The following 40 statements are often thought to be true, but are, in fact,
FALSE. Click on the Myth to read the explanations and rule
references to find out why the statements are false.
FACT: The hands are part of a person's body. If a pitch hits the
batter's hands the ball is dead; if he swung at the pitch, a strike is called
(NOT a foul). If he was avoiding the pitch, he is awarded first base.
RULES: 2.00 PERSON, TOUCH, STRIKE (e) and 6.05(f)
FACT:
The batter-runner may turn left or right, provided
that if he turns left he does not make an attempt to advance. An attempt is a
judgment made by the umpire. The requirement is that the runner must
immediately return to first after overrunning or oversliding
it.
RULES: 7.08(c and j)
FACT:
A strike is a judgment by the umpire as to whether
the batter attempted to strike the ball. Breaking the wrists, or the barrel of
the bat crossing the plate are simply guides to making the judgment of an
attempt, these are not rules.
RULES: 2.00 STRIKE
FACT:
The plate is in fair territory. There is nothing
special about it. If a batted ball hits it, it is treated like any other batted
ball.
FACT:
The batter's box is not a safety zone. A batter could
be called out for interference if the umpire judges that interference could or
should have been avoided.
The batter is protected while in the box for a short period of
time. After he has had time to react to the play he could be called for
interference if he does not move out of the box and interferes with a play.
Many people believe the batter's box is a safety zone for the batter. It is
not. The batter MAY be called out for interference although he is within the
box. The key words, impede, hinder, confuse and obstruct
apply to this situation.
Of course, the umpire must use good judgment. The batter cannot be expected to
disappear. If he has a chance to avoid interference after he has had time to
react to the situation and does not, he is guilty. If he just swung at a pitch,
or had to duck a pitch and is off-balance, he can't reasonably be expected to
then immediately avoid a play at the plate. However, after some time passes, if
a play develops at the plate, the batter must get out of the box and avoid
interference. The batter should always be called out when he makes contact and
is outside the box.
RULES: 2.00 INTERFERENCE, 6.06(c)
FACT:
There is nothing foul about a foul-tip. If the ball
nicks the bat and goes sharp and direct to the catcher's hand or glove and is
caught, this is a foul-tip by definition. A foul-tip is a strike and the ball
is alive. It is the same as a swing-and-miss. If the ball is not caught, it is
a foul ball. If the nicked pitch first hits the catcher somewhere other than the
hand or glove, it is not a foul-tip, it is a foul ball.
RULES: 2.00 FOUL-TIP, STRIKE
FACT:
The batter can switch boxes at any time, provided he
does not do it after the pitcher is ready to pitch.
RULES: 6.06(b)
FACT: The PROPER batter is the one called out. And this is one of
the most complex and confusing situations in all of baseball. Here are some
guidelines:
1.
If anybody points out that the wrong batter is batting
while s/he is still at bat, the proper batter replaces him/her and inherits the
current balls and strikes. There is no penalty.
2.
If the batter who hits out of order completes the at
bat either by making an out or getting on base, and the defensive team notices
that s/he batted out of order and complains to the umpire before the first pitch to the next batter, then the batter who
should have been at bat is called out and the proper batter bats.
a.
Any advance or
score made because of a ball batted by the improper batter or because of the
improper batter’s advance to 1st base on a hit, error, a base on
balls or a hit batter is nullified.
b.
This means that if the #3 batter accidentally bats
before the #2 batter, and the #3 batter gets a hit, and the defensive team
complains that s/he batted out of order, the #2 batter is called out, and the
#3 batter is removed from the bases and bats again.
3. If no one notices that the wrong batter batted, then the player who was skipped has missed his turn and cannot bat again until next time around the order. Should s/he go to the plate out of turn (say, after the original out-of-order hitter has completed his/her at bat), then the same rules apply about batting out of order.
RULES: 6.07(b, 1)
FACT:
Rule 7.08(c and j) simply state that a batter-runner
must immediately return after overrunning first base. It doesn't state any
exceptions as to how the player became a runner. It could be a hit, walk, error
or dropped third strike.
To overrun means that the runners momentum carried him straight
beyond the base after touching it. It does not mean to turn and attempt to
advance. Nor does it mean that he stepped over it or stopped on it and then got
off of it.
RULES: 7.08(c and j)
FACT:
The batter may attempt to reach first base anytime
prior to entering the dugout or a dead ball area.
The batter becomes a runner when the third strike is not caught. Therefore, if
there are 2 outs and there is a runner at first, first and second, or bases
loaded, the batter creates a force by becoming a runner. These runners are all
forced to advance and an out may be obtained by making a play on any one of
them. If the bases are loaded the catcher may step on home or throw to third,
second or first.
RULES: 6.05(c), 6.09(b) Casebook interpretation
NOTE: In CYB SLF, per Local Rule Section V.SLF.6,
“A batter is out on a third strike
regardless of whether the catcher catches the ball.”
