder.

TOUCH....To touch a player or umpire is to touch any part of his body, his clothing or his equipment.

Now back to the subject at hand. Fielder touches fly ball in fair territory and it hits the ground. No tag up is necessary. Fielder touches fly ball in foul territory and ball hit ground, it is just a strike, runner cannot advance. According to the rule book 7.08(d) he can only advance when the ball is caught. Too many people are trying to merge the definition of a catch into a completely different situation altogether.

Where does 7.10(a) have anything to do with this?

Does not anybody think with 237 errors (or more) in the rules of baseball, you could be looking at least two of them.

Where did I lie? I copied that whole thing word for word from the BRD. Do you mean that Carl is lying? Then call him a liar.

7.10(a) is listed there along with the touch requirements just to illustrate the inconsistency in the language of the rule, just like you are saying about the errors in the book. In that there are errors, we agree. But there are interpretations in place that specify which rule to go by.

Carl goes on to say, in touch requirements, to just go by rule 2.00 Catch: Comment 1, which states that on any fly ball, the runners can leave their bases as soon as the first fielder TOUCHES the ball!!!

That is the ruling to use in all fly ball situations. Do you get that?

[Rich Ives]

MLB RULE 7.08 (d) He fails to retouch his base after a fair or foul ball is legally caught.

And the rule defining legally caught says the runners can leave when first touched. What's so hard to comprehend here?