Baseball rules question

[P&R Fan]

I was watching Gods Team last night (That would be the Chicago Cubs for you non-believers) as they were playing the Milwaukee Brewers. Late in the game a Cubs batter had two strikes on him and the pitcher threw a pitch that hit the ground about two feet in front of the plate. The batter still swung wildly, and of course whiffed. Strike three. But wait, the ball got away from the catcher, so he alertly ran to first base. Also, I believe, got an RBI because the runner on third scored on the play. (Cubs players will take runs ANY WAY they can get 'em).
I understand all that, but it got me thinking about the rules. When the pitch hit the ground before it got to the batter, was it still in play? Suppose he had hit it on the bounce, would it have been legal? I tried to Google it, but mostly just saw rules about hit batsmen.
What say you, baseball fans?
Jim

 

[bshepherd]

Yes a bounced ball can be hit.

 

[redlevel]

Yes, still in play. Yogi Berra supposedly hit at least one bounced pitch for a home run.

 

[gregintenn]

Pitch is still live even if it hits the ground.

 

[Fishslayer]

Yes a bounced ball can be hit.

Easier to hit with one of these...

 

[fat tom]

Agreed,live ball. Now,had the catcher CAUGHT the ball,would the batter have been out,or would the catcher have had to either throw the batter out at first or simply tag him?
f.t.

 

[gregintenn]

Had the catcher caught the ball, the batter would be out on strikes.
If the catcher drops the third strike ball, the batter has an opportunity to run to first, and he has to be either tagged or thrown out, lest he is safe on first.
Not sure how to score that one in a book, however.

 

[RightArm]

Sure miss watching baseball. Just can't get into our minor league team.

 

[Dyerbill]

so Einstein is walking around heaven and bumps into a guy.............excuse me sir but what is your IQ????............the man says 140.................Einstein says come by my room tonight and we will discuss my theory..............little while later he bumps into another man....what is your IQ he says???.................the man says 90.......................Einstein looks at him and says................................How about them Cubs?????

 

[fat tom]

Sure miss watching baseball. Just can't get into our minor league team.

Try DirecTV,or is baseball on the tube not your cup of tea?
f.t.

 

[Dennis The B]

Had the catcher caught the ball, the batter would be out on strikes.
If the catcher drops the third strike ball, the batter has an opportunity to run to first, and he has to be either tagged or thrown out, lest he is safe on first.
Not sure how to score that one in a book, however.

Pitcher gets a "K".
If the catcher tags the batter, catcher gets a put out.
If the catcher throws to first, and the runner is out, the first baseman gets a put out, catcher gets an assist.
Pitcher could be charged with a wild pitch, or catcher could get charged with a passed ball.

 

[LVSteve]

Easier to hit with one of these...

Now that's my kind of bat.

 

[sheepdawg]

Who cares it was the Cubs. GO CARDINALS !!!

 

[VM]

Question has been correctly answered...........nothing to say

GO CUBS!!!

 

[Engineer1911]

It was baseball -- who cares??

 

[Straightshooter2]

When a pitch is in the dirt, it is a live ball. If the batter swings and makes contact with the ball and it is in fair territory, the ball is in play. If he swings for the third strike with less than two outs he may attempt to take first base as long as it is unoccupied. If the strikeout would be the third out of the inning, the batter may attempt to take first even if it is occupied (the runner at first would have to move up a base). The catcher has to either tag the batter, throw to first for the force out or, if the bases are loaded, step on home plate or throw to any base for a force out. Scoring is a K for the pitcher, if the catcher tags the runner it's a put out, if he throws to a base, it's a put out for whoever is covering the base and an assist for the catcher. A pitch in the dirt that results in any runner moving up a base should always be scored a wild pitch.

CW

 

[handejector]

Who's on first?

 

[OK Hog Shooter]

No... Who's on second... What's on first!

 

[Straightshooter2]

Who's on first?

Yes.

Who's on First

CW

 

[AZretired]

Go Cubbies!!!!

 

[m75rlg]

Had the catcher caught the ball, the batter would be out on strikes.
If the catcher drops the third strike ball, the batter has an opportunity to run to first, and he has to be either tagged or thrown out, lest he is safe on first.
Not sure how to score that one in a book, however.

Sorry, but that is not correct. The pitch must be caught "in flight" for the batter to be out in the case of an unoccupied first base or with two out. After a pitch has bounced it is no longer in flight. If the pitch is struck by the bat of the batter, even if it is rolling on the ground, it becomes a batted ball, and is covered by the rules as such from the moment it makes contact with the bat.

There is no where in the OBR (Official Baseball Rules) you will see the phrase "dropped third strike".

OBR rules you need to reference are 6.05 "A batter is out when-" . . .(b) A third strike is caught by the catcher;" and the Comment "Legaly caught" means in the catcher's glove before the ball touches the ground. . . ". You also need to reference definitions under 2.0 that define "A CATCH" and IN FLIGHT" .

If you're talking Fed ball (National Federation of State High School Associations) the ruling is the same, the rule references would be7-4-1b. (Batter is out section) and rule 2 definition 2-9.

I've been umpiring baseball and softball for at least the last 18 years.