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Imagine this scenario. Runner on second, Heyward up with one out. He swings and tops a little roller fifteen feet in front of the plate. He just stands there and watches the catcher go and get the ball, and walk over and tag him. What do you think the manager would say to him in the dugout?
But yeserday, he did exactly that. He struck out on a pitch in the dirt, it rolled 15 feet from the plate, and the catcher walked over and tagged Heyward standing in the batters box. What's the difference? A missed third strike is exactly the same as a batted fair ball. The defense has to play the ball and all runners can advance. In this case, a wild throw by the catcher would hare resulted in the runner scoring from second, in the unlikely event he was paying attention.
This is not a rag on Heyward, I just happen to have seen him do it yesterday and wanted to raise he issue. I've seen MLB players do that a million times. Umpires seem to have gotten into the habit of calling them out about two seconds afterwards, if they make no effort to run to first. The catcher doesn't even need to bother to tag them anymore.
They do. Just depends on the player/situation would be my guess. Went to the Rockies/Pads game yesterday and Justin Morneau had a chance to reach on an uncaught third strike. The pitch rolled away from the catcher, but he was able to pick it up and rifle it to first for the out.
I'm not 100% sure (Grandstander or others correct me if I'm wrong here) but I believe you can't run to first base on a dropped 3rd strike if first base is already occupied UNLESS there are 2 outs.
I'm not 100% sure (Grandstander or others correct me if I'm wrong here) but I believe you can't run to first base on a dropped 3rd strike if first base is already occupied UNLESS there are 2 outs.
Correct, but not second base, which was occupied in this case by a runner who could have gone to third or home, if the catcher had been forced to throw to first and made a bad throw.
Ump can call them out if they make any move (a step towards dugout) conceding the out. At that point, a throw to first or tag are duplicative.
I also hate players too lazy to force a throw, and IMO they should run all out..not run like a pitcher who just hit a comebacker. Force a full speed throw w/o allowing catcher endless time to set.
Ump can call them out if they make any move (a step towards dugout) conceding the out. At that point, a throw to first or tag are duplicative.
Is this to save one second in their hysteria to speed up the game, in compliance with the loud demands of bored working commentators and sports writers anxious to get to the post-game bar, the only people who complain about long games?
Can the ump also call a batter out who hits a fair ball and make no attempt to run it out? Like a frustrated guy who pops up a bunt attempt, or admires a long home run? These are not things for umps to decide -- game events should be based on execution. Umpires, and by extension the rules committee, are what is ruining baseball. If Jim Abbot (the one armed pitcher) catches a pop up, how does he remove the ball from the glove with his bare hand to record the out? Come on, a third-grader knows a catch when he sees one.
When Molina tore the ligament in his thumb the other night making a tag at the plate, he gingerly took off the mitt,, with the ball in the webbing, and laid it ln the ground, without ever touching the ball with his bare hand. According to the plethora of constantly changing and fluid unwritten rules, the ump could have called the runner safe. (Giving credit where credit is due, he did not. Must be a judgment call.)
Time for the umpires and rules committee to give the game back to the players on the field.
Is this to save one second in their hysteria to speed up the game, in compliance with the loud demands of bored working commentators and sports writers anxious to get to the post-game bar, the only people who complain about long games?.
No, it is to avoid deceit being used to get on base. Guy strikes out, takes 3 steps towards dugout, team in field starts tossing ball around, he takes first as they begin throwing it around..unnoticied.
No, it is to avoid deceit being used to get on base. Guy strikes out, takes 3 steps towards dugout, team in field starts tossing ball around, he takes first as they begin throwing it around..unnoticied.
Quote:
Originally Posted by The MLB Rulebook
6.09
The batter becomes a runner when --
(b) The third strike called by the umpire is not caught, providing (1) first base is unoccupied, or (2) first base is occupied with two out;
Rule 6.09(b) Comment: A batter who does not realize his situation on a third strike not caught, and who is not in the process of running to first base, shall be declared out once he leaves the dirt circle surrounding home plate.
It doesn't have anything to do with avoiding deceit. The batter could take his three steps toward the dugout, or stand there and start to remove his batting glove, or do whatever he wants to do to keep the catcher from thinking that he's going to make a break for first short of leaving the batting circle, then take off running as soon as the catcher starts to throw to third.
The rule - or rather, the comment on the rule - is just for the sake of keeping the game moving in the event the batter and catcher both forget that the batter isn't out.
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