swinging third strike
 

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ej5o2DkZOJg

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An umpire friend sent me a short videoclip and I uploaded it to YouTube so you guys could watch it and render an opinion. It's a trivia question, of sorts, so you have to look for all the details.

There are three plays, all involving a swinging third strike. In each case the question is: Did the plate umpire make the right call?

I'd be interested in some of your opinions. It would be helpful if you explained your answer instead of simply saying that the umpire got it right out wrong.

Can't tell what the question is on the 1st.
2nd - half here will insist it's just a foul ball, but it's not. And frankly, given that we've had that argument 47 times, I don't have the energy to have it again. I'll just say, that's a caught ball for an out.
3rd - clearly (to us) a D3K miscalled by the umpire. Not sure he could see the bounce from there though.

1) No. Looked like a catch.
2) Yes. Was a catch once F2 secured ball in his hand.
3) Yes. Batter left the circle before attempting to advance to first.

For the third, first base is occupied, so I'm not sure what he miscalled.

(1) NO. It was caught.

(2) NO. That's not a foul tip. It didn't go sharp and direct to the catcher's hand or glove. It went sharp and direct to the catcher's leg. That makes it a foul ball. I'm glad that MD Longhorn won't wrongly argue with me, however.

(3) YES. First is occupied with less than 2 outs.

I agree with Rich.

On #3 -- if first wasn't occupied, or there had been two outs, then I agree with Paul L in post 3 (but the batter would likely have acted differently)

On 3, I didn't notice the graphic showing 1 out and R1 - I just watched the video. So yeah - he's out.

On 2 - not arguing but clarifying my response. I also am not calling this a foul tip. Just a caught batted ball for an out.

I know what you are trying to say. I completely disagree with it, however. In this situation, the leg is no different than the chest protector. If it hits the protector first, you wouldn't dream of calling it a caught batted ball...or would you?

Here's what I was thinking about these. I could be wrong.

Play #1 - WRONG - The umpire is using the mechanic for an uncaught 3rd when, in fact, the ball was caught. An understandable mistake but, what if the catcher had thrown it over the first baseman's head? I wonder if the catch (of the pitch) is reviewable. I don't know.

Play #2 - RIGHT - The umpire calls the batter out - because he is! The question is: WHY does he call him out? It can't be a caught foul tip because it never touched the catcher's mitt or hands. Yet, the ball was caught. Since the umpire never gave the foul tip signal, I assume he's calling the batter out for a caught foul ball. Which would be correct.

Play #3 - RIGHT call WRONG mechanic? - Since there is a runner on 1st with less than two outs (I told you that you had to look for details), the umpire gave the MLB mechanic for an uncaught third strike THEN, it seemed to me, he belatedly realized that the batter was out anyway and signaled the out. He could have directly signaled the batter out as soon as he swung and missed regardless of whether the pitch was caught or not.

I read 2.00 Foul Tip as saying the ball cannot be caught period. It's a foul ball, not a caught batted ball for an out.

A FOUL TIP is a batted ball that goes sharp and direct from the bat to the catcher’s
hands and is legally caught. It is not a foul tip unless caught and any foul tip that is caught
is a strike, and the ball is in play. It is not a catch if it is a rebound, unless the ball has first
touched the catcher’s glove or hand.

I feel like I'm being baited... :) And I worry this is going to go south soon... but........

Yes, a batted ball that is not a foul tip, which is caught before it hits the ground, is an out. At any level, in any code, baseball or softball. If you disagree, quote a rule ... and quote one that doesn't simply say that it's not a foul tip. A ball caught by F9 near the bat girl is also not a foul tip.

I think I'm going to change my answer to Play #2. Since the pitch went sharp and direct into the catcher, without touching his mitt or hands, it is a foul ball. If the ball had any discernible loop, however slight, it would be a caught foul ball for an out. I'm going with "wrong call", regardless of the umpire's reason.

Why?

Not arguing, but just wondering - wouldn't you think there would be an official interpretation about this ... somewhere? There are lots of things we know are true but are not explicitly addressed in the rulebook - aren't there? It's hard to believe that, in all the literature and interpretations, this has never been specifically addressed. Or, maybe it has and we just don't know about it.

OBR 2.00:
A CATCH is the act of a fielder in getting secure possession in his hand or glove of
a ball in flight and firmly holding it; providing he does not use his cap, protector, pocket or
any other part of his uniform in getting possession.

Sounds like once the ball is no longer in flight or if you use your uniform to gain secure possession, like it's lodged between your pants and your shirt, it is not a catch.

I always thought it was getting secure possession before touching the ground.