Foul to fair call change

[Guest Travel Dad]

Pitched ball way inside hits the bat unintentionally. Upon the contact the ump says foul but then seeing the ball lands in fair territory in front of home plate, and immediately says,” in play, in play!”  

Is this a live or dead ball?

[maven]

As you have suggested, when a pitch hits the bat, we have a batted ball, fair or foul TBD. It doesn't matter whether the batter intended to swing.

Unless the game is being played by HS rules, it depends. Under HS rules, the ball is dead immediately, and the umpire will have to eat it.

Under other codes, I would rule in a way that conferred no advantage on either team. If one team played the fair ball and the other team didn't (because of the foul call), I'd kill it and eat the call.

If both teams played the fair ball at about the same time, then I might let it go.

Umpires: slow down. If it's foul, it's foul, and we don't need to rush that call. Wait, process, then make the call.

[Senor Azul]

From the 2016 BRD (section 541, p. 353):

OBR Official Interpretation:  Wendelstedt:  "The umpire may change his call even if the fielders reacted. Not a good thing, but possible. Especially if the call is changed after the initial play has completed. Since Fitzpatrick’s departure, a new rule has been added that umpires may do whatever necessary to correct the situation (to the best of their ability) following a changed call. This can occur real time, or following the play.”

Play 335-541:  Without dropping his bat Bubba hunkers down to avoid an inside pitch. The ball nicks off the knob end and rolls into fair territory. The UIC erroneously calls “Foul ball!” and then quickly yells “Play it! Fair ball!” On the first call Bubba stops and starts to return; on the second call, F2 picks up the ball and throws to first for the out. Ruling:  It’s a foul ball at all levels.

[umpstu]

Foul ball.

[Senor Azul]

2017-18 NCAA Appendix E

8) Changing a call of “foul” to “fair.”

Note 1 Umpires may conference, after a batted ball that has passed the first or third baseman on the fly, first touches the ground behind the base and has been ruled foul. After consultation with the entire umpire crew, the Crew Chief will place the base runners where the crew believes they would have advanced had the ball been first ruled fair. The Crew Chief and crew should be conservative on their placement of base runners.

From the 2016 BRD (section 541, p. 352) NCAA only:

Bill Thurston ruled that such a call (foul to fair) can be changed only if the call had no impact on the obvious outcome of a safe hit.

Play 86:  B1 pulls a line drive down the left-field line that bounces just fair. The umpire, momentarily confused, calls, “Foul.” BR stops to object, then proceeds to first as F7 recovers the ball in deep left field. Next, the offensive coach contends the ball was, in fact, fair. Ruling:  If the umpire agrees with the coach (the ball was fair), he is empowered to change his call in this case because the obvious outcome of the hit would have been a double. BR is awarded second base. If the umpire does not (or will not) agree, the ball is foul and B1 returns to bat.