Wild Pitch Question

Might want to work on some blocking drills for the catcher because this is legal. On a third strike that is not handled cleanly in the air the runner has the right to advance to first base. With less than two outs and a runner on first then the batter is out without the right to advance to first. With two outs the batter can advance to first even if there is a runner on first.

The pros will be on later to give a better definition.

Coach2709,

Thank you for the reply. I know that the batter can advance to first in this situation, I was just wondering about having it ruled as a wild pitch when it is swung at.

Ok my apologies - I misread your post.

Might want to take this question to the scorekeeping forum as well.

I'm a former catcher by trade and coach our catchers now so I have pretty high standards so if I thought it was blockable it would be a passed ball. The pitcher has to have faith in the catcher to block those pitches in order to throw them. If the catcher doesn't want credited with passed balls he better get his rear in the dirt to block.

As for what the actual ruling is I'm not sure but I'm a hard rear end on the catchers.

Makes no difference if the batter swings or not. A pitch in the dirt that results in a runner advancing is a wild pitch, not a passed ball. While it MAY not be a "fault" of the pitcher, fault must be "assigned" in this case and it would be more appropriate to be called a wild pitch than a passed ball.

The official scorer shall charge a pitcher with a wild pitch when a legally delivered ball is so high, so wide or so low that the catcher does not stop and control the ball by ordinary effort, thereby permitting a runner or runners to advance. The official scorer shall charge a pitcher with a wild pitch when a legally delivered ball touches the ground or home plate before reaching the catcher and is not handled by the catcher, thereby permitting a runner or runners to advance. When the third strike is a wild pitch, permitting the batter to reach first base, the official scorer shall score a strikeout and a wild pitch."

Fungo