Pitcher's Mound and Dimensions
Umpiring various age levels and leagues, you are exposed to a variety of pitching dimensions. "Regulation" dimensions (those used in professional baseball, college, high school, and most amateur leagues whose players are about 14 and older) use a field composed of 90-foot base paths and a pitching distance of 60'-6" from the front of the pitcher's plate to the point at the rear of home plate.
Most youth leagues, however, use a variety of field dimensions and pitching distances, depending on the league and the age level of the players. Following is a summary of the most commonly used field dimensions.
Field dimensions in amateur baseball
Following are the most common pitching and field dimensions.
- Regulation field. As we've said, on a regulation field the pitching distance is 60'-6". The distance from base to base (the base path) is 90'. Regulation fields are used in professional baseball, of course, but also in college, high school, and most youth leagues whose players are about 14 and older.
- 54/80. Pony Baseball's Pony division (13-14 year olds) play on fields whose pitching distance is 54 feet and whose base paths measure 80 feet.
- 50/70. Little League introduced a new "Intermediate" division in 2012 for players from 11-13 that uses a 50-foot pitching distance and 70-foot base paths. Cal Ripken also has a 50/70 division for 11-12 year olds, and Pony Baseball uses these dimensions for its Bronco division (11-12 year olds).
- 46/60. A pitching distance 46 feet (with 60-foot base path) is standard for Little League divisions where the players are 12 and under. These dimensions are also common for other youth leagues whose players are 12 and under.
Note: Umpire field mechanics on playing fields measuring 50/70 and larger tend to be consistent, so throughout we will use the term "big diamond" to refer collectively to fields that are 50/70 and larger. Mechanics on 46/60 fields, however, are quite different, so we'll refer to 46/60 fields as "small diamond."
The pitcher's mound
On a regulation baseball diamond, the pitcher's mound measures 18' in diameter. The flat area atop the diamond, called the table, measures 5 feet wide by 34 inches deep. Six inches from the front edge of the table is the pitcher's plate (also called the rubber), which measures six inches deep by 24 inches wide.
The distance from the front edge of the pitcher's plate to the rear point of home plate measures 60'-6". This distance was established in 1893 and has served baseball well for 125 years. The height of the mound, however, has changed – most recently in 1969, when it was lowered to its present height of 10 inches. From the front of the table, the mound slopes down such that it loses one inch of height for every foot nearer to home plate.
These dimensions are the ideal, of course, and on professional fields an army of groundskeepers do well to maintain the proper dimensions. But a pitching mound is a difficult piece of ground to maintain, and on amateur fields you are most often lucky to see a mound that is wholly conforming to the regulations.
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OBR / NFHS Rules Differences
Working across multiple rule sets is always a challenge, but never moreso that managing the differences between American high school rules (National Federation of State High School Associations), or NFHS (also referred to as FED), and the Official Baseball Rules (OBR), To make it easier to review the rules differences, we've broken the rules down into seven categories:
Administrative rules
- Proper Appeals: Live ball/Dead ball
- Substitutions: Re-entering starters
- Substitutions: Illegal substitute
- Game ended by darkness or weather: Suspended vs. ended game
- Shortened game: Mercy rule
- Umpire touches or handles live ball
- The umpire's jurisdiction begins when …
- Guidelines on correcting umpire errors
Batting rules
- Appeal on checked swing
- Backswing interference / follow-through interference
- Designated hitter (DH)
- When does runner abandon effort to advance on 3rd strike not caught
Coaching rules
- Defensive conferences (visits)
- When is a defensive visit concluded
- Offensive conferences
- Base coaches
- Disciplinary actions against coaches
Fielding rules
- Obstruction
- Ball lodged in clothing or equipment
- Fake tag without the ball
- Catch and carry
- Player positions on the field
Pitching rules
- Actions allowed from windup position
- Balks
- Illegal pitch (no runners on)
- Pitch count limits and rest requirements
- Feint to third base / 3-1 move
- Time limit to deliver pitch
Base running rules
- Legal/Illegal slide; force-play slide rule
- Must slide or attempt to avoid
- Collisions with defender / malicious contact
- Courtesy runner
- Diving over defender
- Running lane interference
- Walk-off scoring
Equipment rules
- Legal bats / bat regulations
- Catcher's mitt
- First baseman's mitt
- Fielding gloves
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Force Play Slide Rule / Illegal Slide
There has long been a force-play slide rule at most levels of amateur baseball, and at all levels there is a clear definitions of legal vs. illegal slides. The potential for collisions and serious injuries, as well as for malicious behavior, is so prominent in sliding (particularly in force-play and potential double-play situations) that amateur baseball, from Little League through NCAA, enforces strict rules. Only recently has Major League Baseball followed suit (see the blog post, MLB’s Chase Utley Slide Rule & Demise of the “Neighborhood” Play).
