A Few Questions From This Past Weekend

[RockRocks787]

We had a pretty crazy tournament this weekend. There were a number of things that either I had never seen before or they don't happen enough for me to be confident about how I scored them.

1. A batter struck out, but the ball was dropped. He heads to first. The catcher's throw hits him then goes into the outfield. The batter is called out by the umpire because he was inside the line while running to first base. Reaching due to a dropped third strike then out because of runner interference would be my guess, but I'm nowhere near positive.

2. With a runner on first, the batter hits the ball back to the pitcher. He tries to get the force out at second. He throws the ball to the second baseman. He is waiting on the runner, but he drops the ball when they make contact. Is this an error on the second baseman?

3. I've had this question for awhile now, but I'm just now asking about it. The pitcher makes a pickoff attempt. It's a bad throw and goes into the outfield. The runner does not advance, so there's no error involved, but when entering the pickoff attempt, should it be the pitcher then the fielder he was intending to throw to or the outfielder who ended up grabbing the ball?

[FTMSupport]

1. Yes, that would be the way to score it.

2. Yes, error on 2B.

3. Doesn't really matter since there is no error in this case, but would probably enter Pitcher and intended fielder in this case.

[Camerabry]

A batter is out when hit by a ball thrown by the catcher?

Are we playing pegs?

I know runners are out when being hit by a batted ball, but by a thrown ball? That seems a bit odd. I'd think it would be an error on the catcher and the runner would get first base or second if it was a bad enough throw.

[Mustang79]

The runner was inside the baseline going to first base, not in the running lane. Therefore he/she is out for running out of the baseline.

[Camerabry]

Oh so they weren't out because they got hit.

Dang. How far do you have to run out of baseline to get called out? You are allowed to run inside the foul line.

[PetroGuy]

The batter/runner is only out if they interfere with the defense while running out of the running lane. From MLB Rules 6.05:

A batter is out when:
(k) In running the last half of the distance from home base to first base, while the ball
is being fielded to first base, he runs outside (to the right of) the three-foot line, or
inside (to the left of) the foul line, and in the umpire’s judgment in so doing interferes with the fielder taking the throw at first base, in which case the ball is dead;
except that he may run outside (to the right of) the three-foot line or inside (to the
left of) the foul line to avoid a fielder attempting to field a batted ball;
Rule 6.05(k) Comment: The lines marking the three-foot lane are a part of that lane and a
batter-runner is required to have both feet within the three-foot lane or on the lines marking the lane.
The batter-runner is permitted to exit the three-foot lane by means of a step, stride, reach or slide in the
immediate vicinity of first base for the sole purpose of touching first base.

[team mom]

Rule 6.05
6.05 A batter is out when—
(k) In running the last half of the distance from home base to first base, while the ball
is being fielded to first base, he runs outside (to the right of) the three-foot line, or
inside (to the left of) the foul line, and in the umpire’s judgment in so doing interferes
with the fielder taking the throw at first base, in which case the ball is dead;
except that he may run outside (to the right of) the three-foot line or inside (to the
left of) the foul line to avoid a fielder attempting to field a batted ball;
Rule 6.05(k) Comment: The lines marking the three-foot lane are a part of that lane and a
batter-runner is required to have both feet within the three-foot lane or on the lines marking the lane.
The batter-runner is permitted to exit the three-foot lane by means of a step, stride, reach or slide in the
immediate vicinity of first base for the sole purpose of touching first base.

[team mom]

Dang, I need to be quicker.

[Camerabry]

I've never seen this rule get used. Interesting. I'll have to file this in my memory banks for when needed.. Thanks... We'll get the runner out one way or another on drop thirds.

[RockRocks787]

I've never seen this rule get used. Interesting. I'll have to file this in my memory banks for when needed.. Thanks... We'll get the runner out one way or another on drop thirds.

Yeah I've scored and watched a lot of baseball over the last few years and I had never seen it called until this past weekend. The head coach for the opposing team didn't know what to think.