Foul or Fair?

[coolstuff]

Tying run on second. Winning run on first. Two outs. Top of the final inning.

Batter slaps the ball over the third baseman's head. The third baseman spins around and reaches back to catch the ball, which bounces out of her mitt. The ball lands in fair territory then rolls across the foul line in front of third base. The plate ump called a foul ball.

The batter attempts another slap hit which is fielded and the batter is thrown out at first. Game over.

Was the ball fair or foul?

[SnocatzDad]

Depends on where it was touched first.

If the 3B reached for it, made contact with it in foul territory and it deflected fair, it's still foul.

If the 3B reached for it made contact in fair territory, it's fair regardless of where it goes after.

[wadeintothem]

Depends on where it was touched first.

If the 3B reached for it, made contact with it in foul territory and it deflected fair, it's still foul.

If the 3B reached for it made contact in fair territory, it's fair regardless of where it goes after.

Pffffft. You obviously dont have the "gift" as I do.

Using my powers of wonderment, I can assure the OP that this was indeed a good call and the ball was indeed foul.

[thedoanezone]

SnoCatzdad has the two scenarios right. It's all about the ball in relation to fair/foul territory at the time of contact with/by F5

It could still be fair if contacted in foul territory past third base but deemed by the umpire to have passed over third base in fair territory. (I think I'm understanding Wade's response a little better now!)

[MTR]

Tying run on second. Winning run on first. Two outs. Top of the final inning.

Batter slaps the ball over the third baseman's head. The third baseman spins around and reaches back to catch the ball, which bounces out of her mitt. The ball lands in fair territory then rolls across the foul line in front of third base. The plate ump called a foul ball.

Not saying right or wrong, I wasn't there. But is it possible that Wade didn't see the ball contact the glove due to it being behind F5 and possibly out of his sight line?

[wadeintothem]

bah!

You dont need to see it.

All ya gotta do is sell the hell out of it.

[coolstuff]

The player was in fair territory, and ball landed on the dirt in fair territory. So it was fair, and all the bad names I yelled at the plate ump were justified.

[wadeintothem]

wait! As the umpire oracle... I see...

The ball was in foul territory when it touched her mitt... thus rendering where the player was or where it landed irrelevant.

So sayeth wade.


Good call blue!!!