Ball status

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by Tru_in_Blu

I'm still researching...

I found a case play from 2007. It reads:

PLAY 8.6-22
(FP and SP with stealing) With R1 on 1B, F2 drops the pitch and the plate umpire, in an effort to get out of the way, accidentally kicks the ball into the dugout.
RULING: R1 is awarded 1 base from the base held at the time of the pitch. This is treated the same as a wild pitch. (8-5C)

Section C specifically refers to: "a pitched ball that remains live becomes blocked or goes out of live ball territory."

Section G talks to "when the ball is live and is overthrown or is blocked".

So "C" would give the defense a break anytime there are multiple runners on a pitch that gets away, they could just kick it out of play to limit further advance by base runners.

I don't like it. I'd prefer the 2-base award if the defense knocked the ball out of play either accidentally or intentionally.

There is a difference between an umpire kicking the ball and a player. We are part of the field, an umpire kick or a ricochet off an umpire is the same as a bounce off the dirt or the fence, etc. A kick by a player is a ball propelled by a player and so is a throw or muff or slap, etc.