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A pitch becomes a pitch when the pitcher pitchs it; it remains a pitch in fastpitch until it hits something that isn't part of the playing field (the bat, the catcher's glove, the catcher, the batter, dead ball territory). Until that happens, it is a pitch, it is live, and the consequences of a live ball apply. The field itself (the dirt, the plate, the fence) doesn't end the pitch; if any did, how could a ball that bounces and doesn't hit the batter remain alive?
Balls which don't go directly in the air from pitcher's hand to catcher's glove without touching anything but air are not caught for the purpose of the uncaught (or dropped) third strike rule. (Yes, that includes the bat, as the foul tip rule is not the same rule application; that is a caught foul tip for strike three, NOT a caught strike three).
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Tue Jul 12, 2005, 02:09pm
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