Uncaught 3rd Strike

[InSider]

The uncaught 3rd strike rule has caused frustration for even the best of pitchers. What is the purpose of this rule? Wouldn't you just assume that a strike is a strike is a strike and if you can't hit the ball, you're out?

Interestingly, this rule was put in place specifically for hitters who couldn't hit. When very early baseball came about, there were no called balls or strikes. Therefore, there was no reason for the pitcher to put the ball anywhere but right where the batter could hit it. The batter was under no obligation to swing at any given pitch, regardless of where it was pitched. This means that an incompetent batter could very well make a game come to a complete stand still. So they made the rule and added balls and strikes to eliminate this practice. And when the rule was initially made, the 3rd strike was then just considered "in play" like any batted ball that went uncaught.

Do you think we should keep this rule? Is it just a last ditch chance for a batter to get on? I mean, we've all seen batters with 2 strikes against a dominating pitcher, who will swing at a wild pitch betting that they'll make it before a throw.

 

[flygirlsdad]

Part of the game. There're called catchers because they are supposed to catch the ball. Why is a caught foul ball an out but a fall ball the drops just a strike. How bout we just call all foul balls strikes regardless if they are caught or not. Then we can also institute a no free fouls rule like in slowpitch. I know it sucks for pitchers and more importantly their dads, but it's part of the game and should remain that way. Another kicker for pitchers dad's would be calling a foul tip third strike a foul out instead of a strikeout. I can imagine the arguments with score keepers if that change was implemented.

 

[FastBat]

Brettman has explained this before.

Basically dropped third strikes are to prevent player's from out smarting the system. Very frustrating in the younger ages...I completely understand.

Just a small piece of advice to get 10u players to remember to run on dropped thirds: seat the loudest parent behind the backstop and have them yell "run" when the hitter strikes out. Works every time.

 

[FastBat]

I found this originally posted on:
6-19-2015, 11:08 PM by BretMan2, TSZ/OFC Umpire in Chief

Re: Dropped 3rd strike

Maybe a better question is, "Why do we have this crazy rule?".

The genesis of the rule is akin to the same reason we have the infield fly rule: To prevent the defense from exploiting a loophole in the rules to gain an unintended advantage. The uncaught third strike rule dates back to the earliest days of baseball. It survives today to confuse and confound coaches, players, parents, and, unfortunately, even some umpires.

Everybody knows three strikes and you're out. But what the rule actually says is that the batter is out when the third strike is caught. "Caught" in this case means that the ball is airborne, or in-flight, from the point of the pitcher's release to the catcher catching it. If the ball hits the ground, the batter, the umpire, or anything else besides a defensive player, it's no longer in-flight.

The rules also state that when the third strike is not caught the batter becomes a batter-runner, same as if the ball was batted into play, and the batter-runner may advance to first base. Only sometimes...they can't! Here's why we have the exception in the rules for when they can't.

In baseball's early days this exception wasn't in place. The batter could always run if the third strike wasn't caught. Catchers soon found a way to exploit that rule. If at least first base was occupied (ie: there were force outs to be had on the bases), a crafty catcher would let the ball hit the mitt then purposely drop it. Now the batter had to run. Since runners on base would stay close to their base on a normal strike pitch, all the catcher had to do was pick up the ball, throw to second or third (wherever you had force outs) and the defense could easily turn two or three easy outs on a play that should really just be one out.

Somewhere around the turn of the century, the rulesmakers decided to close that loophole. So they added the exceptions for when a batter doesn't become a runner.

With 0 or 1 out and first base occupied (at the time of the pitch) the batter may not run. Since the batter doesn't become a batter-runner, there are no force outs to be had. This removes the defense's ability to get multiple outs and that removes the incentive for the catcher to purposely drop the ball. In that way, this rule serves the same purpose as the infield fly rule.

With 2 outs, the defense only needs one out to finish the inning. Purposely dropping the third strike with 2 outs would be...stupid. It offers no advantage and, in fact, would disadvantage the defense! So, when there are 2 outs, the rules still require the defense to complete the play, either by catching the pitch or making a throw and tag at a base.

Thank you BretMan2 for this explanation!