HOME RUN OR OUT?

[Guest STEVE]

IF A BATTER HITS A FLY BALL TO THE OUTFIELD. THE OUTFIELDERS FEET LEAVE THE GROUND TO SUCCESSFULLY CATCH THE BALL BUT THE MOMENTUM OF

THE TRAVELING BALL TAKES THE OUTFIELDER COMPLETELY OVER THE WALL. EVEN THOUGH THE FIELDER CAUGHT THE BALL, HE LEFT THE FIELD OF PLAY. 

WHY IS THIS CONSIDERED AN OUT AND NOT A HOME RUN?

[stkjock]

Why are you yelling?

 

if one of the  fielders feet are over the playing surface / fair territory, by rule, it's an out. Just like when a fielder reaches into the stands in foul territory to catch a ball it's an out. 

 

Quote

Rule 5.09(a)(1) Comment (Rule 6.05(a) Comment): A fielder may reach into, but not step into, a dugout to make a catch, and if he holds the ball, the catch shall be allowed. A fielder, in order to make a catch on a foul ball nearing a dugout or other out-of-play area (such as the stands), must have one or both feet on or over the playing surface (including the lip of the dugout) and neither foot on the ground inside the dugout or in any other out-of-play area. Ball is in play, unless the fielder, after making a legal catch, steps or falls into a dugout or other 

 

[Rich Ives]

7 hours ago, Guest STEVE said:

IF A BATTER HITS A FLY BALL TO THE OUTFIELD. THE OUTFIELDERS FEET LEAVE THE GROUND TO SUCCESSFULLY CATCH THE BALL BUT THE MOMENTUM OF

THE TRAVELING BALL TAKES THE OUTFIELDER COMPLETELY OVER THE WALL. EVEN THOUGH THE FIELDER CAUGHT THE BALL, HE LEFT THE FIELD OF PLAY. 

WHY IS THIS CONSIDERED AN OUT AND NOT A HOME RUN?

Because it is an out. Many a highlight video of catches has this happening. Why do you think it is a HR?

[JSam21]

1 minute ago, Rich Ives said:

Because it is an out. Many a highlight video of catches has this happening. Why do you think it is a HR?

I think it is because people have a hard time knowing the difference between the glove and ball going over and the glove, ball, and player going over. They see it as the same thing, where as the trained eye knows that they are two totally different animals. 

 

The main difference here is control of the baseball. If the fielder has control of the baseball before leaving the playing field and maintains control when landing out of play, and the other steps for a legal catch, then you have a catch. The glove coming off with the ball doesn't show control of the baseball by the player. 

[beerguy55]

Thirty years of message board and e-mail etiquette and people still type in all caps.

And yes, this isn't football - it doesn't matter what his feet are touching, only what they are over.

3 minutes ago, JSam21 said:

 

I think it is because people have a hard time knowing the difference between the glove and ball going over and the glove, ball, and player going over. They see it as the same thing, where as the trained eye knows that they are two totally different animals. 

I think it's more about people watching more football than they watch baseball.  

 

[ElkOil]

It's an out, but there is also a base award with runners on. Catching a ball while at least one foot is in, on or over live ball territory is an out. If you then proceed with both feet into dead ball territory, any runners are awarded one base. This is called a "catch and carry."

To answer your question as to why it's an out, the answer is "them's the rules."

[LRZ]

I never thought about this before: if the OF makes the catch and falls into DBT, do we have an out and, after tagging up, runners advance one base?

[noumpere]

1 minute ago, LRZ said:

I never thought about this before: if the OF makes the catch and falls into DBT, do we have an out and, after tagging up, runners advance one base?

Yes.

[BrianC14]

A video example, from last night's Indians v. Red Sox game:

 

http://m.indians.mlb.com/news/article/245757708/indians-austin-jackson-makes-amazing-catch/

 

[ElkOil]

2 hours ago, LRZ said:

I never thought about this before: if the OF makes the catch and falls into DBT, do we have an out and, after tagging up, runners advance one base?

Since the ball is dead, the runners aren't required to tag up. They simply go to the bases they were awarded.

[Replacematt]

Just now, ElkOil said:

Since the ball is dead, the runners aren't required to tag up. They simply go to the bases they were awarded.

Umm, no. They still have to run the bases legally.

[stkjock]

2 hours ago, BrianC14 said:

A video example, from last night's Indians v. Red Sox game:

 

http://m.indians.mlb.com/news/article/245757708/indians-austin-jackson-makes-amazing-catch/

 

saw that earlier, amazing catch, gotta love this game 

[JSam21]

3 hours ago, ElkOil said:

Since the ball is dead, the runners aren't required to tag up. They simply go to the bases they were awarded.

Definitely have to re-touch or are liable to be put out on appeal

.

[Guest Dan]

I actually have the same question as to why its an out and not a HR.  The comment to Rule 5.09(a)(1) discussed above only applies to foul balls, not fair balls.  So I'm not sure that the rules actually cover this situation.

A follow-up question is whether the outfielder, like Austin Jackson the other night after making the insane catch, could have legally thrown the ball back into the field of play from the bullpen in order to get a runner tagging up (if there had been a runner on at the time)?

[Gfoley4]

3 minutes ago, Guest Dan said:

I actually have the same question as to why its an out and not a HR.  The comment to Rule 5.09(a)(1) discussed above only applies to foul balls, not fair balls.  So I'm not sure that the rules actually cover this situation.

A follow-up question is whether the outfielder, like Austin Jackson the other night after making the insane catch, could have legally thrown the ball back into the field of play from the bullpen in order to get a runner tagging up (if there had been a runner on at the time)?

yes it applies to both. 

[LRZ]

It is an out and not a HR because of the definition of a catch: "A CATCH is the act of a fielder in getting secure possession in his hand or glove of a ball in flight and firmly holding it...." This supersedes the right of a BR to advance to home base if a fair ball goes out of the playing field in flight. OBR 5.06(b)(4)(A).

A fielder cannot throw from DBT because the ball becomes dead if he makes a catch and steps or falls into DBT. OBR 5.06(b)(3)(C) and Comment: "If a fielder, after having made a legal catch, should step or fall into any out-of-play area, the ball is dead and each runner shall . . . advance one base, without liability to be put out, from his last legally touched base at the time the fielder entered such out-of-play area.

[ElkOil]

4 hours ago, Matt said:

Umm, no. They still have to run the bases legally.

 

1 hour ago, JSam21 said:

Definitely have to re-touch or are liable to be put out on appeal

.

I'm gonna go on record as saying I have no idea what I was talking about. Clearly.

I'm back now. How have you been?