Foul Tip

[greymule]

Meets the definition of a foul tip... doesn't it?

I'd say so. I offered a similar possibility in my earlier post. It could happen.

How about this one?

Pitch goes sharp and direct off the bat to the catcher's mitt and rebounds into the air halfway to the mound. F1 dives to catch the ball but instead knocks it toward F2, who catches it in the air. If the ball never hit the ground, you'd have to rule this a foul tip also. Meets the definition.

It is true that though a foul tip could be caught over fair territory, it pretty much has has to hit foul first, though I can imagine, with a batter far forward in the box, a catcher moving up to where she could reach straight out and first touch the ball over the back point of home plate. In NCAA, where the catcher can (if she doesn't interfere) plant her feet farther forward, I can imagine this more easily.

The back point of the plate is 27½ inches from the back line of the batter's box, which is the front line of the catcher's box. If the catcher gets as far forward as ASA allows, her mitt could certainly contact a pitch at a point over the plate. If this is a pitch that has gone sharp and direct off the bat, then "sharp and direct" qualifies the play as a foul tip. Otherwise, if the ball went sharp and direct from the bat to the mitt (over the plate) and then bounced off the mitt and rolled into fair territory, we'd have to call it fair and treat it as a ground ball.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by greymule

Meets the definition of a foul tip... doesn't it?

Okay, I'm mistaken on this as I was thinking more along the line of the status of the ball. OTOH, while that would meet the definion of fair territory, it isn't relevant to the play at hand, but that doesn't make me right.

Pitch goes sharp and direct off the bat to the catcher's mitt and rebounds into the air halfway to the mound. F1 dives to catch the ball but instead knocks it toward F2, who catches it in the air. If the ball never hit the ground, you'd have to rule this a foul tip also. Meets the definition.

No, because a foul tip must be caught by the catcher, by rule.

It is true that though a foul tip could be caught over fair territory, it pretty much has has to hit foul first,

Which is where I was hanging out.

though I can imagine, with a batter far forward in the box, a catcher moving up to where she could reach straight out and first touch the ball over the back point of home plate. In NCAA, where the catcher can (if she doesn't interfere) plant her feet farther forward, I can imagine this more easily.

The back point of the plate is 27½ inches from the back line of the batter's box, which is the front line of the catcher's box. If the catcher gets as far forward as ASA allows, her mitt could certainly contact a pitch at a point over the plate. If this is a pitch that has gone sharp and direct off the bat, then "sharp and direct" qualifies the play as a foul tip. Otherwise, if the ball went sharp and direct from the bat to the mitt (over the plate) and then bounced off the mitt and rolled into fair territory, we'd have to call it fair and treat it as a ground ball.

The only problem with that is knowing that the ball was actually over the plate when it hit the glove which is going to be near impossible from your position and then selling it. GFL, I wouldn't want to be the UIC handling that protest

[IRISHMAFIA]

Through the generosity of WMB, I can quote the following from the Softball Official Rules as approved by the Joint Rules Committee, 1936:

RULE 15 - A FOUL TIP

Foul tip
A foul tip is a ball batted by the batsman while standing in the lines of his position, that goes sharp and direct to the hands of the catcher and is legally caught.

A foul hit ball which rises hight than the batsman's head shall not be a foul tip under this rule.

[greymule]

Pitch goes sharp and direct off the bat to the catcher's mitt and rebounds into the air halfway to the mound. F1 dives to catch the ball but instead knocks it toward F2, who catches it in the air. If the ball never hit the ground, you'd have to rule this a foul tip also. Meets the definition.

No, because a foul tip must be caught by the catcher, by rule.

But F2 did catch it: ". . . F2, who catches it in the air."

And I agree that sharp and direct to the catcher's hand or mitt cannot be a fair ball, even if the actual contact is made over home plate. (Good luck selling that one, anyway.) Naturally, a ball not sharp and direct off the bat, perhaps spinning upward and backward, could be contacted over the plate and thus rendered fair.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by greymule

Pitch goes sharp and direct off the bat to the catcher's mitt and rebounds into the air halfway to the mound. F1 dives to catch the ball but instead knocks it toward F2, who catches it in the air. If the ball never hit the ground, you'd have to rule this a foul tip also. Meets the definition.

No, because a foul tip must be caught by the catcher, by rule.

Man, this season better get here quick, I can't even keep my Fs in line!

But F2 did catch it: ". . . F2, who catches it in the air."

Another one that I don't want to be around to sell. I agree, by the rule, this meets the definition of a foul tip unless someone can find something in the book to nullify it. I couldn't.