Force-play/slide rules differ across the various leagues. We'll cover the following:
But before going on, let's debunk a common misconception about slide plays in general, and the force-play slide rule in particular: There is no requirement (in any rule set) that a player must slide. This myth seems impossible to kill as coaches bring it up constantly. Sliding is discretionary. Period.
That said, if a player elects to slide, the slide must be legal. This applies in all rule sets.
NCAA (college) slide rule
The NCAA slide rules are captured in NCAA Rule 8-4 (from which the image above is taken). In my view, NCAA provides the most sensible and common-sense approach. In a nutshell:
- On a force play, the runner must slide on a line directly between the bases; it is allowable to slide through the base if the runner's momentum carries him beyond the bag.
- If carried through the bag, contact with the defender beyond the bag is allowable so long as the slide is legal in all respects. Note that contact "on top of" the bag is legal, even if the slide is a "pop-up."
- A runner may slide to either side of the bag so long as he chooses a side away from the fielder and avoids making contact or altering the play of the fielder.
- Rule 8-4(c) outlines the five actions that make a slide illegal.
- The Penalty section outlines penalties for each of the five illegal slides. Note that the penalty section (3) stipulates that an umpire can judge a runner's slide or resulting collision to be "flagrant"; in such cases, the offending runner is to be ejected.
Note that NCAA also has a strict rule regarding collisions at home plate. See NCAA Rule 8-7 (the "collision rule").
NFHS (high school) slide rule
The NFHS rule book first defines legal and illegal slides in NFHS Rule 2-32. It further rules on illegal slide behavior in Rule 8-4-2(b). The NFHS rule is more restrictive than the NCAA rule:
- As with NCAA, high school players must slide "on the ground and in a direct line between the two bases," or "within reach of the base with either a hand or a foot" on the side of the base away from the fielder.
- Significantly, the runner is out if he slides beyond the bag and "makes contact with or alters the play of the fielder." In other words, contact is not required if the runner slides past the bag and "alters the play of the fielder." However, the runner is allowed to slide through and beyond the base at home plate.
- The rule goes on to list actions that make a slide illegal, including kicking or slashing at the fielder, raising a let higher than the fielder's knee, and so forth.
Related NFHS rules:
- Rule 2-21-1(b) – Malicious contact (offensive interference).
- Rule 3-3-1(n) & Penalty – Malicious contact; offender ejected
Little League slide rule
The Little League slide rule is captured in Rule 7.08(a)(3-4).
Again, there is no "must-slide" rule in Little League. The rule simply states that runners must either "slide or attempt to avoid" a fielder with the ball who is attempting to make a tag. Of course, the runner is free to reverse direction.
For malicious or injurious action on the part of the runner (taking out the catcher, for example), Little League relies on unsportsmanlike conduct rules to penalize malicious behavior; there is no "malicious contact" rule as such.
Pony Baseball slide rule
Pony baseball plays OBR with added safety rules. Surprisingly, though, Pony provides no safety rule around sliding on force plays or potential double plays. Therefore, OBR Rule 6.01(j) applies to all levels of Pony baseball.
Major League Baseball slide rule
Major League Baseball has recently readdressed the issue of ensuring safety for middle infielders on double-play attempts in OBR Rule 6.01(j), as well as collisions at home plate in OBR Rule 6.01(i).
MLB begins by defining a "bona fide slide" in 6.01(j), and then outlines actions contrary to a bona fide slide that constitute interference. A bona fide slide requires that the runner:
- begins his slide (i.e., makes contact with the ground) before reaching the base;
- is able and attempts to reach the base with his hand or foot;
- is able and attempts to remain on the base after completion of the slide (except at home plate); and
- slides within reach of the base without changing his pathway for the purpose of initiating contact with a fielder.
