Foul tip question

[Pacerdad57]

Here is the scenario. Runner on first, one out. Batter has one strike,'foul tips the ball to the catcher,who gloves the ball and holds on, runner leaves first and takes second with no throw, umpire calls her safe,'stating foul tip on strike two is a live ball, runner stays on second and later scores. Opinions on this?
None of the travel coaches or school coaches seemed to be in synch with this rule.

 

[BretMan2]

A foul tip is a live ball no matter what count the batter has!

A lot of people call any ball that hits the bat and goes "backwards" a foul tip. But a real foul tip has a very specific definition. A true foul tip is a ball that is touched by the bat and travels in a straight line (i.e.: with no perceptible arc), first touches the catcher's hands/mitt, then is legally caught. A real foul tip is always a strike, is always a live ball, and is always treated exactly the same as a swing and a miss.

If the batted ball goes straight back and touches anything other than F2's hands or mitt first, then it is a simple foul ball (dead ball, runners can't advance, strike if less that two strikes, and out if bunted with two strikes).

If a batted ball goes back WITH perceptible arc (i.e.: NOT in a straight line), then it is treated as a fly ball, with all of the same implications of any other fly ball hit anywhere else on the playing field. It can be caught for an out, runners may tag up and advance, etc.

And, yes, this rule does seem to cause a lot of confusion!

 

[Pacerdad57]

Thx for the clarification!

 

[Pacerdad57]

Ended up taking 3 1/2 hrs to end up in a 16-16 tie. Rained all game and the ump finally decided to call it after 11'innings.
Had a tiny zone, one reason that it took so long to get nowhere!!!!

 

[FastBat]

...Runner on first, one out. Batter has one strike, "foul tips" the ball to the catcher, who gloves the ball and holds on, runner leaves first and takes second with no throw; umpire calls her safe stating, "foul tip on strike two, it is a live ball, and runner stays on second." Then the runner later scores.
Opinions on this?

That's a true foul tip.

 

[BretMan2]

Assuming that the ball traveled off the bat without perceptible arc and that the hands/mitt was the first thing the ball touched after the bat. Those two details aren't specified, but both are required for a "true" foul tip.

 

[FastBat]

Assuming that the ball traveled off the bat without perceptible arc and that the hands/mitt was the first thing the ball touched after the bat. Those two details aren't specified, but both are required for a "true" foul tip.

Agree, but I assumed. Then, that's still a live ball! This rule is often confused because so many yell, "foul tip" when they really should say, "foul ball." Because just nipping the ball and it having an arc is a foul ball. One of those things fans yell, that get to me, during the game!

 

[Pacerdad57]

Assuming that the ball traveled off the bat without perceptible arc and that the hands/mitt was the first thing the ball touched after the bat. Those two details aren't specified, but both are required for a "true" foul tip.

absolutely what happened, bang off the back in a straight beeline to the mitt. there were about 5300 differing opinions amongst the 20 or so people there!! as you stated Bretmann it is a confusing rule!!

 

[Rdsherman5]

I was involved in a triple play (wrong end of it) involving a caught tipped pitch. We had runners at 1B and 2B with a double steal. When the ball was tipped my players completed the steal as I had taught them that a foul tip was a live ball. The defense throws to one and touches the base and then to two and touches the base. Umpire ruling is caught foul ball (not foul tip) and three outs. [That was when I learned about the perceptible arc!!]

 

[wow]

"perceptible arc" wasn't there something in 10th grade geometry that addressed this issue? I know I used my Ti-81 to graph a point at intersecting slope...

 

[Pacerdad57]

Lol, wish those had been invented when I was in school at Jurassic high!!
I always cringe when a rule states that there is a perception of anything involved!!! Always at least three perceptions between two people!! Lol