Dead Ball Territory - ASA
 

1-1 Count, B1 hits a high fly ball heading toward DBT. F9 sets up for the ball straddling the dead ball line facing the plate area. As the ball approaches, F9 lifts her left foot just prior to catching the ball.

Correct ruling is:

Not a legal catch, foul ball

Legal catch, B1 is out

Legal catch.

Hmmm...wouldn't "catch/no catch" depend on where her foot lands after it was lifted in the air?

The definition says that after establishing a position of "out of play" (which this fielder did), a catch can be made with one foot in a live-ball area and the other in the air if the fielder is returning to the live-ball area.

To me, "returning" means that the foot in the air needs to next touch down in live-ball area. If it does, a legal catch can be made. If it doesn't, then it can't be.

Same concept as the old "making a catch while jumping over the outfield fence play", only in reverse.

RS/27 supports the view that this is a legal catch. That is, lifting the out-of-bounds foot before the catch is good enough. Putting it down again in DBT would be a catch-and-carry.

Rule 1: Catch / No Catch

"The fielder's feet must be within the field of play, touching the 'out of play' line or in the air after leaving live ball territory in order to have a valid catch. A player who is 'out of play' and returns must have both feet touching live ball territory or one foot touching and the other in the air for the catch to be legal."