A runner, then, is exempt from being called out for interference so long as the slide is bona fide; nor shall a runner be liable for interference if the fielder is positioned in the runner's "legal pathway to the base."
The runner loses his exemption from interference if he "intentionally initiates (or attempts to initiate) contact with the fielder by elevating and kicking his leg ...," or by throwing a "roll block."
Contact with the fielder is allowed so long as it occurs within the context of a bona fide slide, and so long as it does not include deliberate actions intended to disrupt a play by the fielder.
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Pre-Game Meeting Checklist
Prior to every game, you and your partner must take five or ten minutes to discuss a handfull of issues that are essential to effective teamwork. Do this before every game, even if you've worked with your partner numerous times.
This checklist will help ensure that you don't overlook something important in your pregame meeting. The UmpireBible checklist is adapted from several sources (so it's not original, just useful) and touches on all of the essential topics you need to cover.
Prior to game and on arrival at the field
- Confirm assignment, game time, field, parking location, colors. Use email or phone your partner at least a day ahead of the game (preferably two days in advance). If your association does not assign slots, then arrange who takes the plate/bases. Arrange to park together so you can conduct your pregame meeting while preparing for the game. Agree on colors (by tradition, the plate umpire calls the shirt color).
- Arrive at the field at least 30 minutes before game time. Recommended: arrive one hour before game time.
- Check in with tournament director, coaches, or athletic director. Make certain that the person in charge of the game is aware that you have arrived. For most games this will be simply the home team manager. In tournaments there is either a tournament director or a tournament umpire coordinator.
- Check condition of the field.
If weather is a factor, be sure to check the condition of field to ensure that it's playable. If there are issues, discuss this with the person in charge (likely a coach or athletic director). They can cancel the game at this time. Once you have exchanged lineups at the plate meeting, however, the game belongs to you and you are the sole judge of the playability of the field.
Pregame meeting with your partner
- Catch/no-catch coverage. This will vary depending on whether you are on the big diamond or small diamond, as well as on the size of the crew. Go over all catch/no-catch coverage scenarios. Be sure to cover your infield scenarios, too. For detailed information, see Catch/No Catch and Going Out.
- Fair/foul coverage. With a two-man crew, this only comes into play with U1 in the A position.
- Signals & eye contact. Run through the signals you'll be using through the game to ensure the crew are all on the same page. PU initiates signals and base umpire(s) return. For more information, see the article Umpire Signs & Signals.
- Checked swings. Discuss handling checked swings and "going down" on appeal.
- First-to-third rotation. When you have R1 or R1 and R3, on batted balls to the outfield the PU has R1 into 3rd base and beyond. Go over this and also cover the signal you'll use when you get into a first-to-third situation.
- Touches and tags at 3rd (with runners on). Be sure to cover that with runners on base the PU has all touches and tags at third base. If there is an appeal at third base in this situation, the PU rules on the appeal.
- PU rotations. Cover PU rotations – when staying home, when going to third, and when he has the catch/no-catch.
- U1 Going out. Discuss U1 "going out." On a two-man crew this will only happen from the A position; with three- or four-man crews you must discuss and clarify the scenarios. For more information see our article Going Out.
- Rundowns. Discuss mechanics of partner coming up to "get this end" of a rundown.
- Calling balks. If this applies to your level, discuss covering balk calls.
- Foul ball off the batter in the box. Often seen more clearly by U1; discuss "see it, call it."
- Overthrows out of play. Technically, overthrows out of play belong to the PU; however, this is another "see it, call it."
- Running lane interference. Again, the PU owns this call; however, especially with a runner on third, U1 might grab the call. Cover communicating that "I've got this one" if you switch up a call like this.
- Force-play slide violation/interference. Discuss the force-play slide rule for your league (this rule varies) and emphasize that PU needs to have eyes on runner going into second when there's a double-play attempt in progress.
- Swipe tag / pulled foot at 1st base. Discuss PU either trailing runner (enless other runners in scoring position), or watching from 1st base line extended (1BLX) to help with swipe tag and pulled foot at first.