FACT:
A strike is an attempt to hit the ball. Simply
holding the bat over the plate is not an attempt. This is umpire judgment.
RULE: 2.00 STRIKE
RULE: 2.00: “A BUNT is a batted ball not swung at, but
INTENTIONALLY met with the bat.” The key words are "intentionally met."
If no attempt is made to make contact with a ball outside the strike zone, it
should be called a ball. An effort must be made to intentionally meet the ball
with the bat.
FACT:
It depends.
One
issue is that it matters whether the ball hits the bat or the bat hits the
ball. The rule says the bat cannot hit the ball a
second time. But when the ball hits the bat, as in a quick rebound off the
plate, with the batter still in the batter’s box, it is not an out, and is
treated as a foul ball. If, however, the player has had time to leave the
batter’s box before the bat and ball come in contact a second time, it is
considered that the bat has struck the ball, and the following rules apply.
If the batter is out of the box and the bat is over fair territory
when the second hit occurs, the batter is out, whether or not the second hit
was intentional.
If the batter is out of the box, drops the bat, and the ball roles
against the bat, and the umpire rules that there was no intention by the batter
to change the course of the ball, the ball is alive and in play, and the batter
is not out.
If a batter intentionally deflects the course of a foul
ball in any manner, he is out. If a batter unintentionally deflects the
course of a foul ball, the ball is dead, the play is over, no runners may
advance, and the batter is not out.
RULES: 6.05(g, h) and 7.09(b, c)
FACT:
To be out, the batter's foot must be ENTIRELY outside
the box when he contacts the pitch and the ball goes fair or foul. He is not
out if he does not contact the pitch. There is no statement about touching the
plate. The toe could be on the plate and the heel could be touching the line of
the box, which means the foot is not entirely outside the box.
RULE: 6.06(a)
FACT:
The runner must be out of the lane AND cause
interference. He is not out simply for being outside the lane. He could be
called for interference even while in the lane. This is a judgment call.
The runner may step out of the lane a step or two before the base if he moves
from within the lane to out of it. If he is out of the lane the whole distance
to the base and is hit with a throw, he should be out.
RULES: 2.00 INTERFERENCE, 6.05(k), 7.09(k)
FACT:
The ball is dead on a homerun over the fence. You
can't be put out while the ball is dead except when you pass another runner.
(Comment: Where on earth did this one originate?)
RULES: 5.02, 7.05(a)
FACT:
Umpires like to go on about how there is no such thing as a tie, and that the umpire
must rule “safe” or “out,” but that argument misses the point. A better way to
understand the rule is to examine the rule closely. Babe Ruth League Rule 7.08(e) says,
“Any runner is out when... he fails to reach the next base before the fielder
tags him or the base, after he has been forced to advance by reason of the batter
becoming a runner.” That’s right -- it says that the runner has to get to the base BEFORE the fielder
tags the runner or the base. A play where the runner and the fielder get to a
base EXACTLY at the same time is highly unlikely, but if it were to occur, the
runner would be out for failing to get to the base BEFORE the ball.
RULE:
7.08(e)
FACT:
When a fielder other than the pitcher throws the ball
into dead ball area, the award is 2 bases. The award is from where the runners
were at the time of the pitch if it is the first play by an infielder before
all runners have advanced or from where each runner was physically positioned
at the time the ball left the throwers hand on all other plays.
RULE: 7.05(g)
FACT:
Rule 7.09(I) says the runner is out if the coach
PHYSICALLY ASSISTS the runner. Hand slaps, back pats or simple touches are not
physical assists.
FACT:
In order to correct a base running mistake, the
runner MUST retrace his steps and retouch the bases in reverse order. The only
time a runner is out for running in reverse, is when he is making a travesty of
the game or tries to confuse the defense.
RULES: 7.08(I), 7.10(b)
FACT:
There is no "must slide" rule. When the
fielder has the ball in his possession, the runner has two choices; slide OR
attempt to get around the fielder. He may NOT deliberately or maliciously
contact the fielder, but he is NOT required to slide.
RULE: 7.08(a, 3) (This rule does not apply to professionals.)
FACT:
The bases are in fair territory. A runner is out when
hit by a fair batted ball while touching a base, except when hit by an
infield fly or after the ball has passed a fielder and no other fielder had a
play on the ball.
If the runner is touching first or third, he is not out unless the ball touches
him over fair territory. If one foot is on the base and the other is in foul
ground and he is hit on the foul ground foot, he is not out. It is a foul ball
(if the ball has not passed beyond first or third.)
RULES: 5.09(f), 7.08(f)
FACT:
There is nothing foul about a foul-tip. If the ball
nicks the bat and goes to the catcher's glove and is caught, this is a foul-tip
by definition. A foul-tip is a strike and the ball is alive. It is the same as
a swing-and-miss. If the ball is not caught, it is a foul ball.
