Fly ball catch???

[TM67]

I have played softball/baseball for almost 40 yrs. Now my question is, an outfielder breaks in on a linedrive. She slides under the ball, and in my opion catches it, but it knocks her glove off. The ball enters the glove, the glove leaves her hand, falls down at her side. The ball never leaves the glove! The ball stayed in the pocket of the glove, she picks up the glove, shows the ump, he says safe? Is it a catch or not? The ball never hit the ground, or left the glove, but the glove left her hand and hit the ground with the ball in it.

I have never seen this before. What's the call?

[Bretman]

This is not a catch.

The definition of "a catch" states that a catch must be made with the glove "worn in the proper place". Once the glove is off the hand, that requirement is no longer met.

[MTR]

I have played softball/baseball for almost 40 yrs. Now my question is, an outfielder breaks in on a linedrive. She slides under the ball, and in my opion catches it, but it knocks her glove off. The ball enters the glove, the glove leaves her hand, falls down at her side. The ball never leaves the glove! The ball stayed in the pocket of the glove, she picks up the glove, shows the ump, he says safe? Is it a catch or not? The ball never hit the ground, or left the glove, but the glove left her hand and hit the ground with the ball in it.

I have never seen this before. What's the call?

Really? 40 years and you have never seen this? I've been umpiring for 45 years and have seen this situation about a dozen times, maybe more.

If the player is not in possession or control of the glove, she obviously isn't in possession or control of the ball.

As noted, no catch.

[tcannizzo]

This is not a catch.

The definition of "a catch" states that a catch must be made with the glove "worn in the proper place". Once the glove is off the hand, that requirement is no longer met.

Well, true as for the OP, but the glove is not so much the issue as control of the ball.
For example, a bare-handed catch.

If the glove became detached with the ball inside it, and the glove never touched the ground after becoming detached, and the player was holding the glove (control), we would still have a catch. Heck the player can then throw the glove with the ball still inside it to another defender in an attempt to make a play.

Rule 1 Definitions:
CATCH/NO CATCH:
A. A catch is a legally caught ball, which occurs when the fielder catches a batted,
pitched or thrown ball with the hand(s) or glove/mitt.
1. To establish a valid catch, the fielder shall hold the ball long enough to
prove control of it and/or that the release of the ball is voluntary.
2. If the ball is merely held in the fielder’s arm(s) or prevented from dropping
to the ground by some part of the fielder’s body, equipment or clothing, the
catch is not completed until the ball is in the grasp of the fielder’s hand(s)
or glove.
3. The fielder’s feet must be within the field of play, touching the “out of play”
line or in the air after leaving live ball territory in order to have a valid catch.
A player who is “out of play” and returns must have both feet touching live
ball territory or one foot touching and the other in the air, for the catch to
be legal.

B. It is not a catch:
1. If a fielder, while gaining control, collides with another player, umpire or a
fence, or falls to the ground and drops the ball as a result of the collision
or falling to the ground.
2. If a ball strikes anything other than a defensive player while it is in flight
is the same as if it struck the ground.
3. When a fielder catches a batted or thrown ball with anything other than
the hand(s) or glove in its proper place.

[joaquinjunior]

yeh, and next someone is gonna come on here and say/post that they've been watching baseball/softball for over 60 years...and ? ha ha ha lol

[MTR]

This is not a catch.

The definition of "a catch" states that a catch must be made with the glove "worn in the proper place". Once the glove is off the hand, that requirement is no longer met.

Well, true as for the OP, but the glove is not so much the issue as control of the ball.
For example, a bare-handed catch.

If the glove became detached with the ball inside it, and the glove never touched the ground after becoming detached, and the player was holding the glove (control), we would still have a catch. Heck the player can then throw the glove with the ball still inside it to another defender in an attempt to make a play.

Tony has a good point here. Of course, the key is "control" of the ball. If the ball is stuck in a glove, possession/control of the glove (while the ball is still in it) is the same as catching and controlling the ball.