Awkward Foul Tip

[Mister B]

So I'm behind the plate at a LL majors game, one of the teams has a phenom catcher. Ball comes in inside, pretty much straight for my mask, batter swings and catches a very small piece of if, as I steel myself for the hit, the catcher's mitt appears and snatches the ball from the air. Another pitch is low and outside, batter catches a tiny bit of it sending it out the far corner of the left-handed batter's box. Again the catcher's mitt is there to receive the ball. According the to definition, these are both foul tips and that's how I ruled them. One was strike 3. The OC started to question the call and I said, "Would you rather I rule it a caught foul?". Both were sharp and direct into the catcher's glove. It's the where that threw me off. 

So was I correct? 

Thanks. 

[udbrky]

Was there an arc? Did it hit the dirt or his chest protector?

[KenBAZ]

Correct calls, I remember a few years back I had a F2 catch a pitch tipped off a hitter's bat that passed behind the hitter. I turned to the backstop on that one and said, "I can't believe it but that is a foul tip- strike three.

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[Mister B]

1 hour ago, udbrky said:

Was there an arc? Did it hit the dirt or his chest protector?

no and no. 

[udbrky]

1 minute ago, Mister B said:

no and no. 

Then I have a foul tip

[ElkOil]

5 hours ago, Mister B said:

Both were sharp and direct into the catcher's glove.

So was I correct? 

Thanks. 

Give yourself the credit you deserve. You answered your own question by using the definition of a foul tip in your description.

[ofhs93]

If the batter swung and the catcher caught the ball it's strike 3...there is no arguing that...I don't understand where the OC is trying to appeal this? Whether there was contact with the ball does not matter if the catcher caught the ball with his glove before it hit the ground (assuming the pitch did not hit the dirt before the batter hit the ball)

[catsbackr]

The coach may be fundamentally, baseball rules challenged.  

 

Oh, don't start a conversation with a coach in this situation unless there is a question.

[Stk004]

2 hours ago, ofhs93 said:

If the batter swung and the catcher caught the ball it's strike 3...there is no arguing that...I don't understand where the OC is trying to appeal this? Whether there was contact with the ball does not matter if the catcher caught the ball with his glove before it hit the ground (assuming the pitch did not hit the dirt before the batter hit the ball)

Well, it would have to be sharp and direct to the catcher's hands and then caught for it to be a foul tip. A ball that bounces off a fielder's body and then is "caught" would work for any fly ball/line drive, but would be a foul ball in this potential foul tip situation. 

[Mister B]

4 hours ago, ofhs93 said:

I don't understand where the OC is trying to appeal this?

It's Little League (LL).

 

3 hours ago, catsbackr said:

Oh, don't start a conversation with a coach in this situation unless there is a question.

LL is developmental, sometimes we get a coach who will actually hear what you say and then you don't have to deal with it throughout the season. 

 

I think it's one of those things that you don't see much of, so you do have to think about. Most of the time I'm happy to see the catcher attempt to stop the ball. 

[catsbackr]

I stand corrected.  

 

If the players don't shave, I don't work their games.

[stevis]

35 minutes ago, catsbackr said:

I stand corrected.  

 

If the players don't shave, I don't work their games.

No House of David games for you, then?

[BretMan]

On 5/5/2017 at 8:36 AM, ofhs93 said:

If the batter swung and the catcher caught the ball it's strike 3...there is no arguing that...I don't understand where the OC is trying to appeal this? Whether there was contact with the ball does not matter if the catcher caught the ball with his glove before it hit the ground (assuming the pitch did not hit the dirt before the batter hit the ball)

I highlighted that last part because I don't think you have that right.

If the pitch bounced in, then the batter hit it, then it went directly to the catcher's hands and was caught, it would STILL be a foul tip.

[ofhs93]

22 hours ago, BretMan said:

I highlighted that last part because I don't think you have that right.

If the pitch bounced in, then the batter hit it, then it went directly to the catcher's hands and was caught, it would STILL be a foul tip.

A ball that hits the ground can not be legally caught though. I have to look up the specific wording...but I do not believe you can legally catch a foul tip on a ball that bounced in the dirt. Maybe others can chime in on this...pretty busy here at work today lol.

[ofhs93]

23 hours ago, BretMan said:

I highlighted that last part because I don't think you have that right.

If the pitch bounced in, then the batter hit it, then it went directly to the catcher's hands and was caught, it would STILL be a foul tip.

I stand corrected...."Rule 2.00 (comment)..........If the pitch touches the ground and bounces through the strike zone it is a ball. The ball cannot be legally caught for the purpose of Rule 6.05(c) and 6.09(b). If the batter hits such a pitch, the ensuing action shall be the same as if he hit the ball in flight."

Good question. I was originally in the foul ball court until I looked up the rule.

 

I was getting this mixed up with the scenario that any pitch that hits the dirt can NOT be a called *OR* caught 3rd strike....even if the batter swings and misses it's a dropped 3rd strike situation.

[The Flush]

That happened in the Auburn-Alabama game a couple nights ago.  1 out, pitch in the dirt, check swing pops it up to F3 who catches it and throws to F5 as R3 was running on the play to end the inning.  Except none of the crew saw it that way and ruled that it was a ground ball that bounced to F3.  This allowed the run to score and the BR to remain on 1B.

[Gfoley4]

21 minutes ago, The Flush said:

That happened in the Auburn-Alabama game a couple nights ago.  1 out, pitch in the dirt, check swing pops it up to F3 who catches it and throws to F5 as R3 was running on the play to end the inning.  Except none of the crew saw it that way and ruled that it was a ground ball that bounced to F3.  This allowed the run to score and the BR to remain on 1B.

found a clip https://www.clippituser.tv/c/vgpddz

[Replacematt]

1 hour ago, ofhs93 said:

I stand corrected...."Rule 2.00 (comment)..........If the pitch touches the ground and bounces through the strike zone it is a ball. The ball cannot be legally caught for the purpose of Rule 6.05(c) and 6.09(b). If the batter hits such a pitch, the ensuing action shall be the same as if he hit the ball in flight."

Good question. I was originally in the foul ball court until I looked up the rule.

 

I was getting this mixed up with the scenario that any pitch that hits the dirt can NOT be a called *OR* caught 3rd strike....even if the batter swings and misses it's a dropped 3rd strike situation.

That's why it's called an uncaught third strike, not a dropped third strike.

[ofhs93]

1 hour ago, Gfoley4 said:

found a clip https://www.clippituser.tv/c/vgpddz

And they never got the call correct?