Foul Tip Question

[Mad Hornet]

If a foul tip goes directly to the catcher's mitt and she bobbles it but still catches it without the ball touching anything else, is it still a live ball? Or does the fact that she bobbled before gaining control of the ball change it from a foul tip to a foul ball?

 

[Mad Hornet]

Note: I do not ask this question for purposes of strike three. This happened yesterday in a scrimmage as a runner stole second - a throw was made but not in time. Umpire ruled the foul tip was negated due to the catcher bobbling it and made the runner go back as it was in his judgement a foul ball, not a foul tip. But whenever I've seen this as strike three it was always ruled strike three.

 

[jimhamrick]

The rule states...
A foul tip is a batted ball that goes sharply and directly from the catcher's mitt or hand and is legally caught by the catcher. It is a strike, an dthe ball remains live.
in the scenario that you describe, it sounds like a straight foul ball, runner must return to base.

 

[daboss]

To my knowledge she would be required to return to base.

 

[Mad Hornet]

I read that rule too. The ball went straight to her mitt and was legally caught. Didn’t bounce off her gear or any part of her body. It’s kind of questionable if the bobble happened in the transfer it happened so fast. Just wondering if there is a rule clarification regarding this.

 

[BretMan2]

If the ball went sharply and directly to the catcher’s hands/mitt, then was bobbled, then legally caught, it is a foul tip, a strike, and the ball remains live.

In this case, once the ball hits the hands/mitt all that’s required to make it a foul tip is a legal catch. The “catch” at that point would need to meet the same definition of a catch that we apply to any other batted ball. It can’t touch the ground, the batter, the umpire, a fence, etc. But it can touch the catcher or her equipment.

 

[22dad]

Just to clarify, exaggerated purposefully: foul tip 3rd strike hits catcher in face mask. Pops straight up, caught by catcher before contact, out on strikes?

 

[Mad Hornet]

Thank you Bret that is exactly what I thought.

 

[9ball]

Just to clarify, exaggerated purposefully: foul tip 3rd strike hits catcher in face mask. Pops straight up, caught by catcher before contact, out on strikes?

That doesn't sound like sharply and directly to the catchers mitt

 

[22dad]

Yeah right. How about from the Mitt Off the mask then caught?

 

[Hilliarddad3]

I have no problem with "Choke and poke" sometimes a kid is struggling in believing they can do something.... So maybe just contacting a ball and putting it in play is that confidence changer...... 90% of any game is played 6" between the ears.....

 

[mroby5172]

In my understanding, the tipped ball has to be caught by the catcher without touching anything other than the glove or hand to be considered a foul tip live ball. If the ball touches the catchers equipment it is then a foul ball.

 

[BretMan2]

I think that your understanding is a little bit off...

If the ball goes sharply and directly back and first touches something other than the catcher’s hands/mitt, then it is a foul ball.

If the ball goes sharply and directly back and first touches the catcher’s hands/mitt, then it becomes a foul tip (strike and live ball) if the catcher makes a legal catch. After touching the hands/mitt it can hit or rebound from the catcher’s body or equipment and still be caught.

Note: For the purpose of the foul tip rule, a batted ball that is “sharp and direct” means that the ball came off the bat with no perceptible arc. It essentially travels in a straight line.

If the ball comes of the bat with an arc, then it is treated the same as any other batted fly ball anywhere else on the field. If caught it’s not a strike, but an out, same as any other caught fly ball.