- Appeals, touches, tags. Discuss who owns touches and tags at the bases in all scenarios. The owner of a given base also owns any appeal at that base. While base umpire(s) typically own all runners at all bases, there are situations where the PU has 3rd base, or, if U1 goes out, PU has the runner all the way.
- Getting the call right. Discuss your mechanics for getting together if you have a questionable call or a coach's appeal of an error in the application of a rule. Never conference on judgment calls unless you're pretty sure you screwed up and want some cover to reverse the call.
- Equipment inspection (Little League only). Little League is the only league (that I know of) where umpires are required to inspect bats and helmets to ensure they are rules compliant. Discuss to ensure that you understand the bat regulations for the game's age level.
- "I have information for you". Occasionally you will see something on partner's call that might help him on a disputed or controversial call. If so, never intrude on your partner's handling of the call. However, you can have a prearranged signal to indicate (subtly) that you've seen something he might like to hear about. If you make eye contact, flash the signal and then your partner can decide whether to conference with you.
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Common Baseball Rule Myths
There are many myths about the rules of baseball. A lot of these originated on the playground or sandlot where, as kids, we played by neighborhood rules. "Ties goes to the runner" is one of the most common of the sandlot rules (see Myth #16).
In the table below we debunk a long list of rules myths. We present the myth, then we explain what the facts are. Finally, we give you the rules reference so you can look it up and see for yourself.
| The Myth | The Facts | Rule Ref | |
| 1 | The hands are part of the bat. | The hands are not part of the bat; they are part of the batter. If a pitched ball hits the batter's hands while trying to avoid being hit, you have a batter hit-by-pitch. The ball is dead and the batter is awarded first base. If the batter is swinging at the pitch when hit, you do not have hit-by-pitch. You have a strike. The ball is dead, but there is no base award; and, if it's strike three, the batter is out. | Rule 5.09(a)(6) Definitions (person) Definitions (touch) Definitions (strike (e)) |
| 2 | When over-running first base, the batter-runner must veer to the right into foul territory. | The batter-runner may cross first base and veer in any direction, provided the runner makes no attempt (not even a feint) to advance to second. After over-running or over-sliding first base, the runner is required to return to the base immediately. | Rule 5.09(b)(4) Rule 5.09(b)(11) |
| 3 | If on a checked swing the batter breaks his wrists, it's a strike. | A swinging strike is a judgment call. Breaking of the wrists, passing of the bat barrel over the plate, and other similar actions are guidelines, not rules. | Definitions (strike) |
| 4 | If a batted ball hits home plate, it's a foul ball. | Home plate is fair territory, as are the foul lines and first and third bases. A batted ball striking home plate is like any other batted ball and has no bearing on the determination of fair or foul. | Rule 2.01 Definitions (fair ball) Definitions (foul ball) |
| 5 | The batter cannot be called out for interference if he is in the batter's box. | The batter's box is not a safe haven. Interference is a judgment call. The key words to interpreting interference are impede, hinder, confuse or obstruct can apply in the batter's box as well as outside of it. | 6.03(a)(3) Definitions (interference) See also Batter's Interference |
| 6 | The ball is dead on a foul-tip. | A foul-tip is not a foul ball, and the ball is not dead. It is a live ball strike (strike three, if appropriate), and all activities of a live ball are available. Be sure you know the definition of a foul-tip. | Definitions (foul tip) Definitions (foul ball) Definitions (strike) See also Foul Ball/Foul Tip |
| 7 | The batter may not switch batter's from one batter's box to the other after two strikes. | The batter may switch from one batter's box to the other at any time, except when the pitcher is set and is ready to deliver the pitch. | Rule 6.03(a)(3) |
| 8 | A batter who bats out of order is called out out when properly appealed | Nope. Instead, it is the batter who failed to bat at his proper time in the batting order (the "proper" batter) who is called out. Any hit, walk, or other advantage gained by the "improper" batter is nullified and, if on base, the improper batter is returned to the dugout. The next batter due up is the person in the batting order who follows the proper batter (who was just called out). | Rule 6.03(b) See also Batting Out of Order |
