Ask UEFL - Ball Stuck in the Horizontal Dirt Wall

[Lindsay]

For this Ask the UEFL, we take a look at two similar-yet-different minor league plays featuring batted balls sticking to different surfaces: one embeds itself in an outfield wall and the other sticks to the infield dirt on the ground in front of home plate. What are the rules for these situations?

Two baseballs, both alike in dignity, In fair territory, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil stickiness makes civil hands unclean.

Vertical Stick: The first play takes us to Buffalo (remember, this was used as an MLB venue when Toronto played here during the COVID season) where Bisons batter Gabriel Moreno's drive to deep right traveled over Lehigh Valley IronPigs left fielder Chris Sharpe's head and lodged itself into the padding below the top of the fenceline.

Horizontal Stick: The second play occurred when Columbus Clippers batter Ernie Clement hit a ball directly into the dirt in front of home plate, where it dug itself and stuck in the ground.

Calls: In Buffalo (ball in wall), umpires ruled the play dead and awarded the batter and runner two bases from time of pitch. In Columbus (ball in ground), play was kept alive, the ball ruled fair when picked up by Toledo's catcher, and the batter-runner out when tagged.

Rule: Official Baseball Rule 5.05(a)(7) describes the ball-stuck-in-wall play: "The batter becomes a runner when any fair ball which, either before or after touching the ground, passes through or under a fence, or through or under a scoreboard, or through any opening in the fence or scoreboard, or through or under shrubbery, or vines on the fence, or which sticks in a fence or scoreboard, in which case the batter and the runners shall be entitled to two bases."

As for the ball-in-ground play, the rules aren't as clear, leading us to OBR 8.01(c) or baseball's elastic clause: "Each umpires has the authority to rule on any point not specifically covered in these rules." The MLB Umpire Manual offers the interpretation, "A ball is considered lodged if, in the judgment of the umpire, the natural trajectory of the flight of the ball is interrupted long enough to affect further play," but this was not a ball in flight.

Because OBR 5.05(a)(7) pertains to balls lodged in vertical surfaces, and no other rule specifically covers the case of a batted ball stuck/embedded in the ground, umpires ruled that because the ball remained accessible to the fielder, it remained in play, making it a fair ball and ground out, F2 unassisted.

Video as follows:

Alternate Link: Analysis of the case of two balls sticking to different planar surfaces (CCS)

View the full article

[The Man in Blue]

I have had the ball stick in the dirt in front of home plate several times.  A couple of times the darned thing was spinning and the dirt was so powdery the ball was kicking up dirt but not going anywhere.

Fair ball if it is in fair territory; foul ball if it is in foul territory.

The idea of calling it a lodged ball never got close to being a consideration, nor will it.

[ErichKeane]

45 minutes ago, The Man in Blue said:

I have had the ball stick in the dirt in front of home plate several times.  A couple of times the darned thing was spinning and the dirt was so powdery the ball was kicking up dirt but not going anywhere.

Fair ball if it is in fair territory; foul ball if it is in foul territory.

The idea of calling it a lodged ball never got close to being a consideration, nor will it.

I had ONE once I would have considered a lodged-ball, but it was foul.  Field was messy, but coaches/kids wanted to play anyway.  There were a couple of muddy areas that they covered up pretty well with some diamond dry, though unbeknownst to me, it only dried the 'top layer'. 

Umpire area and some of the spots on the outer circle were a mess (including right in front of the plate :/), enough so I slipped and fell on my butt 3-4 times, and tore through the knee in a pair of pants  

Short of it: foul ball 'broke' through the layer of diamond-dry crust, and was 3/4 of the way under the mud.  Had that been fair territory, pretty sure I would have called it 'lodged'. 

BUT, in a meaningful game (this was a cross-squad scrimmage to get folks ready for a tourney, and a way for ME to make up to the coach for mis-handling his opposing coach in the tourney the weekend before) the field wouldn't be bad enough for it to happen anyway.

 

[SH0102]

7 hours ago, The Man in Blue said:

I have had the ball stick in the dirt in front of home plate several times.  A couple of times the darned thing was spinning and the dirt was so powdery the ball was kicking up dirt but not going anywhere.

Fair ball if it is in fair territory; foul ball if it is in foul territory.

The idea of calling it a lodged ball never got close to being a consideration, nor will it.

If the ball is sunk into the ground, as in stuck and has to be “popped” out, it’s lodged.  That said , if ground is soft enough for that to happen, game is not continuing anyways, and should have been stopped long before that point .

[Velho]

2 hours ago, SH0102 said:

If the ball is sunk into the ground, as in stuck and has to be “popped” out, it’s lodged.

And what's the award? Looking through OBR, I can't find a rule for a generally 'lodged' ball. The cites are all specific. You can infer to 2 bases (which is logical) but I'm curious if we get there in some way other than simple reason.

The Index points to "Lodged Ball—5.05(a)(7), 5.06(b)(4)(F-G,I), 5.06(c)(7), 5.09(a)(2) Comment."

5.05(a)(7) Any fair ball which, either before or after touching the ground, passes through or under a fence, or through or under a scoreboard, or through any opening in the fence or scoreboard, or through or under shrubbery, or vines on the fence, or which sticks in a fence or scoreboard, in which case the batter and the runners shall be entitled to two bases;

5.06(b)(4)

(F)  Two bases, if a fair ball bounces or is deflected into the stands outside the first or third base foul lines; or if it goes through or under a field fence, or through or under a scoreboard, or through or under shrubbery or vines on the fence; or if it sticks in such fence, scoreboard, shrubbery or vines;

(G)  Two bases when, with no spectators on the playing field, a thrown ball goes into the stands, or into a bench (whether or not the ball rebounds into the field), or over or under or through a field fence, or on a slanting part of the screen above the backstop, or remains in the meshes of a wire screen protecting spectators. The ball is dead. When such wild throw is the first play by an infielder, the umpire, in awarding such bases, shall be governed by the position of the runners at the time the ball was pitched; in all other cases the umpire shall be governed by the position of the runners at the time the wild throw was made;

(I) One base, if the batter becomes a runner on Ball Four or Strike Three, when the pitch passes the catcher and lodges in the umpire’s mask or paraphernalia. If the batter becomes a runner on a wild pitch which entitles the runners to advance one base, the batter-runner shall be entitled to first base only.

5.06(c)(7) A pitched ball lodges in the catcher’s mask or para- phernalia, or in or against the umpire’s body, mask or paraphernalia

Rule 5.09 (a)(2 ) Comment: “Legally caught” means in the catcher’s glove before the ball touches the ground. It is not legal if the ball lodges in his clothing or paraphernalia; 

MiLB Manual adds "Likewise, a ball that goes behind a field tarp or wall padding without leaving the field of play should also be considered lodged and the same two-base award applies."

[SH0102]

1 minute ago, Velho said:

And what's the award?

In my OPINION, and again I’ll reiterate this should never happen bc it means you’re playing in mud, but I would defer to the rule about umpire may rule on anything not covered in rule book, and at most, award one base.  No way they get a double on a ball 12” from the plate bc it sank in mud.

As you said, lodged balls usually refer to equipment or boundary markers (padding, fence, shrubs, tarp)

I would argue a “lodged” ball in the mud in front of home would fall under the umpire making a judgment, and 2 bases would not be sound judgment.

[The Man in Blue]

In all my cases it was dry ground, so the ball was easily playable.  I can see where a ball actually stuck in the ground may be different.  I have to agree with @SH0102 though ... there is no way I could award two bases in good conscious.

And yes, do NOT play on this surface: