Dropped 3rd strike

If the ball touches the ground prior to reaching the catchers glove then by definition it CANNOT be caught.

See 2-9-1 and the NOTE:

The term dropped third strike...which is often shown as D3K is actually a misnomer...it should be called "third strike not caught"...to be caught it has to caught "in flight"...(see definition of catch)

legally caught means in the catchers glove before the ball touches the ground....it is not legal if it is caught by the catcher on a rebound....

On a third strike, a ball not legally caught in flight by the catcher would mean that they must either tag the batter/runner or throw to first to record the putout.

The umpires in your case are correctly ruling that your catcher did not catch the ball....what cost your team the run is your Coaches not knowing the rule and an error on the catchers throw......not the umpire.......

As this is a HS site, Id be interested to know what level of baseball this was........because this is a Baseball 101 rule over the level of lower youth ball....

quote:

Originally posted by NavyUmp:
If the ball touches the ground prior to reaching the catchers glove then by definition it CANNOT be caught.

See 2-9-1 and the NOTE:

Unless it is tipped after it bounces.

What I teach my catchers is if it's close then treat it as if you did scoop it. Nothing is worse than a catcher knowing / thinking he caught the ball cleanly in the air standing with his mitt in the air looking at the ump while the batter is running to first. If it's close and EVEN IF they know they caught it cleanly in the air my guys are taught to come out and attempt to tage the runner inside the dirt. Once the batter leaves the dirt then my catcher takes a step or two into fair territory to create a throwing lane and make the out at first.

I may be wrong but I would think this is one of the toughest jobs a plate umpire has in trying to figure out if it was caught cleanly or not. Have your catcher take charge of this situation and make the play without having to worry about the ump.

quote:

Originally posted by piaa_ump:
On a third strike, a ball not legally caught in flight by the catcher would mean that they must either tag the batter/runner or throw to first to record the putout.

Or, with two outs, throw to any base a runner is forced to.

quote:

Originally posted by coach2709:
I may be wrong but I would think this is one of the toughest jobs a plate umpire has in trying to figure out if it was caught cleanly or not. Have your catcher take charge of this situation and make the play without having to worry about the ump.

Thanks, Coach, for teaching your catchers what to do. I'd hope, though, you teach them to double-check before throwing to first when there are other runners. I'd hate for your catcher to throw it away trying to make an out that's already recorded, only to have a run score or runners advance.

quote:

Originally posted by yawetag:

quote:

Originally posted by piaa_ump:
On a third strike, a ball not legally caught in flight by the catcher would mean that they must either tag the batter/runner or throw to first to record the putout.

Or, with two outs, throw to any base a runner is forced to.

I was so proud of our catcher last week, when he dropped and blocked a 3-2 2 out curve ball on a swing and miss which bounced away a few feet. He simply stood up, retrieved the ball and touched the plate just before the runner slid home. If he threw to first, he wouldn't have retired the batter.

quote:

Originally posted by coach2709:
What I teach my catchers is if it's close then treat it as if you did scoop it. Nothing is worse than a catcher knowing / thinking he caught the ball cleanly in the air standing with his mitt in the air looking at the ump while the batter is running to first.

This is why I like the mechanic of the PU signaling safe while saying "No Catch!" to remove the ambiguity. This is also known as the Eddings Mechanic.

Agreed