Dropped thrid strike if the mitt is on the ground?

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We had a game the other night in which the other teams coach kept telling his girls to run if our catcher caught the ball and her mitt was on touching the ground. I was tought if the ball was caught with out bouncing, the batter was out. It wasn't like the catcher was trapping the ball on the ground. She was just sometimes catching a drop ball or change-up that was going down and her mitt was touching the ground. What is the exact ruling on this one? Thanks!

 

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Re: Dropped thrid strike if the mitt is on the gro

The other coach was terribly misinformed and simply trying to confuse an umpire. If the ball does not touch the ground, it is a third strike. THe umpire should warn the other coach about his actions.

 

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Re: Dropped thrid strike if the mitt is on the gro

"What is the exact ruling on this one?"

Well, glevans64, the ruling is the same as when you posted this same question last week! ;D

The coach was wrong. The key is the BALL touching the ground, not the GLOVE.

Forgetting for a minute about the coach's statements, how was the umpire ruling on these? If he was ruling a catch, he was calling it right.

But, anyways, thanks for giving me one more rule myth to add to my collection. Just when you think you've heard them all...

 

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Re: Dropped thrid strike if the mitt is on the gro

A little more on this point...

For catching a strike, the exact same definition of a "catch" applies as if a fielder was catching a batted ball.

Picture an outfielder diving for a sinking line drive. The ball settles in her outstretched glove, the back side of which just happens to be touching the ground at the time of the catch. The palm is facing up and the ball goes right in the pocket, never touching the ground.

Would you rule a catch?

Same thing for a catcher catching a pitched ball.

 

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Re: Dropped thrid strike if the mitt is on the gro

Thanks to both of you for the information. bretman I couldn't remember where I put the posting and didn't have it set to notify me. Thanks again.

 

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Re: Dropped thrid strike if the mitt is on the gro

well i was taught that the catcher had to drop the ball for you to be able to run to the first base!! hehe one time i did that and they kept over throwing so i got a thriple!! i got in too!!!!=]=]]

 

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Re: Dropped thrid strike if the mitt is on the gro

NFHS rule book. Page 21. Rule 2-9 Articles 1 thru 6

Gives you the definitions of a "catch".

 

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Re: Dropped thrid strike if the mitt is on the gro

]well i was taught that the catcher had to drop the ball for you to be able to run to the first base!!

Be careful, SF8, because if that's what you were taught you might have been taught wrong!

Technically, it is not an issue of the catcher dropping the ball, but a case of a legal catch not being made.

What if the pitch bounces on the way to the plate and the catcher cleanly gloves the ball, without dropping it?

That is still an uncaught third strike and the batter is entitled to run (provided first base is not occupied or there are already two outs), even though the catcher did not "drop" the ball.

PS: I don't know which is stranger- that this question was dredged up from nearly two-and-one-half years ago, or that I distinctly remember posting my reply way back then! ?

 

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Re: Dropped thrid strike if the mitt is on the gro

Good point bretman. I got at least a 1/2 dozen girls on base safely last year because I remembered to yell "RUN" before the catcher (and her coach) remembered that a ball that hits the ground before going into the glove does not satisfy the definition of a "catch". The best way for me to remember was relayed to me by an old timer who said, think of it like this, "your pitcher caused the ball to be dropped because she did not get it to the catcher, hence your dropped third strike call". I don't know if it fits the definition, but it worked good for me.

Not that I'm proud of my girls swinging at balls that hit the ground. Wish I could take credit for having them trained to recognize those opportunities. I'm just tickled I remembered the rule generally before our opponents and could get the words out fast enough to do some good, lol.

 

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Re: Dropped thrid strike if the mitt is on the gro

...
PS: I don't know which is stranger- that this question was dredged up from nearly two-and-one-half years ago, or that I distinctly remember posting my reply way back then!

Seems a lot of topics have been dredged up lately. Some with replies that look suspiciously like post padding. Oh well, 14 year olds, what are you going to do... :

 

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Re: Dropped thrid strike if the mitt is on the gro

What's "post padding" mean?

 

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Re: Dropped thrid strike if the mitt is on the gro

What's "post padding" mean?

Posting just to increase your post count.

 

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Re: Dropped thrid strike if the mitt is on the gro

Oh,...gotcha! (I knew that, I was just testing you...and you passed!) Thanks Bear!

 

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Re: Dropped thrid strike if the mitt is on the gro

Help me out here. I'm new to OFC. Is there a reason for increasing one's post count? Why would someone want to pad their post?

 

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Re: Dropped thrid strike if the mitt is on the gro

When you say the catcher trapped the ball, was the ball on top of the glove or underneath? If the ball was underneath the glove and in contact with the ground I would think that the batter can run.

 

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Re: Dropped thrid strike if the mitt is on the gro

Help me out here. ?I'm new to OFC. ?Is there a reason for increasing one's post count? ?Why would someone want to pad their post? ?

I'm curious about tha as well. Does OFC send you a free gift certificate or something?

 

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Re: Dropped thrid strike if the mitt is on the gro

"In contact with the ground" equals "no catch".

The same definition of "a catch" applies whether it is a fielder making a catch of a batted ball or a catcher making a catch of a pitch on strike three.

 

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Re: Dropped thrid strike if the mitt is on the gro

[quote author=Bad Medicine link=1117028516/0#13 date=1189609643]Help me out here. I'm new to OFC. Is there a reason for increasing one's post count? Why would someone want to pad their post?

I'm curious about tha as well. Does OFC send you a free gift certificate or something?
[/quote]
No real prize, but some seem to think that having made a lot of posts gives them some prestige or legitimacy. Personally, I don't care if you have 1 post or 10,000; it's what you say that matters, not how often - quality over quantity.

 

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Re: Dropped thrid strike if the mitt is on the gro

Hey Bear. ?Then how do you account for Ringer and Statman's high number of posts? ? ;D ;D

 

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Re: Dropped thrid strike if the mitt is on the gro

The GLOVE can be on the Ground ... If the Ball never touches the ground Before it is CAUGHT !