Author: Rules Desk

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Indians’ Outfielder Austin Jackson’s Amazing Catch (and why it was legal)

Topics: Blog, Rule of the Week

The Red Sox hosted the Indians Tuesday, August 1, 2017 in a game that was highlighted by one of the most spectacular catches ever made by an outfielder at Fenway Park. A standing ovation for a visiting player is tough to come by in Boston, but that’s what Red sox fans did after witnessing Jackson’s…

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Scoring a Run on a Triple Play

Topics: Time Play

It’s All. About. Timing. Scoring a run on a triple play is by far one of the rarest plays in baseball. The Yankees did it the second inning against the Reds on July 25, 2017. With none out and the bases loaded, Todd Frazier, hero of the Tom’s River, NJ, Little League World Champions, a…

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When all else fails, throw your glove at the ball

Topics: Fielding, Rule of the Week

How did Marcell Ozuna get away with throwing his glove at the ball? Remember chasing a baseball down a sloping street, wishing desperately that you could somehow get to it before it rolled into the storm sewer? A ball in the sewer didn’t just mean the end of the game–it meant the end of the…

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Red Sox-Yankees Rivalry Plays Out Again

Topics: Blog, Rule of the Week

Baseball fans know the Red Sox and Yankees maintain one of the fiercest rivalries in sports. Indeed, things always seem to get sticky when the two teams meet each other. Saturday’s long game was no exception. Read Rich Marazzi’s report here to read more about the bizarre play: Holliday Interference? by Rich Marazzi Red Sox…

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Seven Surefire Ways to Get Ejected

Topics: Blog, Manager, Manager Ejection, Rule of the Week, Umpire

“What have I gotta do to get thrown out of here?” demands your favorite manager, exasperated and red faced, a vein throbbing in his forehead. He’s been arguing for almost two full minutes, and might not have taken a breath since he started. Neither umpire seems the least bit interested in doubling down on the bad call…

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Bat Interference – ball bounces off bat laying in foul territory and rolls into fair territory

Topics: Batter, Batter Interference, Fair Territory, Foul Territory, Interference
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Something You Probably Don’t Know: The Difference Between a Foul Tip and Foul Ball

Topics: Batter, Catcher, Foul Territory, Official Baseball Rules, Rule of the Week, Umpire

Most baseball fans incorrectly use the terms foul ball and foul tip interchangeably. For those who make this mistake, it might simply be a case of careless use of words… or it could be something more serious: a fuzzy understanding of basic baseball rules. So what is the main difference between a foul tip and…

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Strike Zone Misconceptions

Topics: Blog, Rule of the Week, Strike Zone, Umpire

How an umpire calls balls and strikes is the single most influential factor in any baseball game. If the umpire has a “hitter’s strike zone” the pitcher doesn’t get the marginal pitches and the game often is riddled with walks, more hitting and higher scores. If his zone is loose or big, the opposite occurs….

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Rule of the Week: Ball or Strike?

Topics: Blog, Rule of the Week

  Is it a ball or a strike? Only your umpire knows! A crazy strike three was recently called in a minor league game between the Hartford Yard Goats (Rockies) and Binghamton Rumble Ponies (Mets) when the pitcher, Cory Burns, stumbled during his delivery and the pitch rolled towards the first base line well away…

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What You Don’t Know About the Hidden Ball Trick

Topics: Balk, Blog

One of baseball’s rarest plays, the hidden ball trick, is simultaneously gratifying and embarrassing. If you’re the fielder who pulls off this bit of defensive magic, it becomes one of the more satisfying moments of the season. If you’re the embarrassed runner, well, there is no hole deep enough to hide from the humiliation of…

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