Foul ball?

[Guest Baldie]

Situation - 0 outs, bases empty. The batter hits a high shallow fly ball somewhere between the home plate and the mound. The catcher and the pitcher both try to catch it, but they miscommunicate and cannot make the catch. The ball hits the catcher's leg, bounces though the infield and goes into foul territory where it rests. What's the call? Is it a fair ball because the play attempt was made in fair territory?

[WilsonFlyer]

First touch in fair territory. Fair ball.

[noumpere]

3 hours ago, Guest Baldie said:

Situation - 0 outs, bases empty. The batter hits a high shallow fly ball somewhere between the home plate and the mound. The catcher and the pitcher both try to catch it, but they miscommunicate and cannot make the catch. The ball hits the catcher's leg, bounces though the infield and goes into foul territory where it rests. What's the call? Is it a fair ball because the play attempt was made in fair territory?

It's fair-- NOT because "the play attempt was made in fair territory" (and I'm ignoring the specific definition of "play attempt" here), but because "The ball hits the catcher's leg" in fair territory.

[The Man in Blue]

I don’t know ... the catcher’s leg is touching the field, so it may just be part of the field, not part of the player ... 

[WilsonFlyer]

Here's a question. If you're on the plate, are you signaling that fair or doing nothing? Seems to me that signaling it fair gives the defense an unfair advantage when they should know this.

Let the wars begin. See? We can start them on simple cut and dry plays.

[noumpere]

If it wasn't obvious that it hit the leg, I'm pointing fair.  I don't follow how this " gives the defense an unfair advantage."

[beerguy55]

2 hours ago, WilsonFlyer said:

Here's a question. If you're on the plate, are you signaling that fair or doing nothing? Seems to me that signaling it fair gives the defense an unfair advantage when they should know this.

Let the wars begin. See? We can start them on simple cut and dry plays.

Your job is to communicate.  Point fair.  There's no reason not to.

The baserunner, if he's doing his job, and if he has been well coached, knows that no ball is foul until an umpire says it's foul...so if he stops running that's on him.  Defense too.

 It removes any doubt and confusion, and lets people know that you know.   It removes any question of integrity and people thinking you got convinced into making one call or the other after the fact.  It doesn't give anyone an advantage. What it does is actually communicates your call to the players, which is your F*#King job.

[The Man in Blue]

Point ... point emphatically ... and for the sake of all things under the sun, do NOT SAY "FAIR BALL!"  

[WilsonFlyer]

I agree. 100%. Something in me expected more dissention than that and I'm not sure why. 

[Guest Baldie]

Thanks everyone! I specifically pointed out that the ball hit the cacther.

On the other hand, if no contact with the ball was made by any defensive player, that would be a foul ball, right?

[mrumpiresir]

4 hours ago, Guest Baldie said:

Thanks everyone! I specifically pointed out that the ball hit the cacther.

On the other hand, if no contact with the ball was made by any defensive player, that would be a foul ball, right?

Yes, if it went into foul territory before passing first base.  If the ball passes first base and then goes into foul territory, it would be a fair ball.

[noumpere]

1 hour ago, mrumpiresir said:

Yes, if it went into foul territory before passing first base.  If the ball passes first base and then goes into foul territory, it would be a fair ball.

... or before passing a line between first and third, if this were a FED game (the OP didn't say)