On Sunday, the Mariners played the Royals at Safeco Field when an unusual — and, as it turned out — game-changing incident took place.
The game was tied 1-1 with two outs and two on in the bottom of the seventh inning, with the Mariners' Willie Bloomquist at bat. With two strikes, Bloomquist swung and foul-tipped a ball that wound up in the glove of Royals catcher John Buck. Buck actually got up and headed toward the dugout before the umpire called him back.
The umpire ruled — and replays agreed that the foul tip had struck Buck on the leg and rolled up his arm before he got it in his glove. According to MLB rules, a foul tip only counts as a third strike and therefore an out when it goes directly into the catcher's glove — or, at least, off the glove first. It apparently doesn't matter that the ball never touched the ground.
Quote:
MLB Rule 6.05(B):
A batter is out when –
(b) A third strike is legally caught by the catcher;
Rule 6.05(b) Comment: ““Legally caughtâ€â€ means in the catcher’’s glove before the ball touches the ground. It is not legal if the ball lodges in his clothing or paraphernalia; or if it touches the umpire and is caught by the catcher on the rebound.
If a foul-tip first strikes the catcher’’s glove and then goes on through and is caught by both hands against his body or protector, before the ball touches the ground, it is a strike, and if third strike, batter is out. If smothered against his body or protector, it is a catch provided the ball struck the catcher’’s glove or hand first.
Bloomquist, given new life, ripped a double to center that drove in two runs, and the Mariners went on to win, 5-1.
Nobody disputed that the umpire made the right call. But Royals manager Buddy Bell — correctly, I thought — went out of his way to make clear that he thought the rule itself was ridiculous:
Quote:
“That play happens too fast for the home-plate umpire to call,†he said. “It happens too fast for the second-base umpire to call. If (a batter) fouls the ball off and it doesn’t hit the ground, then it should be a strikeout.
“It’s that simple. I don’t understand why it has to be so complicated.â€
I can't say as I blame him. I say any catch of a foul ball should be an out. Period.
[/quote][/i]