Catch question- Bizzaro world play

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by bluehair

Then we were discussing what if an outfielder juggles a ball on purpose in order to get a cheap DP. I wouldn't allow it and suggested a method to prevent it. You want to play a game of "damned if you do/damned if you don't" with me. OK, I'll play. You tell me how you'd handle it, rulemeister.

I don't see how you prevent a DP here. The runners will either tag up or not.

1. If the runners tag up, they can leave after the fielder first touches the ball. No second out is possible whether or not he catches it.

2. If the runners don't tag up, then they're going halfway or returning to the base. If the fielder juggles the ball, he'll end by catching it or dropping it.

(a) If he catches it, the BR is out and the other runner goes back to his base;
(b) if he drops it, the BR will be on first and the other runner liable to be forced out. Either way, no second out is possible.

Of course, there's always the possibility of stupidity by the offense, but the rules do not permit you to call time to prevent stupidity. I think the juggling bit is stupidity by the defense, since they could end up with no outs on the play. But I'm not calling time to prevent that, either.

If the defense wanted to do it and they fooled the offense somehow, it would be legal trickery, like a properly executed hidden ball trick. You simply have no rationale, either in the rules or the "spirit of the game," for your proposed method of handling this play.