Catch or no catch?

[Umpmazza]

I was talking to another umpire about this situation he brought up...

Deep fly ball to the outfield, the outfield makes a great dive for the ball which he grabs in his gloves, as he hits the ground he loses consciousness and is just lying on the ground, but the ball stays in his glove which is lying face up and the ball is just sitting there inside the glove, Not rolling around, just sitting there inside the glove.

Do we have a catch or no catch?

[UmpJM]

Umpmazza,

That would depend on what happens next.

JM

[MrUmpire]

Catch.

[MrUmpire]

Originally Posted by UmpJM (nee CoachJM)

Umpmazza,

That would depend on what happens next.

JM

Qualifies for Evans' "long enough"...doesn't need voluntary release.

[UmpJM]

MrUmpire,

Since the fielder's "debilitation" was a direct result of his effort to make the catch, I would disagree.

Mazza's question reminded me of an inside the park HR hit by Andre Dawson a long time ago. The fielder who gloved the ball ran into the outfield wall rather than the ground, and he remained conscious, though writhing on the ground in pain. The ball eventually rolled out of his glove as Dawson continued to run the bases. It was rued "no catch".

Baseball rules corner: here are some requirements of the legal catch rule | Baseball Digest | Find Articles at BNET

JM

[MrUmpire]

From the OP one could conclude that the fiielder's debilitation came after the catch. But that would be a silly argument.

At a Florida Classic, a play very much like the OP was discussed. Evans invoked the "long enough" just as he did with the example of the fielder catching the ball for the third out and while running toward the dugout, dropped the ball.

Thanks for the link, but it's not necessary.

[Rita C]

It's not a catch till the next fielder picks it up to throw it into the infield.

Rita