3rd

Question
Hello:  
 The following is a contentious issue in our league.  Seems no one can agree. The following is an answer from one of your peers. I like it but my very senior (and old) umps say nope. If he swings, regardless if it's the ball's on the ground or in the air, if he strikes at it and it's dropped, the kid can run.  Your thoughts.  Can't find anything in print to back this up.


QUESTION: Pitch comes in, takes once bounce, batter swings, misses, ball hits catcher's mitt and he catches it. Is the BR out or, does he get to run since once the ball hits the ground, it's no longer consider eligible to be caught but it can be blocked. We kick this one around a lot.  Thanks



Answer:

The ball must be caught "in flight".  Once the ball hit the ground the ball is no longer in flight and the batter is free to advance to first if there is nobody on first base, or there are two outs.

Answer
Thanks for the opportunity to clarify this question....

You are partly right & partly wrong above.  The NFHS, NCAA, & MLB rules say that if the catcher catches the ball "CLEANLY" than the batter can be tagged or thrown out.  Therefore, the ball can be go directly from the bat to the catcher's mit or it can actually come off the ground.  As long as it is a CLEAN CATCH, then the out still applies.  If the catcher fumbles, muffs, or misses in any situation then it is a foul ball & not a "dropped third strike".

If the catch is clean then there is not a "DROPPED" third strike since there was no drop.  Rules like this one are ambiguous unless you have been to advanced high school, college, or MLB camps & clinics.  There they share the details of each rule & how they operate in every day occurences....

Great question though thanks again for the question....

Andy Mullins

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