Trapped 3rd Strike...

[BretMan]

Originally Posted by jkumpire

Gentlemen,

Please remember that once a ball is declared foul by an umpire, correctly or incorrectly, the ball is dead.

With one exception, under FED rules. See Case Play 2.16.1A for an example of that exception.

Admittedly, a foul tip probably isn't what FED had in mind when they crafted this interpretation a few years ago. But a foul tip is a batted ball and it could potentially be declared foul/dead when it shouldn't be. That kind of leaves the question open as to whether or not a foul tip inadvetantly declared foul/dead should be treated the same way as a fly ball down the lines, with respect to it having been caught before touching the ground.

None of which really has anything to do with the original question posted: "If (on the third strike) the catcher traps the ball on his shin guard or any other equip. what is the correct call..."

There's no mention of the bat actually touching the ball, so no matter what happens next this could never be a foul ball. There's no mention of the umpire having called it foul, so there's no need to go down that path. There's no mention of the ball having touched anything else before reaching the catcher, so I assume that the ball was still airbourne and in-flight when it was trapped.

If there are less than two outs and first base is occupied, the correct call is strike three, the batter is out and the ball remains live. Whether the catcher completes a legal catch of the ball or not is irrelevant. The batter is not entitled to try for first in this scenario.

If there are less than two outs and first base is not occupied, or anytime there are two outs, now we're going to have to see what happens next. If the catcher subsequently gains possession and control of the ball in either the hand or mitt, without it touching ground first, he has completed a legal catch. The batter is out and the ball remains live. If he does not complete a legal catch, then you have an uncaught third strike, the ball remains live and the batter is entitled to try for first base.