How is a ball not dead between innings? Technically I guess no aspect of play which resulted in the 3rd out resulted in a dead ball, but how about all the players leaving the field. Wouldn't a pitcher throwing warm up pitches indicate the ball is not live? How bout the fact that there are additional baseballs being thrown around the field during warm-ups?

An easy one.

Let's say that the "last" batter in a half inning strikes out on an uncought third strike and slooowly walks away, no tag no nothing. Defense leaves the field. Batter sloooowly walks to first????????????? Is the ball dead? of course not. Play on, live ball.

Can you find any rule or interpretation that states when a ball is dead after a half inning. If you can please bring it to the worlds attention. G.

I think it's pretty much accepted that once all possible plays are completed then the inning is over, the next starts and that in between the ball is dead. I put the ball into play at the beginning of every inning.
Let me ask this question. Can you enter players into the game during a live ball? Between innings is when defensive changes are made. So you tell me.

Gee- in your example of an uncought third strike the inning isn't over because, so far, there are only two outs.

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Exactly, that was a counter to one of the poster abovethat said the inning is over when the defense leaves the field. BAD.

Hey, it aint over till it's over and nobody seems to know when it's over. G.

Gee:
That was me and it was a oversimplification. However saying the ball never dies is equally incorrect.

Amen, brother. I can't believe I got sucked into this. :)

Gee.

If the ball is alive between innings, then why aren't we calling all those pitches that the pitcher is throwing?

<i><b>Rule 8.03 </b>When a pitcher takes his position at the beginning of each inning, or when he relieves another pitcher, he shall be permitted to pitch not to exceed eight preparatory pitches to his catcher <b>during which play shall be suspended. </b></i>

How do we suspend play during a baseball game? By calling TIME. So if play is suspended while the pitcher warms up, then the ball is dead and must be made live again before the pitch to the first batter of the new half inning.

SamC

I've got to agree with the majority here. The rules certainly say that the ball does not become dead on the third out; indeed, there is good reason for this. However, by common sense, the ball does become dead at some point; after all, we have nine new defensive players on the field!

Also, I prefer not to use the "do not pitch" signal unless absolutely necessary.

P-Sz

Gee:

Why do you insist the ball is alive between innings. No pitches may take place until the PU makes it "live". With your "reasoning", as soon as the pitcher picks up the ball, he/she may pitch.

Bob

My final answer.

All you knowers say that the ball is dead between innings. A multitude of reasons have been given but none of them have any basis in the rules. Nobody knows when the ball is dead.

People say that a new inning starts as soon as the third out is made. So can you get a retroactive out in the new inning and move it back to the previous inning. Apparently you can as a fourth advantageous out is allowed under the rules.

So rather than make all these mysterious rules up of when a ball is dead just give it up and leave the ball alive between innings. Rest in peace. G.

But Gee, what about 8.03?
 

<i>8.03 When a pitcher takes his position <b>at the beginning of each inning,</b> or when he relieves another pitcher, he shall be permitted to pitch not to exceed eight preparatory pitches to his catcher <b><u>during which play shall be suspended. </u></b>

5.02 After the umpire calls "Play" the ball is alive and in play and remains alive and in play <b>until for legal cause,</b> or at the umpire's call of "Time" suspending play, <b>the ball becomes dead. </b></i>

It seems to me that 8.03 provides "legal cause" for the ball becoming dead between innings and also defines the point (When a pitcher takes his position) at which the ball becomes dead.

That said, the ball must be put back into play before the first pitch to the first batter of the new half inning.

SamC

You all got sucked in as well!!!

Okay, how about this... A new inning starts as soon as the last out is made to end an inning, where this all started was a question about a game with a time limit. As long as there is time remaining in a game once an inning has ended, you are there for another inning...period! This erases chances of a lot of controversy if a team hustles out and just before the umpire puts the ball in play the watch hits zeros. Plus, if we say the inning started once the ball is put into play we have more trouble. What if an umpire were to grant extra warm-up tosses due to inclimate weather? Or a team puts a new pitcher in and he get 8 pitches and not 5? The arguement over putting the ball in play or ball is alive the entire time is irrelevent for this...it's just baseball. JT