"Fanboy" question

[rulesmaven]

I guess now I can see why the officials had a mini-conference. Sounds like the issue is that while a ball can be under control in a glove even while touching the ground, the rules are not clear whether that also applies to a bare hand. It was a somewhat important call too, because it was the third out and a runner would have scored on safe.

Manager, by the way, didn't ask for an explanation and didn't seem bothered. Coach got something like, "that's an out coach," and shrugged.

[bigda65]

Steve T.

If F3 had the ball firmly in his bare hand on top of 1B before the runner arrived, would you have an out? - and why or why not?

Originally Posted by bigda65

Steve T.

If F3 had the ball firmly in his bare hand on top of 1B before the runner arrived, would you have an out? - and why or why not?

Yes - From the rule book 8-4-1f which I posted in my first reply

f. after a dropped third strike (see 8-4-1e) or a fair hit, if the ball held by any fielder touches the batter before the batter touches first base; or if any fielder, while holding the ball in his grasp, touches first base or touches first base with the ball before the batter-runner touches first base: