Check swing with 2 strikes

[Guest Greg]

 2 strike count, check swing, pitch in the dirt, catcher tags batter before appeal is made. Base umpire rules a swing. Is the batter out?   Because the catcher tagged the batter before the pitch was ruled a strike, does he have to tag him again or throw to first if the batter runs toward first?

[lawump]

He's out.  The base umpire, by his signal and vocalization that the batter swung, is only officially recognizing what has already happened: the batter swung.  The batter did not swing when the umpire signaled.  He had already swung.  Because the catcher tagged him after he swung the batter is out.  There is no need for another tag and or throw to first.

In fact, what you described is very common in high levels of baseball.  College and pro catchers regularly tag the batter first and then ask the plate umpire "to check" with his partner.

[noumpere]

The batter runner is out.  The base umpire is ruling that the batter *did* swing; not that it's *now* a swing.

[kylehutson]

He's already out. Smart catchers will come up and tag the batter on any possible 3rd strike that isn't caught. Just because it hasn't been ruled yet doesn't mean it hasn't happened.