| 9 | The batter may not overrun first base when he gets a base-on-balls | Rule 7.08(c) simply states that a batter-runner must immediately return after overrunning first base. It does not specify how the player became a runner, nor specify exceptions on that basis. It could be a hit, walk, error or dropped third strike. Note that to "overrun" means that the runner's momentum carries him straight beyond the base after touching it. | Rule 5.09(b)(4) Rule 5.09(b)(11) |
| 10 |
On a third strike not caught, the batter is out if he fails to attempt to advance immediately. |
This rule varies considerably from rule set to rule set. In OBR, the batter is out once he leave the dirt area surrounding home plate. This is a judgment call. Under high school (NFHS) and Little League rules, the runner is declared out once he or she enters the dugout or other dead ball area. | 5.05(a)(2) |
| 11 | If the batter does not pull the bat out of the strike zone while in the bunting position, it's an automatic strike. | A batter must make an attempt to contact the ball with the bat (to "offer" at the pitch) for a pitch that is out of the strike zone to be called a strike. In the bunt position, a pitch that does not pass through the strike zone, and which is not offered at, is a called ball. If in the strike zone, it is a called strike if not offered at, or a "swinging" strike if offered at whether in the strike zone or not. The defense may appeal if the plate umpire calls a ball and the defense believe the ball was offered at. | Definitions (strike) |
| 12 | The batter is out if a bunted ball hits the ground and bounces back up and hits the bat while the batter is holding the bat. | Two things here. First off, the bat doesn't hit the ball a second time; rather, it's that ball that rebounds and hit the bat. Foul ball. That is, IF the batter is still in the batter's box. However, if the batter has left the batter's box and the ball hits the bat (or the batter-runner, for that matter), then he's out. | Rules 5.09(a)(8) Rule 6.01(a)(2) |
| 13 | The batter is out if his foot touches the plate. |
Not true. For a batter to be out for an illegally batted ball, his foot must be on the ground entirely outside the batter's box when the ball is struck. It is possible for the foot to be "in" the batter's box and touching the plate. Note that the chalk line that defines the batter's box is considered to be part of the batter's box. Also note that the rule only applies if the bat contacts the ball. FED/NFHS: The high school rule differs by adding that the batter is out if hitting the ball "while either foot or knee" is "touching home plate." |
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| 14 | The batter-runner is always out if he runs outside the running lane after a bunted ball. | Interference on a running-lane violation. only takes place if there is a throw, and if the runner's position outside the base path actually interferes with the baseman's ability to field the throw. Note that the catcher's ability to make the throw is not relevant to the judgment of interference. It is not interference if the throw is not catchable. The runner is permitted to step out of the running lane for the last step or two to first base in order to touch first base |
Rule 5.09(a)(11) Definitions (interference) See also The Running Lane |
| 15 | A runner is out if he slaps hands or high-fives other players or base coach when rounding the bases. | That's just ridiculous. The issue is coach's interference, wherein a base coach physically assists a running in advancing or retreating. A high-five is not an assist and is not an infraction. Note, too, that on a home run the only out that can occur is if one runner passes another runner on the base path, or if a runner is called out on appeal for failing to touch a base. | Rule 6.01(a)(8) |
| 16 | Tie goes to the runner. | This is a sandlot rule. In fact, it's the opposite: at first base or on a force, the runner must beat the ball to the bag. Furthermore (umpire axiom): "There are no ties in baseball." | Rule 5.06(a)(1) |
| 17 | On a ball thrown out-of-play the runner gets one-plus-one. | Base awards on overthrows are tricky. Depending on circumstances, the award is either one base or two bases (most commonly two), and depending on other circumstances the award is from the runner's position at the time of the pitch (TOP) or at the time of the throw (TOT). The most common scenario is an overthrow at first base on an infield hit, in which case the batter-runner gets two base award from TOP, which puts him on second base. Note that base awards for overthrows apply to all runners on base. There is no such thing as a "one-plus-one" rule. | 5.06(b)(4)(G, H) See also Awarding Bases |
| 18 | Anytime a coach touches a runner, the runner is out. | Same issue, basically, as Myth 15. It is not interference if a coach just touches a runner. The coach must physically assist the runner for interference to occur. | Rule 6.01(a)(8) |