RULES: 2.00 FOUL-TIP, STRIKE
FACT:
A force play is when a runner is forced to advance
because the batter became a runner. When the batter is out on a caught fly, all
forces are removed. An out on a failure to tag-up is NOT a force out. Any runs
that cross the plate before this out will count.
RULES: 2.00 FORCE PLAY, 4.09
FACT:
A runner must touch all the bases. If the runner
misses a base to which he was forced because the batter became a runner, and is
put out before touching that base, the out is still a force play. If this is
the third out, no runs may score. The base can be touched or the runner can be
touched; either way it's a force out.
RULES: 2.00 FORCE PLAY, TAG, 7.08(e), 7.10(b)
FACT:
The runner MUST avoid a fielder who is attempting to
field a BATTED ball. A runner is out for running out of the baseline only when
attempting to avoid a tag.
RULES: 7.08(a), 7.09(L)
FACT:
An infield fly is no different than any other fly
ball in regard to the runners, which means that the runners may, at their own
risk, tag up and advance after the ball is caught. The only difference is that
they are never forced to advance because the batter is out whether the ball is
caught or not.
RULES: 2.00 INFIELD FLY, 6.05(e), 7.10(a)
FACT:
Yes it can. This is not a force play. A force play is
when a runner is forced to advance because the batter became a runner. When the
batter is out on a caught fly, all forces are removed. An out on a failure
to tag up is NOT a force out. Any runs that cross the plate before this out
will count.
RULES: 2.00 FORCE PLAY, 4.09, 7.10(a)
FACT:
A pitch is a
ball delivered to the batter by the pitcher. It doesn't matter how it gets to
the batter. The batter may hit any pitch that is thrown. A pitch that bounces
before reaching the plate may never be a called strike or a legally caught
third strike.
RULE: 2.00 PITCH. (If the ball does not cross the foul line, it is not a
pitch.)
FACT:
A pitch is a ball delivered to the batter by the
pitcher. It doesn't matter how it gets to the batter. If the batter is hit by a
pitch while attempting to avoid it, he is awarded first base.
RULES: 2.00 PITCH, 6.08(b).
FACT:
A catch is legal when the umpire judges that the
fielder has COMPLETE control of the ball. The release of the ball must be
voluntary and intentional.
RULE: 2.00 CATCH
FACT:
You can tag a base with ANY part of the body.
RULES: 2.00 FORCE PLAY, PERSON, TAG, 7.08(e)
FACT:
Not true. If a
throw or pitch is made after the balk call, the ball is delayed dead. At the
end of the play the balk may be enforced or not depending on what happened. On
a throw; if ALL runners advance on the play, the balk is ignored. If not, the
balk award is enforced from the time of pitch. On a pitch; if ALL runners
INCLUDING the batter, advance on the play, the balk is ignored. Otherwise, it
is no-pitch and the balk award is made from the time of the pitch.
RULE: 8.05 PENALTY
FACT:
The position of the player's feet or any other part
of the body is irrelevant. A ball is judged fair or foul based on the
relationship between the ball and the ground at the time the ball is touched by
the fielder.
RULE: 2.00 FAIR, FOUL
FACT:
An appeal may be made anytime the ball is alive. The
only time the ball must go to the pitcher, is when time is out. The ball cannot
be made live until the pitcher has the ball while on the rubber and the umpire
says "Play." If time is not out, the appeal can be made immediately.
RULE: 2.00 APPEAL, 5.11, 7.10
FACT:
A pitch is a ball delivered to the batter by the
pitcher. If the ball is not delivered, it is not a pitch. Therefore it cannot
be a ball. If this happens with runners on base it is a balk.
RULE: 2.00 PITCH.
FACT:
The pitcher is required to come to a complete stop in
the Set position before delivering the pitch, not before making a throw.
RULE: 8.05(m)
FACT:
If the pitcher steps off the rubber he is no longer
the pitcher, he is a fielder. He can throw to a base from the rubber, provided
he does not break any of the rules under rule 8.05
FACT:
As long as the fielder is not touching the ground in
dead ball territory when he catches the ball, it is a legal catch if he holds
onto the ball and meets the definition of a catch. If the catch is not the
third out and the fielder falls down in dead ball territory after catching the
ball, all runners are awarded one base. If the fielder remains on his feet in
dead ball territory after the catch, the ball is alive and he may make a play.
RULES: 2.00 CATCH, 5.10(f), 6.05(a), 7.04(c)
FACT:
If an umpire
is hit by a batted ball before it passes a fielder, the ball is dead. On any
other batted or thrown ball, the ball is alive when the umpire is hit with the
ball. Umpire interference also occurs when the plate umpire interferes with the
catcher's attempt to prevent a stolen base.
RULES: 2.00 INTERFERENCE, 5.09(b), 5.09(f)
FACT:
The umpire who made a call or ruling may ask for help
if he wishes. No umpire may overrule another umpire's call.
RULES: 9.02(b, c)