Home run or out?

[Guest Steve C.]

A batter hits a ball deep to an outfielder who runs and leaps to catch it. He manages to catch it but the momentum of the ball takes him over the wall without coming back into the field of play. Why is this not a home run?

[Gfoley4 90]

Why should it be? 

 

 

[MadMax 2,262]

I'm with @Gfoley4 on this one... what occurred to qualify this fly ball to be a home run? Keep in mind, football is in no way similar or applicable to the definition of a catch in baseball.

Consider other situations wherein you've seen a pop fly heading towards the stands, or a dugout, and a fielder leaps or catapults himself over the wall or railing, catching the ball and landing in a spectacular heap in the dugout or in a fan's nachos? Have these not been judged to be catches, and therefore, an out? 

 

[maven 4,943]

6 hours ago, Guest Steve C. said:

A batter hits a ball deep to an outfielder who runs and leaps to catch it. He manages to catch it but the momentum of the ball takes him over the wall without coming back into the field of play. Why is this not a home run?

It's not a home run because it fails to satisfy the definition of a home run: it is not a fair ball that leaves the field of play in flight (as these terms are defined).

Instead, it satisfies the definition of 'catch', and thus results in an out. If the fielder leaves live ball territory during the catch, most codes also include a base award for other runners for that.

But it is not a home run.

[noumpere 3,281]

You (or someone also going by the name "Guest Steve") asked the same question back on august 2, and got the same answers.

 

 

[maven 4,943]

2 hours ago, noumpere said:

You (or someone also going by the name "Guest Steve") asked the same question back on august 2, and got the same answers.

I guess we still haven't gotten it right.

[Chip 41]

I assume the question relates to this play from the Junior LL World Series

 

[Jimurray 901]

7 hours ago, Chip said:

I assume the question relates to this play from the Junior LL World Series

 

Ruled an out by U2, then reversed to HR by umpire conference at OC protest, then reversed again to an out. OC needed some explaining and translating but settled down. It would be interesting if in Taipei's neck of the woods the ball was considered as a HR because it did pass over the perpendicular extension of the fair outfield fence in flight. The catch occurred outside the playing field. Interestingly, the RULE allowing a fielder to catch a FOUL BALL NEARING A DUGOUT OR OTHER OUT OF PLAY AREA only references a foul ball. That fielder only has to have one foot over the playing surface and no foot on the ground inside the DBT. But luckily, we have further guidance in PBUC, MLBUM that references a fielder catching any FLY ball and falling down.

[beerguy55 751]

18 hours ago, Guest Steve C. said:

A batter hits a ball deep to an outfielder who runs and leaps to catch it. He manages to catch it but the momentum of the ball takes him over the wall without coming back into the field of play. Why is this not a home run?

Because this is baseball and not pre-season NFL.  He doesn't need to drag both toes in bounds to complete the catch.