foul ball called by mistake

[Guest G J Lane]

count is 0 balls 1 strike - batter hits the ball off the plate ( plate umpire thought it hit the batters foot ), plate umpire calls foul ball, he realized his mistake - does the batter get charged a strike? 

[Aging_Arbiter]

Yes, it is a strike.   Unfortunately you can't "un-ring the bell" and this will be a strike.  the only unclear point is where the ball went AFTER "hit off the plate".  If the ball goes into fair territory, then it is a fair ball.  If it hits plate and goes into foul territory and is subsequently touched or comes to rest, then it is a foul ball.  This is a perfect example of using timing to make your calls.  slow down to see everything & process it.  This is often referred to as se it, say it, call it :

see it (watch the ball all the way to the catchers glove , or in this case.....home plate)

say it (to yourself.  Ball off plate, plate is in fair territory, no verbal cue, point fair)

Call it (for everyone else to know your determination.....no verbal, point fair)

 

 0-2 count........PLAY!

[Guest G J Lane]

what rule can i reference in the MLB rule book? 

[noumpere]

5 minutes ago, Guest G J Lane said:

what rule can i reference in the MLB rule book? 

You can't.  The rule book doesn't cover this (or most any other circumstance where an umpire errs).  But, the descriptions above are correct.

[beerguy55]

5 hours ago, Guest G J Lane said:

what rule can i reference in the MLB rule book? 

At best, 8.01(c)...but, really, it's about common sense - if, for example, this had never happened before in the history of ball, and there was no rule, and no guidance from experienced trainers or officials, no precedent, no instruction, you have three options:

1. Do over - nullify the pitch.  Just a bad choice all around.  The pitcher threw a legal pitch, and, since the bat hit the ball, it's a strike - at the very least.  Taking that away just doesn't seem right.

2. Take a real guess at what "would have happened" - would the batter have got out?  Would the batter have beat out the throw?  This has a lot of really bad implications, and you just don't want to go there - the fact is, the ump's mistake here (usually) stops the action - the batter, the runners and the fielders stop as soon as he calls "dead ball/foul ball".  It would have to be a scenario where nobody stops moving and the outcome is blatantly obvious.

3. Stand by the ruling, and learn from it.   It's a foul ball/strike.  Yeah, it may have been an out, or a hit, a DP, or a run, or a few other things...but what you do know is that it was a strike.   The rest, in the long run, is a wash....sometimes you screw the defense, sometimes you screw the offense.

[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.

[Guest HankC]

it's a judgement call.

'Coach, I have the ball hitting the batter's foot.'

and it may be bad judgement    :)

[Aging_Arbiter]

2 hours ago, Guest HankC said:

it's a judgement call.

'Coach, I have the ball hitting the batter's foot.'

and it may be bad judgement   

Good judgment comes from experience.

Experience comes from bad judgment.

[beerguy55]

22 minutes ago, Aging_Arbiter said:

Good judgment comes from experience.

Experience comes from bad judgment.

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

OR

That sounded a lot better in my head.

OR

If I knew then what I know now...