New question. Had our final makeup game yesterday afternoon, and had a situation arise that I've seen before with different umpires. Pitcher throws a low ball that the batter swings and misses for strike three, but the ball hits the dirt and ricochets up into the catcher's mitt.

 

Ump called the batter "out", (no tag or throw needed to complete the play).

 

However, in the rules the league actually post on their website, it says the following:

 

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; or if it touches the umpire and is caught by the catcher on the rebound.

 

The “dropped third strike” rule is really the “if not legally caught” rule. If a pitch bounces at the plate and the catcher makes a clean catch, the batter still becomes a runner with the right to advance to first base because the ball was not caught BEFORE it struck the ground.

 

I was pretty sure this was the rule and asked the ump about it in between innings, and he said no, no, no, if they pick it cleanly it still "counts". I'm pretty sure that in MLB you still have to apply a tag, but is it different in High School? Trying to figure out why multiple umps are calling it this way.

 

At all levels of baseball that I've seen use the "dropped" 3rd strike rule, the ball must cleanly caught. If the ball hits the ground first, the batter can run and must either be tagged or thrown out at first to retire (unless he makes no attempt to run). I'd say the umpire got it wrong here.

At all levels of baseball that I've seen use the "dropped" 3rd strike rule' date=' the ball must cleanly caught. If the ball hits the ground first, the batter can run and must either be tagged or thrown out at first to retire (unless he makes no attempt to run). I'd say the umpire got it wrong here.[/quote']

 

Agreed.

 

Rule myth.

I saw a scenario where on a check swing the catcher appealed to the umpire that was positioned at 2nd base (2 man crew). The 2nd base umpire called that the batter went on the check swing for a strike. How does the umpire down at 2nd have a better angle then the one behind the plate?

I saw a scenario where on a check swing the catcher appealed to the umpire that was positioned at 2nd base (2 man crew). The 2nd base umpire called that the batter went on the check swing for a strike. How does the umpire down at 2nd have a better angle then the one behind the plate?

 

In a 2-man crew with a runner on 1st the ump is not "at 2nd base." He would be in the infield to the first base side of the mound. So, yes, he has a good angle.

Agreed.

 

Rule myth.

 

Outs and baserunners, if any, were not mentioned in the original question. A tag or throw to first may not have been necessary on the third strike that hit the ground first. The ump may have reached the correct call with flawed reasoning.

Outs and baserunners, if any, were not mentioned in the original question. A tag or throw to first may not have been necessary on the third strike that hit the ground first. The ump may have reached the correct call with flawed reasoning.

 

True....if first base was occupied with less than two outs, it's not necessary to catch the ball clean. That rule applies only when first is unoccupied or there are two outs.

Outs and baserunners, if any, were not mentioned in the original question. A tag or throw to first may not have been necessary on the third strike that hit the ground first. The ump may have reached the correct call with flawed reasoning.

 

Correct.