Catch or No Catch?

[DownTownTonyBrown]

Originally posted by Jerry
Tim:
I certainly understand Greymule's and your perception;

This is not a perception. Theirs is the proper ruling. The entire scenario: catch, crash, fall, fumble, is all part of the action of catching. That action is not over until the player has complete control of himself enough to begin a new action, such as throwing. As you have described the scenario, THIS IS NOT A CATCH. No perception. No interpretation. NO CATCH.

Another example: "Show me the ball!" as runner slides into 3rd with a tag. F5 brings up his glove and instantaneously the ball "pops out of" his glove. In your interpretation, the same "occurence" would cause a "safe" call; but that's not what should have been ruled.

Wrong! A safe call is absolutely the correct call and for the same reason - the defense did not maintain control of the ball throught the action of tagging the runner. The catch may very well have been good and completed before the action of tagging began. But the defense must maintain control throughout the tag. If the umpire asks to see the ball, then he feels the tag was good but is concerned about control. If the defense comes up with the ball secured, the correct call is out. If the ball is not secured - not in or falls from his mitt, the correct call is safe.

Again . . . my own view and opinion. I would have called a "catch" after his rebound from the fence and still in possession of the ball.

THEN YOU WOULD HAVE HOSED THE CALL. This is not a catch and the batter runner is not out. Live ball. Play on.

Jerry

I felt compelled to respond because many people read this forum and my answer is for them as well as you. Hope it helps.