| 19 | Runners may not run the bases in reverse order. | Nope. In fact, it's just the opposite. When a runner is retreating (when retreating to tag up on a caught fly ball, for example), the runner must retouch the bases in reverse order. (However, if the ball is dead due to foul ball, the runner need not retouch intervening bases.) | |
| 20 | A ball that is tipped by the batter and shoots back sharply over the catcher's shoulder to the backstop is called a "foul tip." | Foul tip and foul ball are two different things. A foul tip is a live ball and a strike (including strike three). A ball that is struck by the batter is a foul tip when and only when it goes "sharp and direct to the catcher's glove and is legally caught." Anything else is a foul ball, which is a dead ball; and is only a strike when there are fewer than two strikes on a batter. | Definitions (foul tip) Definitions (foul ball) See also Foul Ball/Foul Tip |
| 21 | A runner may not steal on a foul-tip. | A foul tip is not a foul ball. A foul tip is a live ball (and a strike) and runners may advance at their peril. You must be sure to understand the difference between a foul ball and a foul tip. | Definitions (foul tip) Definitions (foul ball) Definitions (strike) |
| 22 | The runner is always safe (protected) if touched by a batted ball while he is touching a base. | The base does not protect a base runner from being called out for interference when he is touched by a batted ball. If the base runner is touched by a batter fair ball, the runner is out for interference, irrespective of contact with the base. However, if a portion of the runner's body that is in foul territory is touched by a ball in foul territory, it is simply a foul ball. There is one exception: In the case of an infield fly, the runner is not out if touched by the ball while in contact with a base. | Rule 5.06(c)(6) Rule 5.09(b)(7) Definitions (infield fly) |
| 23 | It is a force out when a runner is called out for not tagging up on a fly ball. | Not a force, but an appeal. To successfully appeal, the defense may tag either the offending runner or simply tag the base where the offense occurred. Therefore, if the appeal results in a third out, then any runs that may have scored on the play (except runs scored by the offending runner and any runners following that runner) will count. | Rule 5.09(c) Definitions (force play) |
| 24 | An appeal on a runner who missed a base cannot be a force out. | Here's the other side of the "appeal play" coin. IF there is a successful appeal of a runner at a base to which he was forced, then the successful appeal results in a force out. Therefore, if the appeal results in the third out, then no runs score on that play. | Rule 5.09(b)(6) Rule 5.09(c-2) Definitions (force play) See also Proper Appeals |
| 25 | A runner is out if he runs out of the baseline to avoid a fielder who is fielding a batted ball. | Wrong. In fact, a base runner is required to do whatever is needed to avoid a fielder who is fielding a batted ball. This is sometimes confused with the rule that results in the runner being called out if running more than three feet outside the basepath when attempting to avoid a tag. | Rule 6.01(a)(9) Rule 5.09(b)(1) See also Basepath & Running Lane |
| 26 | Runners may not advance when an infield fly is called. | This is a common misconception about the infield fly rule. The result of an infield is only this: the batter is out whether the ball is caught or not, so that runners are not forced off their bases. In all other respect this is just an ordinary fly ball. If caught, the runners must tag, and may then advance at their peril. If not caught, the runners are not required to tag up, of course, and again, may advance at their peril. | 5.09(a)(5) 5.09(c)(1) Definitions (infield fly) See also Infield Fly Rule |
| 27 | No run can score when a runner is called out for the third out for not tagging up. | See Myths 23 and 24. An out on appeal for not tagging up is not a force out, so any runs that cross the plate before the out is called on appeal stay on the board. But again, the offending runner may not score, nor following runners if his is the third out. | Rule 5.08 Rule 5.09(c)(1) Definitions (force play) See also Proper Appeals |
| 28 | A pitch that touches the ground before reaching the plate cannot be hit. | Sure it can. Ichiro does it all the time. The only thing outstanding about a pitch that bounces prior to reaching the plate is that it cannot be a called strike. However, it can still be a swinging strike, a foul ball, a called ball, or a clean hit. | Definitions (pitch) Definitions (strike) |
| 29 | The batter is not awarded first base if hit by a pitch after it bounces. | Same issue as Myth 28. Hit by pitch is hit by pitch. So long as the batter is not swinging at the pitch, he is awarded first base if touched by a pitched ball. All of the normal features of the hit-by-pitch rule apply when the pitch bounces first. | Rule 5.05(b)(2) Definitions (pitch) |
