From Official Baseball Rules:

 

A FAIR BALL is a batted ball that settles on fair ground between home and first base, or between home and third base, or that is on or over fair territory when bounding to the outfield past first or third base, or that touches first, second or third base, or that first falls on fair territory on or beyond first base or third base, or that, while on or over fair territory touches the person of an umpire or player, or that, while over fair territory, passes out of the playing field in flight.

 

 

I put this out here because I've seen many games, including one last night, where a foul ball was called fair.

 

Situation: Batter hits chopper down 3rd base line. Fielder fields the ball in front of 3rd base with feet in fair territory while the ball was on the foul side of the 3rd base line. 3rd baseman throws wildly to first, runner awarded 2nd base.

 

When questioned as to why it was not a foul ball, blue says "his feet were in fair territory."

 

Wrong call. Wrong interpretation of the rulebook.

 

So, for those of you who watch a lot of baseball games, you now know the rule.

An Umpire, actually said "foul", because of where the fielder was positioned, as opposed to the location of the ball?....

 

Was he a vet or newbie....

An Umpire, actually said "foul", because of where the fielder was positioned, as opposed to the location of the ball?....

 

Was he a vet or newbie....

 

He called it fair based on the feet location and disregarded the fact that it was on the foul side of the line.

 

Probably a newbie. My post was not a shot at blue but, rather, simply to put the rule out there for those who are not aware of it.

So a foul ball is when a ball is on the outside of the foul line...got it...

He called it fair based on the feet location and disregarded the fact that it was on the foul side of the line.

 

Probably a newbie. My post was not a shot at blue but, rather, simply to put the rule out there for those who are not aware of it.

 

Maybe he does football too...

It should have been called foul.

So a foul ball is when a ball is on the outside of the foul line...got it...

 

I think you're on top of it. You'd be surprised (maybe) at how many times I explain this rule to folks in the stands.

 

Of course, we were in Cincinnati so maybe they use a modified rulebook.

 

After seeing his lack of understanding of this basic rule, I had zero desire to try to explain to him why the pitcher was commiting a balk.

I think you're on top of it. You'd be surprised (maybe) at how many times I explain this rule to folks in the stands.

 

Of course, we were in Cincinnati so maybe they use a modified rulebook.

 

After seeing his lack of understanding of this basic rule, I had zero desire to try to explain to him why the pitcher was commiting a balk.

 

No, they're just inhaling too much smog...

So a foul ball is when a ball is on the outside of the foul line...got it...

 

But if it hits the tree, it's a no pitch, no foul ball, right?

But if it hits the tree, it's a no pitch, no foul ball, right?

 

UGH!!!:creepy:

I've seen some HS Umpires, call a ball "foul", which is still rolling down either the 1st/3rd base line, because it started out in foul and hasn't been touched.

 

I even saw one, call a bunt which was popped up, about 8' down the 1st base line, land in "fair" by 3'-4" and then the spin, took it into foul, before it was touched....called "fair". Coach objected, infield Umpire had conference with HP and they got it right.

 

Umpiring is a thankless job and I appreciate their efforts.

Had an umpire a few years ago call a foul ball on a grounder that hit the third base bag and bounded off into foul territory. I choose not to object since we were on defense at the time. The opposing team did mildly question the ump, who claimed that if it hit the bag it needed to richocet into fair territory to be called fair. I was quite pleased with his explanation, as it seemed to satisfy the other team and was a close game at the time.

 

Odd, but this also occurred in Cincinnati.

Had an umpire a few years ago call a foul ball on a grounder that hit the third base bag and bounded off into foul territory. I choose not to object since we were on defense at the time. The opposing team did mildly question the ump, who claimed that if it hit the bag it needed to richocet into fair territory to be called fair. I was quite pleased with his explanation, as it seemed to satisfy the other team and was a close game at the time.

 

Odd, but this also occurred in Cincinnati.

Interestingly enough, I have seen this as well, also in Cincinnati! However in my scenario I think blue got it right. I see this fairly often......whoever does the lines and bags for the field had placed the bag with the line splitting the bag down the middle. Ball hit down 3B line, hits outside of bag, blue calls it a foul ball. Home team manager loses it, and blue replies, if you'd set up the field correctly we wouldn't have this problem. :lol:

From Official Baseball Rules:

 

A FAIR BALL is a batted ball that settles on fair ground between home and first base, or between home and third base, or that is on or over fair territory when bounding to the outfield past first or third base, or that touches first, second or third base, or that first falls on fair territory on or beyond first base or third base, or that, while on or over fair territory touches the person of an umpire or player, or that, while over fair territory, passes out of the playing field in flight.

 

 

I put this out here because I've seen many games, including one last night, where a foul ball was called fair.

 

Situation: Batter hits chopper down 3rd base line. Fielder fields the ball in front of 3rd base with feet in fair territory while the ball was on the foul side of the 3rd base line. 3rd baseman throws wildly to first, runner awarded 2nd base.

 

When questioned as to why it was not a foul ball, blue says "his feet were in fair territory."

 

Wrong call. Wrong interpretation of the rulebook.

 

So, for those of you who watch a lot of baseball games, you now know the rule.

Along these lines.......saw this last year at one of my son's games.

 

Runners on 1st and 2nd. Line drive back up the box. Hits the rubber and goes into the 1B dugout. What do you have?

Along these lines.......saw this last year at one of my son's games.

 

Runners on 1st and 2nd. Line drive back up the box. Hits the rubber and goes into the 1B dugout. What do you have?

 

 

FOUL BALL.