The Ole Ball Game

Glove Removed From Hand With Ball Secure

by Randy
(Massachusetts)

Randy asked: If in an attempt to catch a line drive a player's glove is ripped off and falls to the ground, with the ball still secure in the glove is it a legal catch?

Rick answered: Randy, thank you for your question.

Section 9 Catch, Catcher, Catcher's box...Art 1....A catch is the act of a fielder in getting secure possession in his hand or glove of a live ball in flight and firmly holding it, provided he does not use his cap, protector mask, pocket or other part of his uniform to trap the ball.

The catch of a fly ball by a fielder is not completed until the continuing action of the catch is completed.

A fielder who catches a ball and then runs into a wall or another player and drops the ball has not made a catch.

In your scenario, it would not be a catch, as the fielder lost control of the ball, when he lost his glove.

Had the glove come off and the fielder had caught the glove, with the ball in it, prior to it hitting the ground, it would be a catch.

Official scorers will normally award the batter with a hit, due to the velocity generated.

It is all based on the fielder being in control.

Yours in baseball,

Rick

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Apr 20, 2019
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championship game lost on bad call NEW
by: guy lewit

this happened in a championship little league game. the batter hit a line drive to the left of the shortstop. the ball was hit so hard that the glove flew off the fielder's hand and landed a good ten feet away on the infield. the ball remained in the glove. the batter ran to second 0base. the umpire called the batter out. the batting team's argument was that since it was the impetus of the ball that took the glove off the fielder's hand, the fielder never controlled the ball and the ruling should have been a base hit. the umpire and both managers agreed it was the impetus of the ball that separated to glove from the fjelder's hand. since it was a championship game the head of the little league umpire associatiation was in attendance. he did not over rule the call. the game would have ended right then. as a result, the fielding team won. wrong call.

Sep 06, 2018
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Secured balls NEW
by: Tom

I contend that if the players respecters the ball BEFORE it touches the ground, the batter is out. I use the reason that if a player juggles a fly ball, and rematches it before it hits the ground, the batter is out. In the scenario in question, the ball never touches he ground, therefore, if the player resecures the ball BEFORE it touches the ground, why would the batter be safe?

Sep 13, 2017
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live ball
by: Anonymous

why do some people think its an out because the ball hasnt touched the ground

May 06, 2017
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Player must remain in control
by: Rick, theoleballgame.com

Fielder must maintain control throughout the length of the play.

While he may have originally made the tag in control, losing that control and leaving the ball and glove on the ground rules the runner safe.


Yours in baseball,

Rick

May 01, 2017
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Tag at home plate
by: Anonymous

R3 is making an attempt to score. the ball is thrown to the catcher where is make a tag on the on R3. The catcher comes up after the tag with the glove still on the ground and the ball is still in the glove and never touches the ground.

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