Batter swings and ball hits home plate, bounces 10 feet straight up. Can the cather play the baseball? When is it fair or foul ball?

If the ball's still over the plate, it's fair. The plate is part of fair territory.

Kyle

http://www.eteamz.com/baseball/rules/obr/myths/

Refer to #4 and click on the number for an explanation.

Yup, and if it hits the batter, he's out.

Not if he's still in the batter's box.

Bob

[Edited by bluezebra on Jun 3rd, 2002 at 04:32 PM]

I assumed that if the ball was over the plate when it hit the batter then the batter had to be over the plate (i.e. out of the box) also.

So if the catcher snatches the ball when standing in foul territory it is still fair? It is where the ball is not the player?

You are correct, sir.

I had that in a game earlier this season. Bounding ball toward third. 3B gloves it, but the ball is just to the left of the line. "FOUL". The manager, likes he's got a good angle, yells at me "but both his feet were inbounds". So I corrected my call, with both hands straight up, "my mistake coach, that's a touchdown".

Hey, it got a good laugh.

Kyle

That's a good one Kyle. I'll have to remember to use that one next time.