The Onus is on the Defensive Team not to Play on a Retired Runner The Dodgers and Angels played in Anaheim on July 6th. In the top of the sixth the Dodgers had Justin Turner on second and Cody Bellinger on first with one out when Matt Kemp singled to left scoring Turner. Justin Upton […]
On Sunday the Kansas City Royals and Houston Astros played at Minute Maid. In the bottom of the second, Tony Kemp was batting with the bases loaded and one out when Kemp’s swing made contact with the mitt of Royals’ catcher Drew Butera. Plate umpire Lance Barrett ruled the ball dead because it was a […]
Anderson Tags Runner with Glove’s Laces The Twins and White Sox played at Target Field on April 12. In the bottom of the third, the Twins had Byron Buxton on first with no outs when he attempted to steal second base. White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson made the apparent tag on Buxton, who was called […]
When a batter hinders a catcher making a play, it is basic batter interference. It usually happens that a batter swings at a pitch, misses and then falls into the space of the catcher who is attempting to throw out a runner. The batter is out and the runner(s) are returned to their previous base. […]
Most of the time when a runner is put out on the base paths, he turns and heads towards his dugout. But what happens if the “put out” runner continues to run the bases as if he believes he is still active and in play? Perhaps one of the defensive players doesn’t realize that he […]
I recently asked a coach of a Major League, pennant-contending team to estimate how many players on his team know the nuances of the Infield Fly Rule. His answer was shocking – only 50%. Everyone knows the basic requirements for an Infield Fly: Runners on 1B and 2B or bases loaded and fewer than 2 […]
This much we know: When a batter attempts to hit a pitch, whether a full swing, check swing or bunt attempt, it is a strike. But what happens when that batter attempts to hit or bunt the pitch and is then struck by the pitch? Is the batter awarded first base? Can runners advance? Can […]
Baseball games feature batboys and batgirls at all levels. Occasionally they get involved in a play and disrupt the natural course of the game. It most often occurs when a ball is hit down the baseline (fair) and the ball boy stationed in foul territory, is struck by the ball. We have all seen plays […]
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 […]
If the third out occurs at about the same time a runner is crossing the plate and the out is not the result of a force or the batter-runner making the third out before reaching first base, it’s a race against “Time.” What occurs first, the runner touching home plate or the tag of a […]