Foul Tip

[greymule]

Maybe we can get a definitive ruling on the FP play in which the batter swings at a knee-high pitch and hits a spinning ball, perceptibly altered in direction and speed, up and backward toward the catcher, who catches it in hand or glove at about the height of the batter's neck.

Here in our leagues and tournaments we've been calling that a foul tip and haven't heard a peep of argument. However, I haven't seen every variation (runner stealing on the play, ball deflected out away from the catcher, ball hitting catcher's mask first, etc.). And just because we're great at selling calls doesn't mean we've been calling that play correctly.

The definitions of both foul ball and foul tip include the verbiage "not higher than the batter's head." Would that be in there twice if it wasn't key to the call?