| 30 | If a fielder holds a caught fly ball for 2 seconds it's a catch. | There are two components to the definition of a catch – secure possession and voluntary release. There is no time requirement involved. | Definitions (catch) See also The Catch |
| 31 | On a force out or appeal, you must tag the base with your foot. | So long as you have secure possession of the ball "in hand or glove," you can touch the base with any part of your body. | Rule 5.09(b)(6) Definitions (person) Definitions (tag) Definitions (force play) See also Tags |
| 32 | The ball is immediately dead when there is a balk. | Balks are live. The exception is in high school (FED) baseball rules. In all other other leagues, however, a balk results in a delayed dead ball. At the end of the play the balk may be enforced or not depending on what happened. | Rule 6.02(a) See also Balks & Illegal Pitch |
| 33 | If the fielder's feet are in fair territory when he touches a batted ball, it is a fair ball. | This isn't football. In baseball, fair/foul is determined by the position of the ball, not the player, with respect to the foul lines at the moment the ball is first touched. | Definitions (fair ball) Definitions (foul ball) See also Foul Ball/Foul Tip |
| 34 | You must always return the ball to the pitcher before you can make an appeal. | This is a common misconception. In fact, any defensive player can initiate an appeal at any time by (with possession of the ball) tagging the runner whose actions are being appealed, or by touching the base at which the appealable infraction occurred, and then appealing to the umpire with an unmistakable indication (by word or gesture) of the nature of the appeal. The only time the ball must go to the pitcher is if time is out and the ball must be made live to initiate an appeal. | Rule 5.09(c) Definitions (appeal) See also Proper Appeals |
| 35 | When in the set position, the pitcher must come to a complete stop before making a pick-off throw. | In the set position, the pitcher must come to a complete stop before delivering a pitch; however, when stepping and throwing to a base on a pickoff attempt he is not required to come to a complete stop as he moves to the set position. | Rule 5.07(a)(2) Rule 6.02(a)(13) |
| 36 | The pitcher must step off (disengage) the rubber before making a pick-off throw. | The pitcher may step and throw to a base for a pickoff attempt from the set position without disengaging the rubber. Note that when a pitcher disengages the rubber he is no longer a "pitcher," but an ordinary fielder. | Rule 6.02(a)(3) |
| 37 | If a fielder catches a fly ball and then falls over the fence it is a homerun. | As long as the fielder catches the ball before going over the fence, it is a legal catch if he maintains possession and otherwise meets the definition of a catch, so it is not a home run but rather the batter is out. However, if the fielder is entirely in dead ball territory when he makes a catch, this is not a legal catch, the ball is dead, and base runners (if any) are awarded one base. | Rule 5.06(b)(3)(C) Definitions (catch) |
| 38 | The ball is dead any time an umpire is hit by the ball. | If an umpire is hit by a batted ball before it passes a fielder, the ball is dead. On any other batted or thrown ball, the ball is alive when the umpire is hit with the ball. Umpire interference also occurs when the plate umpire interferes with the catcher's attempt to prevent a stolen base. | Rule 5.06(c)(6) 5.06(c)(2) Definitions (interference) See also Umpire Interference |
| 39 | The home plate umpire can overrule other umpires' calls. | No umpire may overrule another umpire's call. An umpire may, at his discretion, seek out advice or consult with another umpire on a play, but is under no obligation to do so. | Rule 8.02(b, c) |
| 40 | You must ask for time out before appealing that a runner missed a base. | A player may only initiate an appeal while the ball is live. If a ball becomes dead on a play in which a player wishes to make an appeal, he must wait for the ball to be made live and may then initiate the appeal. | Rule 5.09(c) See also Proper Appeals |
| 41 | If a base runner misses a base while advancing, but on the same play is awarded a base beyond the base he missed due to an overthrow or obstruction, he is not obligated to retreat to touch the missed base. |
Wrong wrong wrong. The base runner is not relieved of the obligation to touch all bases in order. In this scenario, if the defense properly appeals, the runner would be called out. However, if the ball is dead due to foul ball, the runner need not retouch intervening bases. |
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| 42 | A pitcher must disengage the pitching rubber before throwing to a base for the purpose of making an appeal. | This is a common myth and one that leads to a lot of tiresome misplays. It is not a balk for the pitcher to throw to an unoccupied base for the purpose of making an appeal. | Rule 6.02(a)(4) |
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