Foul Ball Conundrum

[Mad Mike]

I need some input on a FED issue:

R1, count 1-2. Pitch is made. Batter foul tips the ball. Cleanly caught by catcher. Unfortunately, base umpire (newbie) loudly announces foul ball. R1 is stealing on the pitch. Catcher does not play on the runner.

They sent the runner back to first and did a "do over" as if the ball were truly foul.

Returning the runner is certainly the correct thing to do because the defense was disadvantaged from playing on the runner. However, should this be considered a strike out? Or is it correct to treat this solely as a foul ball and the batter gets another crack at it?

[noumpere]

4 minutes ago, Mad Mike said:

I need some input on a FED issue:

R1, count 1-2. Pitch is made. Batter foul tips the ball. Cleanly caught by catcher. Unfortunately, base umpire (newbie) loudly announces foul ball. R1 is stealing on the pitch. Catcher does not play on the runner.

They sent the runner back to first and did a "do over" as if the ball were truly foul.

Returning the runner is certainly the correct thing to do because the defense was disadvantaged from playing on the runner. However, should this be considered a strike out? Or is it correct to treat this solely as a foul ball and the batter gets another crack at it?

A declared "foul" is only dead when the ball is uncaught.  This was caught.

 

So, you can use the "a call is reversed and places either team at a disadvantage" rule.

[ZebraStripes]

Rook screwed the pooch on this one.  I'd be wanting to leave the runner at 2nd and send the batter to the dugout.  I've never even thought about this one happening.

[maven]

We can fix the erroneous "foul ball" call here because the ball did not strike the ground. 2-16-1e thus does NOT govern.

That said, I would not rule R1 out unless I were fairly certain that he would have been put out without the BU's mistaken call. As described, I'm not certain at all, even that F2 would have attempted a throw.

So send R1 back. It is not, however a foul ball: it's a foul tip, and strike 3, so the batter is out. That all happened prior to the mistaken call, so that stands.

If the BU were truly blessed, that would be 3 outs, and what we do with R1 would be moot.